Zero Draft Thirty Autumn 2016 Challenge: 2 Days and Counting!

T minus 2 days. On September 1, the Zero Draft Thirty Autumn 2016 Challenge kicks off!

Write an entire first draft of a script in September — FADE IN to FADE OUT in 30 days.

Feature length movie screenplay. Original TV pilot. Rewrite a current project. Break a story in prep. Generate a month’s worth of story concepts.

Whatever you feel will ratchet your creative ambitions into overdrive, do THAT!

Here is a ZDT primer:

Why did you start Zero Draft Thirty?

NaNoWriMo, the write a novel in a month outfit, used to run Script Frenzy, but stopped it in 2012. So why not create month-long challenges to fill that space?

Why the name Zero Draft Thirty?

When I posted the announcement for the initial ZDT Challenge in November 2016, I made a point that this is not about writing perfect pages, rather this is about pounding out a first draft. I noted how some writers call that initial iteration of a script a vomit draft. Some a muscle draft. And some a zero draft. GITS reader Orange Pop came up with a great title: Zero Draft Thirty.

Zero Draft = Get The Damn Thing Done Draft!
Thirty = 30 days in the month

Shorthand it: ZDT or ZD30.

You mentioned Twitter. Does the Challenge have a hashtag?

Indeed it does. As you may know, I am active on Twitter, currently with 38K+ followers (@GoIntoTheStory). So whenever you Tweet anything to do with ZDT, use this hashtag:

#ZD30SCRIPT

What if we want to write a TV pilot or rewrite a script?

Absolutely you can use ZDT for any scripted project.

So how do we interact?

Every day, I will do a ZDT post here. In it, I will include an inspirational quote, perhaps some reflections on the quote, add a motivational video.

The daily posts are cool, but again where’s the interaction part?

As you know, my posts have a comments section. That means you can click Comment and write something on any/all of the ZDT daily posts. Then I will read your comments. Other writers will read your comments. I’ll post comments on your comments. Other writers will post comments on your comments. It will be comments, comments, comments all day, all night. That’s interaction. Of course, we could all choose a resort location, fly there, and interact, but all those mixed drinks with little umbrellas get in the way of writing, so we best stick with comments.

What sort of comments should we make?

Anything you want, but since the whole point of the ZDT Challenge is to motivate each of us to pound out pages and get from FADE IN to FADE OUT, at the very least, I would hope you drop in often — ideally on a daily basis — and let us know how many pages you wrote in the previous 24 hours. But feel free to share your joy… or your pain. If you need a boost, ask for it. If you feel inspired, share your insights.

So the comments are really about creating a supportive environment, right?

You took the words right out of my mouth… fingers… keyboard.

I heard you would do ‘writing scampers’. What’s that about?

Several pro writers including Jane Espenson and John August from time to time invite people via Twitter to join them in 1 hour writing sprints. We came up with writing scampers as a way of embracing the Zero Draft spirit. I’d do them most every day during the Challenge as would others. It’s a great way to feel the support of other writers knowing while you’re in a writing scamper, other Scamperers are with you.

And you give away a daily writing award during the Challenge?

That’s right. In the past, it’s been The Trumbo Award, but this time around we honor another famous and important Hollywood screenwriter: Frances Marion!

You can read about Frances Marion here, how she was Mary Pickford’s go-to screenwriter and had a career which spanned four decades with about a bazillion writing credits. But as far as the Zero Draft Thirty Challenge goes, it’s all about her pose in the photo above. Think she feels any pressure? Voices of Negativity? Perfectionism? If you bring your ear up real close to the photograph, you can hear her whisper reaching through history softly telling each of us entering the ZD30 Challenge:

GET IT DOWN, GET IT DONE!!!

Anyhow every day in September, some lucky ZD30 participant will receive The Marion Award. How? Contributing a quote, photo, video, something to inspire writers. Or make us laugh. Just something awesome and worth re-posting here on the blog. You can use Twitter or GITS comments, but in the past most winners have uploaded something on the Zero Draft Thirty Facebook group page.

Any other ZDT motivational goodies?

How about a Zero Draft Thirty Autumn 2016 Challenge Calendars designed and created by Yvetta Douarin and Chris Neumann.

Many thanks to Yvetta and Chris. You download the calendars here and here, then keep track of your progress!

It’s amazing how something as tangible as a calendar can serve as a motivational tool, so I encourage you to make use of it.

So I post script pages here?

NO!!! YOU DO NOT POST SCRIPT PAGES!!! THEY ARE YOUR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY!!! YOU WANT TO PROTECT YOUR CREATIVE OUTPUT!!! AGAIN… DO NOT POST SCRIPT PAGES HERE!!!

WAIT. SORRY. THE VOLUME LEVEL GOT STUCK ON 11. LET ME DIAL… IT… DOWN…

Ah, got it. Just to underscore this point, the Zero Draft Thirty Challenge is all about one thing: Motivating each of us to write a script draft. That’s the focus. Not reviewing script pages. Not networking. Use the Challenge to get from FADE IN to FADE OUT.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please post in comments.

September 1: Type FADE IN.
September 30: Type FADE OUT.

30 days. A first draft of an original screenplay. TV pilot. Or a rewrite of an existing script.

For background on the Zero Draft Thirty challenge, go here.

Don’t forget the Zero Draft Thirty Facebook group. A terrific collection of 1000+ folks who post things every day, even when we’re not in a challenge.

So calling all Zeronauts, Outlaws, Scamperers, and Writing Warriors. Who’s up for pounding out a Zero Draft in September? LET’S DO THIS THING!

Hashtag: #ZD30SCRIPT.