As a hopeless romantic, writing rom-coms feels natural to me. However, I’ve been challenging myself to avoid the same old cheesy endings and overdone tropes. Right now, I’m working on a sapphic rom-com about an ordinary girl who keeps accidentally running into her celebrity crush, an actress, in ways she didn’t plan.
I’ve been drawing inspiration from films like Imagine Me & You, 13 Going on 30, and Pretty Woman. Honestly, I haven’t seen a sapphic rom-com in a while, and I think there’s space to reintroduce that energy in a fresh way.
For those of you who write (or are writing) rom-coms, What’s your approach to making the love story feel both fun and original? How do you flip the familiar tropes into something that feels new?
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I am writing my first rom com and I'm having trouble. Probs a direct reflection on personal experience but still - this is a hard genre!!! Good luck and I hope you finish it!
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Lauren Hackney, What aspect(s) do you find difficult when writing a rom-com? Good luck to you as well, thank you!
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Devany Pamiza It's ok to be a hopeless romantic. If people weren't, there wouldn't be new ways to express love through song or films. We all want to root for people. For me there are a couple of key things you need to do when you write a really good rom-com.
1. Build compelling characters. As people, we are all flawed. We have reservations, aspirations, motivations, and around all those broken edges we have what makes these two people fit within them?
2. The Meet-Cute or the start of the will they won't they trope. What interesting way can these two people be brought together then be pulled apart. Then have it organically cause conflict and tension through the story.
3. Don't be afraid to build other characters that are an antithesis to your theme. An opposing view point can sometimes reaffirm the theme you are trying to create. Or at least have some a different voice in your supporting character to create different viewpoints of your theme.
4. Make sure the pay off feels earned for BOTH characters. How are they changed by the experience?
I hope that helps. Good luck with your story.
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Daniel Silvas, Those are great points and advices, thank you!
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Devany Pamiza Gosh - I find all of it difficult. I've been married for 25 years and I'm happy so there's no drama and I have no lived experience. All my friends are generally peaceful people so there's no drama or lose cannons. A good rom com is more than just falling in love - and that's all I've done. I haven't experienced anything messy. So I'm trying to push myself to create a work of fiction. Wish me luck!!!
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Hi, Devany Pamiza. I don't write Rom-Coms, but Stage 32 has two webinars you might be interested in.
Free webinar "An Inside Look of the Stage 32 Writers' Room: Writing Romantic Comedies" www.stage32.com/education/products/an-inside-look-of-the-stage-32-writer...
"How to Develop and Pitch a Romantic Comedy Feature Film" www.stage32.com/education/products/how-to-develop-and-pitch-a-romantic-c...
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Hey, Maurice Vaughan! Thank you for sharing those with me, I highly appreciate it!
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You're welcome, Devany Pamiza.
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Lauren Hackney, that's honestly great that you've had a peaceful experience in romance. I wish you the best of luck and I look forward to hearing more about your rom-com!
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The characters make all the difference...I love romance...I m writing a romantic drama...I base it on true characters but I flip them a lot...try to write something that captivates the audience!!! Personally I am writing something ecstatic!!! I feel ecstatic every time I create a scene and so will the audience!!!
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Ktenidi Evangelia, I'll definitely take that into account. Thank you!!
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I have a comedy complete called "Coming out at the Seams' and not doing anything with it. It's a comedy about a 30 something Jewish woman whose mother won't accept she's gay with hilarious results.
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Sounds really fun!!!
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Ilanna Mandel, that sounds hilarious already! I can't wait to hear/see more about it!
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I would love to find someone to make it with. It's only about 4-5 locations - an office, the street, a synagogue (I could get this), someone's house (I can get that), a flower shop and a healthfood store. So it could work very easily.
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Thanks for the links Maurice Vaughan - I'm going to check those out too! Thank you!
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Ilanna Mandel, that's exciting! What city/state do you plan on filming at if you don't mind me asking? Those are great locations. I'm already envisioning the scenes based on your logline and locations haha!
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I don't have anyone to take it right now - I wish I did. It could be lots of fun. Honestly, it could be anywhere in the world. It's not culture specific except she comes from a wacko Jewish family who just can't seem to get it together. There are some wonderful scenes like when she get a makeover from a stylist who's completely self-absorbed, a sister who wants to be her Queer ally, etc.
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Hi Devany Pamiza ! wishing you continued joy in writing your rom-com :) never too many of them. I love the webinar suggestions that Maurice Vaughan posted. Also, you may want to check out John Truby's The Anatomy of Genres - I am not a fan of rules of structure, but it may spark some ideas. And Lauren Hackney , it may also help with seeing just how much can go wrong! lol :)
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Sebastian Tudores, I'll definitely give that a look, thank you!
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My pleasure Devany Pamiza ! keep us posted on the journey please!
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You're welcome, Lauren Hackney.
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Rebecca James, That's a great method! Although for my script, I think it'd be a little hard to stem from original experiences since I don't have any near romantic scenarios with a celebrity crush, let alone actually having a celebrity crush, haha!