Writing the Romantic Comedy

Bill Mernit's book is a fantastic read not only for those who are trying to dig into the romantic comedy genre, but for anyone trying to expand their understanding of the tenants of any good dramatic story.

Mernit covers the elusive topic of theme in a thorough and clear fashion, which is either dodged or fumbled in other screenwriting books I've read. Specifically, he gives you ideas on how to literate thematic 'intents' so you can have a working answer to the deadly "what's your story about" question. He covers issues of credibility, and creating characters who we'll be willing to care about with equal precision.

But the book's about rom-coms, and it delivers on that front big time. He covers the qualities that make a story romantic in an entertaining, approachable manner. Hey, I hate romance (because it's a for wimps and cat owners), and this book has even made writing one a desirable challenge!

Other reviews have said it, and I will echo it. This book sits on the shelf with McKee's Story and Vogler's Writer's Journey as one of the best screenwriting books going.

When I was stumped on a script I was writing, I read it, and it was fantastic. It's just so refreshing to read a screenwriting how-to book that goes beyond the simple structure of storytelling to actually give you detailed examples of why certain things work and others don't. I've always been more of a theoretical than technical thinker, and I would highly recommend this to writers who feel like they respond better to examples than to lesson plans and directions.

I'm a sucker for romantic comedies. Watching stories about cuddly, charismatic couples falling in love can turn this hard-bitten cynic into a mushy puddle of Jell-O in no time. They're this writer's Achilles' heel. You could show me the worst romantic comedy ever made, and I'd still probably find something good to say about it. So, I was delighted to come across Billy Mernit's "Writing the Romantic Comedy."

Although I've done some screenwriting in my time, my head isn't exactly bursting with ideas for romantic comedies. But since I'm an admirer of the genre, Mernit's book felt like a guided tour through a favorite building when you don't have any plans to construct a building of your own.

Hollywood producers notoriously hate to read, so if you're a Hollywood writer, you need to pick up a few tricks to make reading as easy for them (or their surrogates) as possible. As a writer for the entertainment industry, Mernit has obviously picked up a few tricks of his own, making his book a brisk and enjoyable read. The historical overview is appreciated almost as much as Mernit's disassemblies of some of the rom-com's stand-outs to show how the genre ticks.

Although the book is sprinkled with a few factual errors (for example, on page 177, he refers to author Milan Kundera as "Polish" instead of Czech), these aren't enough to upset the taco stand. Mernit's explanations of the genre's components are straightforward, artful, but clearly presented. And his dubbing of the Mr. Wrong character (a convention in many rom-coms) as the "Bellamy," after actor Ralph Bellamy who specialized in such roles, had me laughing out loud. My only criticism of the book is a mild one: There ought to have been at least a handful of movie stills illustrating some of the films that Mernit talks at length about -- this would have heightened the book's visual interest. I highly recommend "Writing the Romantic Comedy" even if you're not a screenwriter. Understanding how the genre works may make you appreciate it even more.

I do have one word of advice for aspiring screenwriters: If you're just starting out in the craft, you won't want this to be the first book on the subject that you read. Start off with something that teaches you the nuts and bolts of scribing for the movies, like "Screenwriting" by Syd Field or one of its clones. Next, I would recommend "Writing the Character-Centered Screenplay" by Andrew Horton, which talks a little more in depth about the vital components of character and structure. For good measure, you might also want to check out "Making a Good Script Great" by Linda Segar for advice about how to tighten a screenplay. Only then will you want to give Mernit's book a thorough going-over. If you're an old hand at screenwriting, you're probably already familiar with these books.

Once you've got all of them under you're belt, you'll be inspired to sit down at the keyboard and write and write. It may only be your name over and over, but you'll still be inspired to write.

If you can attend one of Mr. Mernit's classes, do. But if you can't, the book is a very good substitute.

The reason this book is so good is the author approaches script writing from a professional reader's perspective, and a historical perspective. His passion for the genre is clear. He not only knows and shares the roots of romantic comedy, he discusses the common elements af all successful movies in the genre.

This book is invaluable for someone working in this genre, but it's also relevant for all aspiring (or actively working) screenwriters. Don't be afraid to get this book if you are working in another genre. He shares insights that are relevant to all genres.

In short, this is a great book written not by an aspiring writer or someone that makes a living by only teaching, but by someone actually in the movie business that knows what works.

A fabulous book not only on writing romantic comedy movies but on writing, period. In particular, a romance writer of any medium would find this invaluable.

Mr. Mernit examines the basic components of story and character, but also provides fascinating insight to such subjects as theme. End-chapter exercises are unusually helpful and enlightening.

Critiques of a few movies show just how they accomplished what they did. (The examination of "Tootsie" is amazing!) I appreciated the breakdown of how romantic comedy in the movies has evolved through the years and am now collecting many of the titles listed in the book that I've never seen. (The recent AFI list on romantic movies is also a good source for more study.)

This book is on my shelf now right next to Syd Fields and Debra Dixon. I will certainly be referring to it again and again in the years that come.