When you think of a rom-com, what’s the first thing that pops into your head? Is it Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks meeting at the top of the Empire State Building? John Cusack holding a boombox over his head? What about Steve Carell screaming “Kelly Clarkson!” as he gets his chest waxed in The 40-Year-Old Virgin?
A rom-com, as the title implies, contains moments of romance and comedy. And while both elements present their own unique challenges, I’d wager that pulling off the comedic bits can often feel like the more intimidating of the two.
Years ago, I took a writing workshop with a friend who swore she wasn’t funny. “It doesn’t come naturally to me!” she’d exclaim, insisting humor wasn’t a teachable skill. But sure enough, when other members in our group read her work, they always laughed. I don’t think this was a case of false modesty. Rather, what my friend probably didn’t understand is that you don’t have to be a comedian to write a funny scene.
Jane Austen—arguably the master of romantic comedies—ended many of her novels with a wedding or heartfelt proposal. Yet in real life, she was never herself married. Her books were also classified as comedies of manners. Does
