HMMM this is an excellent question and I think the best way I can answer is explain how I usually go about writing a romcom (as a criminal “lets add angst” writer)
truthfully, i always start off with a premise that makes me laugh. Romcoms are where I’m able to be silly and goofy and get away with Impossible logic, so the more ridiculous (and the more fun I’m having being ridiculous) the easier it is for me to write! I think my romcom leads/povs tend to be insane and a combination of stubbornly oblivious, ready to take wild leaps of logic, and always coming up with the Worst Solutions when panicked. It’s usually how I can explain away the most ridiculous of premises—as long as the lead is a little ridiculous and lovably impulsive, the romcom world is easier to believe. You can play around and find your own voice, but I find putting on a nineties romcom playlist on and imagining you are writing the intro narration is always a fun start! Romcoms are the most fun when YOU are having fun writing them!!
honestly, watching any episode of New Girl is perfect to get you in the mood for rom com writing, and gives excellent fodder for Insane plot points (if you embrace the Insane you can make it work).
Friends!! I think fun friend groups really make or break a romcom, truly some of my favorite fics/novels/shows are because the romance is balanced by a really fun friend group that fuels the shenanigans or gives some sanity in the midst of chaos. I do have a fault of trying to fit every single member into a fic just for the humor, but it’s a lot more manageable with smaller friend groups and you can explore their dynamics a bit easier! (And small cameos are always fun)
Im a sucker for the romcom tropes (tho I’m not a big fan of the lying and deceit and excusable cheating in a lot of famous romcoms, actually lying and deceit are fun when they aren’t Truly harmful) but also for bending tropes when you can! But for romcoms you should feel free to indulge in what you want to shove in there (99% of the time that’s what the people will also want) Put that single bed! Make them skinny dip at the beach! Have your mc dump a slushy on that stupid classmate finally!!
I LOVE making playlists for my romcoms especially, picking things from movies I like that force my brain into the mood—just picture it like you are setting an epic soundtrack for your romcom!
This is all that I can think of right now, but I do hope while writing your own romcom that you won’t be burdened by what “has” to be in there and instead focus on what silly things You want to see in the romcom You are making <3 <3 mwah mwah and much love my dear anon <3