Romantic comedies are more than just lighthearted love stories—they are a cornerstone of popular cinema, blending heart and humor to capture the emotional rollercoaster of falling in love.

While they may seem effortless on screen, writing a successful rom-com requires attention to structure, character, and tone. This guide breaks down everything you need to know to write a modern romantic comedy that feels fresh, funny, and emotionally real.

What Is a Romantic Comedy? 

Romantic comedies, also known as rom-coms, are centered on the love story between two people. In its most generic form, the story follows a couple as they meet, fall in love, overcome obstacles that keep them apart, and defy the odds to live life happily ever after. It’s a story structure that has worked long before the name “rom-com” was given to these genre-bending projects.

By balancing romance and comedy, these stories have a lightheartedness to them that is charming, fun, and full of heart. While the rom-com is one of the most popular film genres, it comes with a structure, tropes, and expectations from viewers of what a rom-com should be. 

Let’s break down how you can write a modern rom-com.

Jennifer Lopez and Josh Duhamel in 'Shotgun Wedding.'

Breaking Down the Structure of a Rom-Com

Like most genre stories, rom-com screenplays typically follow a formula. While this structure can be helpful for first-time screenwriters, understanding it more deeply allows seasoned writers to take creative risks and surpass audience expectations.

Here are the general beats of a rom-com script using a three-act structure:

• Introduction: The audience meets the two main characters in their “ordinary worlds” before their lives are changed.
• The 'Meet Cute': The two characters meet in a memorable way, and the sparks are flying. 
• Falling in Love: Akin to the fun and games section of the structure, the couple’s chemistry develops as their relationship grows. 
• Turning Point: The couple faces a conflict that threatens their relationship.
• Breakup: The couple is torn apart because of their differences.
• Happily Ever After: The couple resolves the conflict, strengthening their bond, and getting their happy ending. 

Read More: Take 5: ‘Shotgun Wedding’ Uses Tried-and-True Tropes For a Modern Action Rom-Com

The Tropes of a Rom-Com

Understanding the structure is one thing, but knowing the tropes of a rom-com is another.

Tropes exist in genre fiction to provide a familiar framework for writers and audiences. They act as shorthand, allowing complex ideas and emotions to flourish more efficiently. Think of them as a shared language—tools that can be used, twisted, or subverted to create three-dimensional characters and add depth to your story. When used thoughtfully, tropes can elevate a rom-com from predictable to unforgettable. 

Here are some common rom-com tropes: 

• Love Triangle: Two characters are vying for the attention of the same individuals, creating a scene of tension and drama.
• Enemies-to-Lovers: Two characters who can’t stand each other slowly soften and learn to love the things that once irritated them. 
• Fake Dating: Two characters pretend to date for a specific reason like salvaging an awkward situation or making exes jealous. 
• The Risque Moment: The couple has a sexually daring moment that is played for laughs.
• Teach a New Skill: Forced into priority, one character shares a skill with another character, strengthening their bond.
• The Musical Moment: Characters break out into song, showing a more vulnerable side to strengthen their bond with another character. 
• The Class or Status Divide: Characters divided by social status or wealth overcome conflict to form a deeper connection.  

How to Write a Modern Rom-Com

Now that you have the structure and tropes of a rom-com memorized (or at least in one place), it is almost time to start writing. There is just one piece of the rom-com puzzle missing: how to write a modern rom-com. 

The rom-com has evolved and is currently entering a new era, with modern rom-com films like Anyone But You, No Hard Feelings, and Hit Man defining what audiences, critics, and studios want from this beloved genre. 

While you can pinpoint the things that make these films work (structure and tropes), there are several factors that you will need to take into consideration when outlining your next rom-com.

Know Your Audience

The rom-com is not one size fits all. Instead, plan who you are writing for. Are you writing for women in their early 30s or young men trying to navigate love and work? Understanding who your audience is will give you some insights into what direction you can take jokes or how your characters should approach conflicts to relate to the audience. 

Is there a final kiss that seals the deal? Is there sex or no sex? These questions can be answered by remembering who your audience is. 

