The Craft of Screenwriting: Genres Part 3
Romance could be called another type of Fantasy genre, but the Romance film is not the same as a Fantasy film. Love is said to be a kind of magic and love stories try to have a fairy tale ending of Happily Ever After [also the title of a Romance movie]. Stories of love and the joys and sorrows that it can bring, are in a Genre all their own.
Most Romance films follow the same basic pattern; two people [usually a guy and a girl] meet but do not get along at all. They later meet again still clashing, but there is a spark of attraction growing. Finally, the third time is a charm and they get along, but still not in love.
Usually in a Romance, when the story hits the Midpoint the couple will have now realized that they are in love and soon consummate the relationship [not always sexually] but this happy bliss does not last long and other people, events or the couple themselves derail the romance. This break up is the catalysis for the Second Plot point and the drive into the third act, where the couple will find happiness , but not always with each other.
Romance is the one genre where a satisfying ending isn’t always enough. Audiences that like Romance films want the couple to be together at the end of the film. They want them to over come adversity and hardship to obtain the love, but want a happy ending for the loving couple.
Find Faith and Family on the Next Page
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John Risner
John Morgan Risner is a screenwriter, novelist, and story analyst, and the founder of Screen Writer Ink. With over a decade of experience teaching screenwriting and filmmaking at the university level, he has helped writers develop stronger stories through a focus on character, structure, and cinematic storytelling. His work spans multiple genres, including thriller, horror, and mystery, with an emphasis on character-driven narratives. He is also a film historian with a deep knowledge of classic and modern cinema, including the James Bond films and novels. Through Screen Writer Ink, he provides writers with practical, experience-based insight into the craft of storytelling—helping them move beyond theory and write with clarity, purpose, and control.
