Recipe for a Story

mostly Comedy & Romance

a blog

by Stephanie Bourbon @ 2024

Unlocking the Magic: Selling Your Feature Film Script Is Possible!

Stephanie Bourbon

Oct 305 min read

Unlocking the Magic: Selling Your Feature Film Script Is Possible!

And completely doable, even if all the "experts" tell you that it isn't. Hello, fabulous screenwriters!!! 🎬✨ So, you've poured your...

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Hallmark Holiday Movies Aren't Rom-Coms And Here Is Why

Stephanie Bourbon

May 31, 20235 min read

Hallmark Holiday Movies Aren't Rom-Coms And Here Is Why

It's frustrating to see so many mislabeling Hallmark's (and other channels like it) as romantic comedies when they are straight-up...

541 views0 comments

Review-Love Again, Rom-Com...Here's Why It Works

Stephanie Bourbon

May 17, 20235 min read

Review-Love Again, Rom-Com...Here's Why It Works

Critics slammed this film, so we skipped it the weekend it opened, even though the trailers looked amazing because we read all the bad...

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How To Write Your 8 Story Beats & Then Add To Them

Stephanie Bourbon

May 10, 20234 min read

How To Write Your 8 Story Beats & Then Add To Them

If you are writing or have written a romantic comedy you will want to know your main story beats. Here are some practical tips for...

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Romantic Comedies Are A Subgenre of COMEDY

Stephanie Bourbon

May 3, 20234 min read

Romantic Comedies Are A Subgenre of COMEDY

You are writing a romantic comedy, but it's not working. Why? Maybe it's because you are following how to write a romance and not a...

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Is Your Inciting Incident The Same As Your Meet-Cute In Your Romantic Comedy Screenplay or Novel?

Stephanie Bourbon

Apr 19, 20233 min read

Is Your Inciting Incident The Same As Your Meet-Cute In Your Romantic Comedy Screenplay or Novel?

The answer isn't yes or no. How annoying, right? Sorry, but that's just the way it is. In my professional opinion, it's better to...

331 views0 comments

Stephanie Bourbon

Apr 12, 20233 min read

Writing Rom-Com Tips To Get Started

So, you want to write a romantic comedy but have no idea how or where to start? I will have a couple 8 part series of blogs coming out,...

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How to Show & Not Tell--I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas

Stephanie Bourbon

Dec 7, 20213 min read

How to Show & Not Tell--I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas

Hello, writers!!! So, today, I'm talking about the oh so evil words that no writer and no book coach or developmental editor wants to say...

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You've Finished Your NaNoWriMo Novel-Now What?

Stephanie Bourbon

Nov 28, 20213 min read

You've Finished Your NaNoWriMo Novel-Now What?

Good morning dear writers! It's almost December 1st and that's why I'm talking about revising your story. You have finished the new novel...

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Why Your First Pages Matter & How To Make Them Stronger

Stephanie Bourbon

Nov 23, 20213 min read

Why Your First Pages Matter & How To Make Them Stronger

FIRST PAGES When agents ask for your first 5 or 10 pages it's because in those pages they will learn everything they need to know about...

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Social Media For Authors-How Much Time Does It Take?

Stephanie Bourbon

Nov 15, 20212 min read

Social Media For Authors-How Much Time Does It Take?

There are so many different ways to do social media and honestly, there is no right or wrong, but it can be HUGE for your career. If no...

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Stephanie Bourbon

Nov 12, 20214 min read

Do I Need To Copyright My Novel/Work?

The answer is NO. But before I get into it here I just want to invite you to subscribe to my email list where I will send out freebies,...

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Genre Clarity, what is it & why do I need it?

Stephanie Bourbon

Nov 8, 20213 min read

Genre Clarity, what is it & why do I need it?

Happy Monday to all the writers out there!! I'm so grateful that you are here. Today I am talking about GENRE CLARITY and why it's so...

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(Romantic) Comedy Character Archetypes & Who Needs To Be Included

Stephanie Bourbon

Oct 18, 20216 min read

(Romantic) Comedy Character Archetypes & Who Needs To Be Included

Happy Monday!!! This week I'm talking about characters in comedy, and romantic comedies. What I am seeing in a lot of work that is coming...

54 views0 comments

Stephanie Bourbon

Oct 11, 20217 min read

How To Go Deeper With Your Characters

Hey, Writers! Happy Monday! This week I'm talking about when you get that dreaded feedback that goes something like "I couldn't connect...

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Opening Pages Mistakes That All Writers Make

Stephanie Bourbon

Oct 4, 20213 min read

Opening Pages Mistakes That All Writers Make

Hello Writers!! I've been coaching writers with their pitches, including their query letter & synopsis but the truth is if you don't have...

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How to write a novel in a month and win nanowrimo

Stephanie Bourbon

Sep 30, 20213 min read

How to write a novel in a month and win nanowrimo

Hello, Writers!! This week, I'm coaching you on how to write a draft fast and complete NaNoWriMo, which is coming up in just a month....

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The Two Things on Social Media All Writers Need to Do

Stephanie Bourbon

Sep 27, 20213 min read

The Two Things on Social Media All Writers Need to Do

Hello, Dear Writers! This week I'm talking about what social media you MUST have if you are a writer. Okay, maybe not a must-have, or a...

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Stephanie Bourbon

Sep 20, 20213 min read

The Importance of Writing Goals

Good Morning Writers! This week, I'm behind in everything but the one thing that has kept me on track is that I have a GOAL LIST and I...

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Getting Behind in Your Publishing Goals? It's Okay!!

Stephanie Bourbon

Sep 13, 20212 min read

Getting Behind in Your Publishing Goals? It's Okay!!

Hello, Writers!! Happy Monday! YOU ARE WHERE YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE! So, you have a plan and it goes something like this. Write my novel....

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