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Recipe for a Story
mostly Comedy & Romance
a blog
by Stephanie Bourbon @ 2025
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Hello, 2025! Writing Goals
It's a NEW YEAR, and my goal is to move through it in a positive yet productive way. What about you? New Year image I created for social...
Stephanie Bourbon
Jan 64 min read
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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...
Stephanie Bourbon
Oct 30, 20245 min read
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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...
Stephanie Bourbon
May 31, 20235 min read
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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...
Stephanie Bourbon
May 17, 20235 min read
444 views
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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...
Stephanie Bourbon
May 10, 20234 min read
514 views
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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...
Stephanie Bourbon
May 3, 20234 min read
167 views
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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...
Stephanie Bourbon
Apr 19, 20233 min read
371 views
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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...
Stephanie Bourbon
Nov 8, 20213 min read
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I'm Doing Something Scary--OUTLINING!
Hello, Writers!! This week one of my goals was to get my new romantic comedy novel outlined in the 7 story arcs required in rom-coms. It...
Stephanie Bourbon
Oct 25, 20212 min read
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(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...
Stephanie Bourbon
Oct 18, 20216 min read
71 views
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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...
Stephanie Bourbon
Oct 11, 20217 min read
45 views
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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...
Stephanie Bourbon
Sep 20, 20213 min read
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It's All About Character & What That Really Means
Hello Dear Writers!! Today, I'm talking about CHARACTER. The concept is simple. You write a story and it's filled with characters. Maybe...
Stephanie Bourbon
Aug 23, 20213 min read
45 views
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The Truth About Why You Are Getting Rejected
Happy Monday, Writers! Rejection sucks; doesn't it? And yet, we all go through it, but so many times I see writers posting on forums, in...
Stephanie Bourbon
Aug 14, 20212 min read
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Even Your Villains Need A Reason
It's Monday and today I'm talking about writing the perfect VILLAIN! Snidely Whiplash, an archetypical sinister cartoon villain I love me...
Stephanie Bourbon
Aug 2, 20213 min read
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WHAT YOUR CHARACTERS SAY MATTERS
This week, I'm talking about characters and dialogue~ How people speak is the one thing that I find writers struggle with the most. I’m...
Stephanie Bourbon
Jul 26, 20212 min read
11 views
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Why The Show Silicon Valley Has It All
This may be a few years late, but I want to talk about a show that has it all! SILICON VALLEY *pulled from IMDB-Silicon Valley...
Stephanie Bourbon
Jul 8, 20214 min read
26 views
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Why Jerry Maguire Is The Perfect Bromance
If you were in your twenties when Jerry Maguire came out, or even in your late teens, you saw Jerry Maguire and started going around...
Stephanie Bourbon
Jun 21, 20216 min read
36 views
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