2023 Zero Draft Thirty September Challenge: Day 15

One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

Zero Draft Thirty: Day 15.

Write an entire draft of a script in September — FADE IN. FADE OUT. Or any sort of creative goal you have in front of you.

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!

Download your very own Zero Draft Thirty calendar — designed and created by Steven Dudley — and track your daily progress!

On Twitter, use this hashtag: #ZD30SCRIPT.

Join the Zero Draft Thirty Facebook Group, 4,900+ members strong.

Today’s Writing Quote

“It’s the words, it always gets back to the words…”

— Julius Epstein

Today’s Inspirational Video

There has never been a late night talk show host who could match the comic timing and sensibilities of Johnny Carson. Witness this classic exchange with Burt Reynolds. This is only a snippet. It went on for several more minutes. But notice how Carson tops the gag at the end of the clip. It’s also a good object lesson about the power of visual storytelling. No dialogue between the pair, yet tons of laughs. I find that inspiring!

Today’s Anita Loos Award winner: Jodi Lustig.

Over at the Zero Draft Thirty Facebook group page, Jodi posted this:

What I didn’t figure out today I could figure out tomorrow. Yup. That’s what I’m telling myself.

Jodi, keep telling that to yourself … and it will happen.

You may have to tackle the issue directly, writing and rewriting a scene.

You may force yourself to sit there for hours on end reworking the material.

Or you may decide to go at it indirectly.

A free write scene.

Character interview.

You may decide to take a walk … or a jog … or a bike ride to clear your mind.

You may give up for the day, go on with the rest of your life … shopping for groceries … standing in line at the post office … taking a shower …

Then —

BAM!

The solution hits you!

Whether you go at it directly, indirectly, or you have a spontaneous revelation…

The answer is there.

It will come to you if have faith that if it doesn’t come today, it’ll come tomorrow.

For that piece of inspiration, today’s recipient of the Anita Loos Award is Jodi Lustig!

Congratulations, Jodi! Feel to print this award and post it at your writing desk for inspiration.

To learn more about Anita Loos and her illustrious career as a screenwriter, playwright, director, and journalist, go here.

For your chance to win the Anita Loos Award, one given away each day during the Challenge, post something inspiring, here on the blog, via Twitter, or the Facebook group.

For background on how the Zero Draft Challenge came to be and what it is, go here, here, and here.

Zero Draft Thirty: Day 1
Zero Draft Thirty: Day 2
Zero Draft Thirty: Day 3
Zero Draft Thirty: Day 4
Zero Draft Thirty: Day 5
Zero Draft Thirty: Day 6
Zero Draft Thirty: Day 7
Zero Draft Thirty: Day 8
Zero Draft Thirty: Day 9
Zero Draft Thirty: Day 10
Zero Draft Thirty: Day 11
Zero Draft Thirty: Day 12
Zero Draft Thirty: Day 13
Zero Draft Thirty: Day 14

Now Zeronauts, Scamperers, Word Warriors, and Outlaws…

IT’S WRITING SCAMPER TIME!