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Writer's pictureStephanie Bourbon

Stop Using Your Age, Sex, or Anything Else As An Excuse

Okay, WRITERS---women writers of a certain age---stop repeating to yourself and anyone who will listen that you can't get hired because of being a woman and or being over a certain age.


I don't mean to be harsh, but seriously, STOP IT.


EXAMPLES of things I have seen all over social just this week, and it's Monday!!


"Women are blacklisted in Hollywood." Not true.

"No one will hire me if I'm over 30/40/50." Not true.

"The industry hates women." Not true.

"If I were a man, then..." Not true.


INSERT: scene in Sleepless in Seattle when they were having the conversation about how it's easier to get killed by a terrorist than find a husband over a certain age. And Annie said, "That is not true; that statistic is not true," and her bestie said, "It feels true." CRINGE!!!


I got married at 49, and that was my first marriage. I literally NEVER thought, "OMFG, I'm so old. No one will marry me." I mean, who thinks like that? WHY?


Look, you sound like pre-schoolers whining about whatever kids whine about at that age. Who you don't sound like is the successful, strong, badass writer that you know you are.


I believe in the power of manifestation, and if you are constantly repeating how hard it is? Guess what? It will continue to be hard, so stop it! PLEASE.


What you have created is a bad pattern of putting negative energy into the world.


You may comment or message me and go, "But Stephanie, they didn't buy my script, hire me for this position, allow me to direct (even though I literally have never directed anything my entire life), etc----well, there are a million reasons things happen and while it probably is true that SOME (not all) places don't like woman, it's just not a thing that Hollywood hates women.


Maybe, just maybe, your screenplay isn't ready! Have you thought of that?


Okay, so maybe Hollywood hates women, and as you can imagine, a table of the most powerful men in the industry at Frank and Musso's or The Smokehouse sitting around smoking cigars and drinking cognac, saying, "How can we keep these bitches down?"


Do you think that's happening? I don't, but even if it was, what about all the women who are crushing it constantly?


What about Barbie? How soon we forget.


"As of June 24, 2024, Barbie (2023) has grossed $1.446 billion worldwide, making it the highest-grossing film of 2023, Warner Bros.' highest-grossing film ever, and the 14th highest-grossing film of all time. It also holds the record for the biggest opening weekend and the largest opening ever for a female director."


Do you remember the Oscars this year, when everyone and their dog were on social media complaining about Ryan Gosling getting nominated and Margot Robbie not? It was such a huge slap in the face for ALL THE WOMEN who were nominated, including Margot Robbie (not for acting), Greta Gerwig, and America Ferrara. LOADS of women were nominated, but all people focused on where the ones who weren't.


I have optioned literally every single original feature screenplay that I have written and pitched, EVERY SINGLE ONE--but not sold or produced at this time, and not once did I think, "It must be because I have boobs and a vajajay" I KNEW it was because of other things.


  1. I wasn't a well-known name, so it was harder to sell.

  2. The concept wasn't strong enough.

  3. Already something similar in production.

  4. They liked it, but then studio heads, producers, and execs changed.

  5. It was too quiet.

  6. My writing wasn't as strong as the premise.


There are so many reasons you haven't sold your script, but if you believe it will never happen because you are a woman over 40, you probably should find another career.


WOW, Stephanie, that was bitchy! I'm not trying to be mean or bitchy, but this is a job that is not for the faint of heart. A lot of success happens due to confidence.


I'll blog about having confidence soon.


Just ask yourself this.


Can you imagine a woman waltzing into Disney Feature Animation and getting a six-figure job as an artist without a degree in art or twenty years of training?


Can you imagine a woman who's not that great of a singer getting a lead role in a Broadway production?


Can you imagine optioning a spec script that you wrote in three weeks?


Can you imagine getting staffed as a TV writer on a top-rated show despite not understanding the format and having typos all over your script?


ALL OF THESE THINGS HAPPENED. ALL OF THEM!


I never once thought, "I can't do this because of...." I've never thought that I was less than because I'm female or a woman, or Irish, or Italian, or all the other reasons that people say that I should feel that way. I want to do something, and I find a way to do it.


Please stop putting it out into the universe. BELIEVE that you can do it and then get the tools needed to do it, and go get it!


I'll leave you with this quote from online business guru Marie Forleo: "There are reasons, and then, there are results."


You can do it. I know that you can!!


You must believe in yourself. Ignore all the negativity that is all over social media. Instead of commenting on posts about how women can't make it, scroll on past, because you can.


Thanks for reading.

Please follow on social @stephobourbon

XO

Steph








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