--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I knew I wanted to write a novel…" description: "\"When I knew I wanted to write a novel that would be a twist on a conventional romantic comedy, I re-watched 'When Harry Met Sally,' as well as the othe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f6/camille-perri-15748_books_when-i-knew-i-wanted-to-write-a-novel-th_2350799.jpg" --- # When I knew I wanted to write a novel that would be a… ![“When I knew I wanted to write a novel that would be a twist on a conventional romantic comedy, I re-watched 'When Harry Met Sally,' as well as the other two films in the indomitable Ephron trifecta - 'Sleepless in Seattle' and 'You've Got Mail.'” quote by Camille Perri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f6/camille-perri-15748_books_when-i-knew-i-wanted-to-write-a-novel-th_2350799.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f6/camille-perri-15748_books_when-i-knew-i-wanted-to-write-a-novel-th_2350799.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f6/camille-perri-15748_books_when-i-knew-i-wanted-to-write-a-novel-th_2350799.jpg) > “When I knew I wanted to write a novel that would be a twist on a conventional romantic comedy, I re-watched 'When Harry Met Sally,' as well as the other two films in the indomitable Ephron trifecta - 'Sleepless in Seattle' and 'You've Got Mail.'” [Camille Perri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-perri/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Studying classic rom‑coms informs creative twists in new storytelling. **In simple terms:** Study classics to innovate stories. Key Takeaway Analyze classics, then subvert expectations. Themes creativity film writing Mood analytical enthusiastic Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - screenwriting - novel planning - creative workshops - film studies Key Concepts intertextuality genre theory Questions to Reflect On - Which elements will you reinvent? - How to balance homage and novelty? A Different Perspective Risk of imitation over originality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Conventional Romantic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conventional-romantic-4979340/) [Harry Met Sally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harry-met-sally/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Met Sally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/met-sally-821715/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [Novel Twist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel-twist-5722572/) [Romantic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romantic/) [Romantic comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romantic-comedy/) [Sally Films](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sally-films-5722573/) [Seattle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seattle/) [Sleepless In Seattle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sleepless-in-seattle/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) ## Related quotes > [If you ask any adult woman in this country to name an iconic romantic comedy, I bet the answer you'll hear more often than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-perri/if-you-ask-any-adult-woman-in-this-country-to-name-an-iconic-romantic/) [Camille Perri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-perri/) > ['When Harry Met Sally' will endure. It will be the standard rom-com that others will improvise on for years to come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-perri/when-harry-met-sally-will-endure-it-will-be-the-standard-rom-com-that/) [Camille Perri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-perri/) > [Nora Ephron's 'When Harry Met Sally' is a classic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-perri/nora-ephron-s-when-harry-met-sally-is-a-classic/) [Camille Perri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-perri/) > [ \[When Harry Met Sally\] was fine, but it was a job. And I did it right after The 'Burbs. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-fisher/when-harry-met-sally-was-fine-but-it-was-a-job-and-i-did-it-right/) [Carrie Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-fisher/) > [I probably saw 'When Harry Met Sally' for the first time in college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-lance-black/i-probably-saw-when-harry-met-sally-for-the-first-time-in-college/) [Dustin Lance Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-lance-black/) > [I'd say Rob Reiner's 'When Harry Met Sally' is my all-time favorite. It made me realize there's a way of telling a story where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-story/i-d-say-rob-reiner-s-when-harry-met-sally-is-my-all-time-favorite-it/) [Tim Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-story/) > [When I did the album for 'When Harry Met Sally,' I found myself out there in front of this big band, which I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/when-i-did-the-album-for-when-harry-met-sally-i-found-myself-out/) [Harry Connick, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/) > [What I've always loved are movies like 'When Harry Met Sally'... and 'The Sure Thing.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carr/what-i-ve-always-loved-are-movies-like-when-harry-met-sally-and-the/) [Steve Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carr/) > ['When Harry Met Sally'... is probably my favourite movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-garner/when-harry-met-sally-is-probably-my-favourite-movie/) [Julia Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-garner/) > [The movies that I love and model after, like 'Annie Hall,' 'When Harry Met Sally,' and in particular for me, 'Broadcast News,' are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-segel/the-movies-that-i-love-and-model-after-like-annie-hall-when-harry-met/) [Jason Segel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-segel/) > [And the film that I've seen a million times is 'When Harry Met Sally' with Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal, and directed by Rob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-lance-black/and-the-film-that-i-ve-seen-a-million-times-is-when-harry-met-sally/) [Dustin Lance Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-lance-black/) > [My bread and butter is rom-com, and if I had to go back and tell my 15-year-old self watching 'When Harry Met Sally' that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-rothwell/my-bread-and-butter-is-rom-com-and-if-i-had-to-go-back-and-tell-my-15/) [Natasha Rothwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-rothwell/) > [Here's the thing with 'When Harry Met Sally,' it doesn't matter how many times you watch it, it's always interesting, and you're always identifying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-lance-black/here-s-the-thing-with-when-harry-met-sally-it-doesn-t-matter-how-many/) [Dustin Lance Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-lance-black/) > [ Meg Ryan was nice \[ in When Harry Met Sally\] ... the writing was good ... but it was really kind of a boy's… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-fisher/meg-ryan-was-nice-in-when-harry-met-sally-the-writing-was-good-but-it/) [Carrie Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-fisher/) > ['Vetri Selvan' is the first film where I play a conventional romantic role, which I found very challenging.