I Write Rom-Coms Because Real Dating Is Too Unrealistic

Nobody in my books has ever been ghosted after four great dates, and I think that’s beautiful

Here’s what I know about love: absolutely nothing useful.

Here’s what I know about romantic comedies: an awful lot.

I’ve absorbed them through my skin. I don’t always enjoy the airport chase scene. I know exactly when the third-act breakup should land (page 78%, fight me). I once got into an argument at a dinner party about whether When Harry Met Sally is actually a friends-to-lovers or an enemies-to-lovers and I didn’t speak to that person for a week.

I started writing rom-coms because I wanted to live in a world where the misunderstanding gets cleared up, the grand gesture actually works, and nobody sends a 2 AM text that just says “u up” after three months of silence.

This is Banter & Butterflies, where I’ll be talking about the tropes I love, the ones I’m sick of, what I’m writing, what I’m reading, and the occasionally unhinged process of trying to be funny on purpose for 60,000 words.

Every other week. Dress code is pajamas.

— Isabel

P.S. My mum asked me when I’m going to write “a real book.” I told her romantic comedies outsell literary fiction 4-to-1. She said that’s not what she meant. Pffft. I know what she meant.

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Originally published on Banter & Butterflies