2024 Zero Draft Thirty September Challenge: Day 9

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!

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, 5,100+ members strong.

Today’s Writing Quote

“The point is getting it all down, even if it’s crap or incomprehensible to anyone but you.”

— Warren Ellis

Today’s Inspirational Video

A video produced by the Writers Guild Foundation called Words:

It was released in 1987, the year I joined the Guild. I remember seeing it several times and it inspired me as I pushed myself to learn the craft.

Today’s Anita Loos Award winner: Trish Curtin.

Over at the Zero Draft Thirty Facebook group page, Trish posted this.

Here is the picture Trish referred to:

For those who may not know this, Trish is a founding member of the Zero Draft Thirty Facebook group. In fact, I believe she may have been the individual who suggested we begin this group after I had launched the first 30 day writing challenge in November 2015. Beyond that, Trish has been a ZD30 moderator since the inception of this site and has helped out in so many ways … well, safe to say many a people’s lives have been made better because of Trish’s friendship.

But beyond all that, what Trish has written with her observations posted above is a fantastic contribution to our community. Her thoughts really do capture the spirit of the zero draft approach, not only to writing, but also to life. Don’t let fear of failure or perfectionism stymie you. Just put yourself out there, no matter what. Be the “first pancake.”

Sure, it may be misshaped, but even with that initial effort, there’s still something delicious about it.

Know what that is?

It’s real. It exists. It’s something YOU created. Whether it’s a pancake … or the zero draft of a screenplay.

Then you have something of substance. You can eat it … or better yet, rewrite it.

So thanks, Trish. For all you do! You are today’s recipient of the Anita Loos Award!

Congratulations, Trish! I trust you’ll print the award and post in a primes spot at your writer’s desk.

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

Now Zeronauts … time to scamper on!

Onward!