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radhika-apte/vetri-selvan-is-the-first-film-where-i-play-a-conventional-romantic/) [Radhika Apte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radhika-apte/) ## More by Camille Perri > [I wanted to write a book about two women falling in love that wasn't hinged on tragedy or that involved some horrible identity-based misfortune.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-perri/i-wanted-to-write-a-book-about-two-women-falling-in-love-that-wasn-t/) [Camille Perri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-perri/) > [If you ask any adult woman in this country to name an iconic romantic comedy, I bet the answer you'll hear more often than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-perri/if-you-ask-any-adult-woman-in-this-country-to-name-an-iconic-romantic/) [Camille Perri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-perri/) > [I loved those movies from the eighties, movies like 'Working Girl,' 'Nine to Five,' 'Outrageous Fortune,' 'The Heat,' 'Bridesmaids,' 'Pitch Perfect,' and others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-perri/i-loved-those-movies-from-the-eighties-movies-like-working-girl-nine/) [Camille Perri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-perri/) > [I can't tell you how much debt I took on to attend New York University because, at the time, I didn't care to notice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-perri/i-can-t-tell-you-how-much-debt-i-took-on-to-attend-new-york/) [Camille Perri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-perri/) > [I think the skyrocketing cost of a college education has placed it in the sphere of being a luxury-priced necessity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-perri/i-think-the-skyrocketing-cost-of-a-college-education-has-placed-it-in/) [Camille Perri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-perri/) > ['When Katie Met Cassidy' is a romantic comedy about two very different women who find themselves uncontrollably drawn to one another. Issues of gender…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-perri/when-katie-met-cassidy-is-a-romantic-comedy-about-two-very-different/) [Camille Perri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-perri/) > [When I read Alison Bechdel's 'Fun Home,' it was the first time I saw drawings that looked like me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-perri/when-i-read-alison-bechdel-s-fun-home-it-was-the-first-time-i-saw/) [Camille Perri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-perri/) > [When I was coming to terms with my sexuality, I often felt like I needed to seek out sanctuary outside of my house, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-perri/when-i-was-coming-to-terms-with-my-sexuality-i-often-felt-like-i/) [Camille Perri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-perri/) > [One of my favorite things is to first read a novel and then see the movie. I enjoy picturing the characters and then later,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-perri/one-of-my-favorite-things-is-to-first-read-a-novel-and-then-see-the/) [Camille Perri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-perri/) > [When I wrote 'The Assistants,' I knew very much that I wanted to write about income inequality and student loan debt and the gender…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-perri/when-i-wrote-the-assistants-i-knew-very-much-that-i-wanted-to-write/) [Camille Perri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-perri/) > [I'm not sure if it's easier to address tough themes through humor, but I do think it's more fun and makes such themes easier…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-perri/i-m-not-sure-if-it-s-easier-to-address-tough-themes-through-humor-but/) [Camille Perri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-perri/) > [The queer community deserves a happy ending just as much as anybody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-perri/the-queer-community-deserves-a-happy-ending-just-as-much-as-anybody/) [Camille Perri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-perri/) > [My advice to anyone with writerly ambitions and a demanding day job is to set aside a little piece of time, even an hour…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-perri/my-advice-to-anyone-with-writerly-ambitions-and-a-demanding-day-job/) [Camille Perri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-perri/) > [“Was sagte ich denn da? Deine Leute? Warum redete ich auf einmal wie Pa in Unsere kleine Farm?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-perri/was-sagte-ich-denn-da-deine-leute-warum-redete-ich-auf-einmal-wie-pa/) [Camille Perri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-perri/) > [I've always been a big fan of political and social satire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-perri/i-ve-always-been-a-big-fan-of-political-and-social-satire/) [Camille Perri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-perri/) [Explore all 41 Camille Perri quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-perri/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) [Christopher K. Krebs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-k-krebs/) > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) [Markus Herz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-herz/) > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I knew I wanted to write a novel that would be a twist on a conventional romantic comedy, I re-watched 'When Harry Met Sally,' as well as the other two films in the indomitable Ephron trifecta - 'Sleepless in Seattle' and 'You've Got Mail.'", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Camille Perri" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-perri/when-i-knew-i-wanted-to-write-a-novel-that-would-be-a-twist-on-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Books" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-perri/when-i-knew-i-wanted-to-write-a-novel-that-would-be-a-twist-on-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f6/camille-perri-15748_books_when-i-knew-i-wanted-to-write-a-novel-th_2350799.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f6/camille-perri-15748_books_when-i-knew-i-wanted-to-write-a-novel-th_2350799.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f6/camille-perri-15748_books_when-i-knew-i-wanted-to-write-a-novel-th_2350799.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I knew I wanted to write a novel that would be a twist on a conventional romantic comedy, I re-watched…” — Camille Perri", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Camille Perri", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-perri/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I knew I wanted to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-perri/when-i-knew-i-wanted-to-write-a-novel-that-would-be-a-twist-on-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-perri/when-i-knew-i-wanted-to-write-a-novel-that-would-be-a-twist-on-a/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```