2024 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 11

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

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!

As for me, I will spend the month rewriting a feature film spec script. It’s based on a story concept I came up with late last year and it may be the strongest comedy idea I’ve ever worked on. Now to take it to the next level.

If you join the Challenge, I will be right there with you writing each and every day in March! Let’s do this together!

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: Here. 5,100+ members strong.

Today’s Writing Quote

“I don’t believe in rules for writing screenplays. What that gives you is formula, and the result will be formulaic.”

— Christopher Hampton

Today’s Inspirational Video

All of 19 years old, last year Coco Gauff won the U.S. Open women’s singles’ title. Here’s a quote from her speech to the crowd after the final’s match:

“Thank you to the people who didn’t believe in me. To those who thought they were putting water on my fire, you put gas on it.”

Here is the entire post-match interview:

What an inspiration Coco is! And great advice: Use the doubters to fuel your OWN creative fire!

Today’s Motown Music Video

I have dedicated the 2024 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge as Motown Music Month. Part of that decision is to honor one of the greatest record companies of all time (check out their history here). But mostly, it’s an excuse to feature awesome music to get you out of your chair, dance around the room for 5 minutes, churn up your creative juices, then sit right back down and write your ass off.

Today’s featured song: The Temptations, “Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)” (1971).

Today’s Dalton Trumbo Award winner: Anita Tucker

Over at the Zero Draft Thirty Facebook Group, Anita posted this:

I responded with this:

Here’s Anita’s response:

Where this all started? Anita expressed curiosity about what’s going on with the Protagonist. That’s so important. Keep asking questions. Keep digging deeper. That’s the path not only to discovering what your story is about and the shape of the plot, it’s also key in crafting complex, compelling characters actors want to play … and audiences connect with.

So, because Anita initiated an interesting conversation with some solid writing takeaways, she is the recipient of today’s Dalton Trumbo Award!

Congratulations, Anita!

To learn more about Dalton Trumbo and his fascinating career as a screenwriter, go here.

For your chance to win the Dalton Trumbo 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 into being 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

Now Zeronauts, Scamperers, Word Warriors, and Outlaws…

SPREAD THE WORD!

GO WRITE!

In the words of Coco Gauff: “Put gas on that fire.” And …

SCAMPER ON!