From the slapstick shenanigans of Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn in Bringing Up Baby to the sexy repartee of Shakespeare in Love, the romantic comedy is Hollywood's most enduring genre. Whether a first-time screenwriter, an intermediate marooned in the rewriting process, or an armchair enthusiast looking for an insider's perspective on what makes the genre tick, Writing the Romantic Comedy teaches readers everything they need to know to craft a winning script. All the basics are covered, from setting up an inventive story concept to creating characters that set off sparks, laughs that go deep and dialogue that gets right to the heart.
Author Biography
Billy Mernit teaches "Writing the Romantic Comedy" and four other courses at the UCLA Extension Writers' Program. During his many years in the entertainment industry, he has worked as a script consultant and served as a story analyst for Universal Studios, Sony, and Paramount; written for NBC's Santa Barbara; and composed songs recorded by Carly Simon and Judy Collins. With his wife, Claudia Nizza, he is the coauthor of That's How Much I Love You.
