by Tari Lynn Jewett

We’re coming up on Valentine’s Day, which seems to be a love-it-or-hate-it holiday. I’m on the love it side, but I write romance, and more specifically romantic comedy, so loving Valentines is almost a job requirement. #PleaseSayYes, the first book in my romcom series #HermosaForTheHolidays is a Valentine’s story. But so far, all of my stories are romantic comedy, and have taught me a little about myself and my writing style.

My Ten Writing Lessons

The last time I was at Writers in the Storm, I wrote 10 Things About Being a Hybrid Author. I thought I’d stick with my blog theme and discuss ten things I’ve learned writing romcoms.

1. Writing non-fiction has its own rules.

I started out as a columnist and freelance writer for magazines and newspapers and writing nonfiction has its own rules. One of them is that you write short. When your word count goal is 800 – 2,000 words, you learn very quickly to ‘cut the fluff’.

I know many fiction writers have to cut words from their stories, but because of my freelance background, I always have to add. And I’ve found that what I’m adding is generally emotional description. I know how the characters feel. I’ve been living the story with them as I write it. Now I have to make sure the reader feels what the character feels.

2. Real life is funnier than we realize.

Many of the scenes readers tell me “made them laugh” come from real life. Sometimes I think that’s what makes them funny. Those scenes are relatable because they’re real. And every now and then we need to laugh at ourselves.

Of course, there are twists to the scenes, that make them fit with the characters’ lives, but real life is often the best place for inspiration. So, when you read my stories, I’d love to know if you can figure out which scenes are from real life.

3. RomComs are a Feel-Good Genre

I love watching romcoms, and I love reading romcoms…they make me feel good. When I need a book to escape from the chaos of real life, I’ll curl up with a cup of cocoa, a plate of cookies, and a good romcom. And when I’m writing a romcom, I get the same thing.

I’m rooting for my characters. I laugh at the funny things that happen in life, and I’m hoping that’s what I give the reader. Something to feel good, something to make them smile.

4. Wine, chocolate and girlfriends are important.

This is true in real life, and in romcoms. Dialogue is often the best way to keep things moving. And the best dialogue in a romcom, besides conversations with the hero is with girlfriends.

Just like in real life, these girlfriends talk about the guy. How cute he is, how smart he is…and always how much trouble he is. These conversations, in addition to the humorous situations in addition to a nice glass of wine, keep the tempo moving.

5. Romcoms are also a way to create the romantic fantasy that we’d like to have ourselves.

There are so many tropes to romance, and tropes are popular because they’re the fantasies we’ve created for love. Do you want a romance with a Rockstar? A Billionaire? Would you love to be snowed in with your secret crush?

I tend to write romances with everyday guys: bistro owners, police officers, firemen, construction workers. And part of that is because I married my own romance hero – my construction worker, Hunky Hubby. If you’re writing romcoms, or really any romance, writing your own fantasy can be the key to your readers’ fantasies.

6. Setting is important in any story.

So of course, it’s important in a romcom. Is your story set in a small town, in a school, in a hospital or at a comic convention? Wherever it’s set, use the elements of that setting to develop the romance and the humor in your story. This would of course be true if you’re writing a thriller or a twisted fairy tale.

In #PleaseSayYes, and throughout the #Hermosa series, which is set in Hermosa Beach, California, rooftop patios bring romance, offer a place of solitude, and some humor to the story. In the 3^rd book in the series #FireworksInTheFog…well, I think the title is self-explanatory.

In romcoms as in real estate, it’s about location, location, location.

7. Some words about Subject Matter.

While writing #SilverBracelets, I found my story wandering into a darker area, cancer, and death. And while I thought the story was good, I realized I’d wandered out of romcom territory. So I rethought the story.

This is not to say that the darker side of life can’t be included in a romcom, but that it can be a lot of work to keep that story light and funny. So, stay aware of the main goal of the story, and how those scenes help to develop your theme.

8. The Grand Gesture is important.

We all love grand gestures. It’s the reason we still talk about the boom box scene in Say Anything, and when Julia Roberts stands in front of Hugh Grant and gives her “Just a girl standing in front of a boy speech.” (Yes the woman CAN make the grand gesture.) And when the beast gives Belle his entire library in Beauty and the Beast…now that’s the way to win the heart of a book girl like me.

Did I mention that Hunky Hubby built me a library in our new home?

9. Food and Fashion are great tools.

I’ve found that food and fashion can be a great way to create mood, bring people together, add romance, and sometimes a good laugh. As a former food columnist, I’ve written a lot about food, so it’s not surprising that food plays an important part in my stories.

My romcom, Love and Mud Puddles is all about the food. Well, cookies to be more specific. And even includes one of my favorite recipes. Baking cookies, or the inability to bake cookies, creates some what I hope are hilarious moments in the story…several from real life. It also is the catalyst behind the romance.

In my #HermosaForTheHolidays series, there’s plenty of food, but one of the characters owns a beach boutique, and I have a lot of fun with fashion. These are just elements of description that can be used to make the reader picture the story, smell and taste the story…and sometimes laugh at the story.

10. The HEA.

No self-respecting romcom would be complete without the “Happily Ever After,” or at least a satisfying “Happily for Now.” After all, this is a story meant to make you smile, warm your heart, and leave you feeling good. My stories tend to end with a kiss. Often the couple’s first kiss but, as long as the ending is romantic and makes me smile, I’m left satisfied (and hopefully so are my readers)!

So, what are your favorite romantic comedies? Books or movies? What would be your perfect Grand Gesture? And most importantly, do you have a date for Valentine's Day? (That date can be with a book or movie…and there’s always: wine, chocolate and girlfriends.) Please do share in the comments!

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About Tari

Tari Lynn Jewett lives in Arizona just off Route 66 with her husband of thirty-five years (aka Hunky Hubby). They have three amazing sons, and two beautiful grandsons. For over twenty years, Tari wrote freelance for magazines and newspapers, television commercials, radio spots, numerous press releases, and many, MANY PTA newsletters. As much as she loved writing those things, she always wanted to write fiction…and now she is.

Tari writes light, fun romcoms, but she is also working on a historical women’s fiction series set in the Los Angeles area, spanning from the late 1920’s to the ‘50’s. These are darker, edgier full-length novels. 

A voracious reader, Tari’s favorite treat is to turn off her phone and computer and curl up with an un-put-downable book. 

She also believes in happily-ever-afters,

…because she’s living hers.

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