Zero Draft Thirty 2017 Spring Challenge: FADE OUT!

FADE IN. FADE OUT. 31 Days. That describes what just transpired in March. Dozens of writers from around the world dove into their script and pounded out a draft. Check out just a handful of tweets:

And over in the Zero Draft Thirty Facebook Group, more of the same. Here’s a sampling:

FADE OUT! Ok, ok, I know my thumbnail is a pic of me holding a 1st Place trophy for writing a sci-fi script ‘cuz that’s my genre, BUT I have always wanted to write a Rom-Com and I just finished it tonight. — Larry Whatcott

Fade out. 92 pages. 1 very rough 1st draft. I’ll take it:) — Monique Carmona

Well, I did it. Just typed FADE OUT. It’s a big messy lump of clay, but it’s done! Yippee! — Susan Winchell

Between craziness at work, medical issues, and the constant distraction of March Madness (not to mention struggling through Act 2, as always), I feel like I’ve been on my own Hero’s Journey with this one. But I did it — I just hit FADE OUT. Thanks to you all for all of your inspiration. I couldn’t have done it without you. — Kara Wexler

FADE OUT! 11.30pm (London) and I got there! Thank you all for being such great writing companions, motivators and inspirers. I managed to finish a first draft of a feature and also rewrite the last couple of acts of a TV pilot. Reaching the end of this shared journey was such a great incentive! Now I’m off to bed. Happy Friday everyone and cheers to you all! — Sanjivi Krishnan

And it’s “FADE OUT” from me in Edinburgh! A massive thank you to all the members in this group for the continous support and encouragements throughout the month! There’s just nothing quite like this group — it’s brilliant! Congratulations to everyone who will finish their ZD30 today. I’m passing round the virtual champagne! — Nicole Wilson

Huge thank you to ZD30 and all the love and support. Yesterday I typed ‘FADE OUT’ on my very first finished script. I got through my ‘crisis’ and got to the end and am now finding that my first edit is taking me further into the story — it’s just flowing and I’m having a blast! — Eva Choong

A hearty congratulations to everyone who participated in the Zero Draft Thirty 2017 Spring Challenge. If you didn’t reach FADE OUT, no worries. Keep writing! Day by day, stay focused on reaching the end of your draft. Remember it’s a zero draft. It’s not going to be perfect. Screenwriting is an iterative process, by definition it’s writing and rewriting… and rewriting… and rewriting. To get to the rewriting, you have to do the writing… and get to FADE OUT.

Cue Scamper!

If you participated in the 2017 Spring Challenge, I’d love to read your reflections on the experience. I’ll choose some of the best comments and post here on the blog next week.

Mark it on your calendar: September 1, 2017. That is the start date for the Zero Draft Thirty 2017 Autumn Challenge.

Turn Perfectionism and Procrastination into Productivity with the Zero Draft approach.

Onward!