Study the target audience and write according to their taste. Having this level of intention when outlining is extremely beneficial, especially when you start shopping the spec around town.  

Balance Originality with Familiarity

Hollywood isn’t always eager to take big risks on original projects. While bold, genre-defying writing is exciting, rom-coms are deeply rooted in tradition and come with certain expectations that audiences love. But that same reliance on familiar tropes and storylines has contributed to the genre’s decline in cultural relevance over the past 25 years.

To write a modern rom-com that resonates, your story needs to feel fresh and original—without completely abandoning the genre’s structure or beloved tropes. One effective strategy is to take your favorite rom-com elements and reimagine them in a new setting, with distinct characters and a surprising or updated ending.

For example, Nora Ephron’s Sleepless in Seattle draws inspiration from one of the most romantic films of all time: Leo McCarey’s 1957 An Affair to Remember, which itself was a remake of McCarey’s 1939 film Love Affair. All three tell essentially the same story, but with subtle changes that make each version feel new and emotionally impactful.

The Rom-Com Structure is Your Best Friend

Outlining can be annoying—I know, boo, tomato, tomato—but there’s a reason so many successful screenwriters swear by it. Rom-coms follow a distinct structure because they work.

Once you understand that structure and the rules of the genre, then you can start breaking them with intention. Until then, it’s better to embrace the titanium skeleton of the rom-com framework rather than fight against it.

The real challenge lies in being original within that familiar framework. Keep in mind that the people reading your script know the beats and structure inside and out. They’re not just looking for a good story — they’re looking for a writer who understands what makes the genre tick. Mastering the form will strengthen your spec, and help launch your screenwriting career.

Strong, Character-Building Action

Rom-coms are a dialogue-heavy genre, and writing strong, character-revealing dialogue can be a real challenge. The key is to remember that less is more.

While grand declarations of love often serve as the climactic moments in rom-coms, it’s what’s left unsaid—the subtext, the pauses, the silences—that can create the most memorable characters and scenes in the genre’s history. Let the characters’ actions carry the emotional weight when possible.

Action doesn’t have to mean explosions. It can be as simple as having characters move, interact, or respond physically while they speak. This keeps the pacing lively and visually engaging. Some rom-coms do include literal action set pieces—like a couple arguing in the middle of a chaotic chase or shootout—while others stay quieter, like a character gasping for air after running across town to finally confess their feelings. Either way, purposeful action paired with intentional dialogue can elevate the emotional impact of the central relationship. 

Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone in 'Crazy, Stupid, Love.'

Chemistry is Key

No one wants to watch a romance with zero chemistry (no offense). Writing chemistry relies on who your characters are and how they move through spaces together. What pulls the characters together, and what pulls them apart? 

Define what pulls the main character together, and make sure that your characters are well-defined within the narrative. The best rom-coms are the ones where the characters feel like people with real stakes on the line. 

A Rocky Road to a Satisfying End

Story is nothing without conflict to overcome, but characters must come together to solve it. A simple misunderstanding is a tired trope, but a conflict where no one is at fault isn’t engaging. 
Ideally, both characters grow from the conflict to strengthen their relationship, which means both characters have to contribute to the conflict. 

Happily Ever After

What is a romantic comedy without a satisfying ending? While the happily ever after might not be exactly what the main character wanted at the beginning of the story, the conclusion aligns with their wants and needs as they embark on their emotional arc while giving the audience some closure. 

These endings are not always happy, but they are emotionally satisfying. 

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Romantic comedies have stood the test of time because they offer something universally relatable: the joy, pain, and absurdity of falling in love. But writing a rom-com isn’t as simple as hitting familiar beats or tossing in a few well-worn tropes. It’s about crafting characters who feel real, creating chemistry that leaps off the page, and telling a story that’s both timeless and refreshingly new.

Whether you’re writing your first rom-com or your fifth, the genre rewards writers who understand its conventions—and know when to break them. Use structure as your foundation, lean into tropes with intention and apply the insights above to craft a modern rom-com that makes us laugh, feel, and root for love.

After all, that’s what the genre does best.

Read More: How to make Rom-Coms great again