The Meet-Cute. That magical moment when two characters collide, hearts flutter, pulses race, and sparks spark. A staple of romance novels and romantic comedies, meet-cute scenes are so much more than a cliché. When done well, the meet-cute is the fertile seed from which the entire story blossoms; but getting all the elements just right – and arranging them to converge in one meaningful event – is no easy task. This generative workshop is designed for writers who are interested in the mechanics of romance novels, are looking to improve their writing skills in general, and who enjoy reading and writing about love and relationships. Writers in this workshop will leave with a clearer sense of how to develop compelling fictional worlds, and an enhanced ability to tell stories that readers will fall in love with. We will discuss and practice common elements of craft, such as characterization, dramatic irony, and interiority. Via in-class discussion, small-group exercises, and individual free-writes, we will play around with familiar tropes, and revel in a shared love for romance. We will also learn what makes the meet-cute so necessary, and why it is so urgent that we are with these characters at this particular moment in their story. By the end of the workshop everyone will have a chance to write and share their own meet-cute scene and start a (fictional!) love affair worth pursuing. Doug Henderson is the author of The Cleveland Heights LGBTQ Sci-Fi and Fantasy Role Playing Club, and a winner of the PEN/Dau Short Story Prize for Emerging Writers. His work has appeared in the Iowa Review, Short Editions, and elsewhere. Originally from Cleveland, he received his MFA from the University of San Francisco. He lives in the Castro District with his husband and two children.