Writing Romance: Tropes, Chemistry, and Craft

Romantic fiction remains one of the most widely read and commercially successful genres, yet writing it well requires more than just pairing two characters together. This practical, hands-on masterclass will guide participants through the essentials of crafting compelling romantic stories, with a particular focus on romantic comedy.

In this workshop with Saman Shad, participants will learn about the most common tropes in romance, while also considering how to refresh or subvert them. Using writing prompts and short exercises, attendees will experiment with creating engaging “meet cute” scenarios, building memorable characters, and exploring narrative structures to deepen emotional impact.

This course is suitable for writers at all stages, from aspiring to emerging, and will provide both inspiration and practical tools to continue developing beyond the workshop. Whether you’re working on a novel, short story, or simply exploring the genre, you’ll leave with a clearer sense of how to write romance that resonates with readers.

This writing course, Writing Romance: Tropes, Chemistry, and Craft with Saman Shad, takes place at Writing NSW in Sydney.