Shakespeare did it, going back to Much Ado About Nothing and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. A post on Industrial Scripts says the rom-com often devolves to cliché, but at heart, the genre is about happiness and human connection. ‘However, despite the simplicity behind them, writing romantic comedy that is funny, compelling, and original can be difficult,” the article states. “In a genre with many expectations, where do you start?”
One key to a successful rom-com is consistency. Spoiler: It should contain romance. Further, your comedic tone should be consistent. Whichever you choose – sarcastic, slapstick, quirky, or dark – stick to it throughout your story. For a twist, add another genre element, such as mystery, superhero, or horror. If you do lean into another genre, embrace it.
Like all stories, your characters should be someone your audience can root for. In a rom-com, you need to go the extra step to ensure your leads match each other. Even if they conflict, some element between them must be compatible, or they’ll never get to the rom part of your rom-com. “If their love isn’t believable then the whole foundation of the story collapses,” the article says. “If it doesn’t seem like they should be together then why should we care if they are?”
Your characters’ chemistry can evolve in different ways. They might have a physical attraction but clashing personalities. They might have intellectual or emotional links that evolve into romance. Chemistry should be evident at the outset and slowly build over the course of your story. Consider how the characters complement each other. They might share cynicism or a sense of humor, or their strengths and weaknesses might balance each other.
You can do better than to follow a strict rom-com formula, but the basic plot structure usually follows something like this:
- The ‘Meet-Cute’
- The Conflict
- The Big Gesture
- The Happy Ending
Click through to the article for more, including examples from specific films.
