I love the idea... being responsible to other people helps me keep my pace up.

A 30 day script writing challenge sounds like a good idea. The short time frame will prevent writers from over analyzing every decision being made and show some of us what it's like to see our work in a finished-albeit probably ugly-state.

Precisely the point, Chris. I tell people to set due dates to 'submit' pages on a weekly basis, which is what is so successful in my Pages I writing workshops. But it's more difficult for writers to do that privately, even if they mark dates on a personal calendar, as compared to a PUBLIC commitment. So I figured we float this idea and see what the response is. Be interesting to see if it resonates with folks.

I say go for it. Give people two months warning and then roll call for commando school. If Michael Arndt can do a first draft in 3 days then we can do one in 30! James Cameron claims in an Empire interview he wrote 3 first drafts in 3 consecutive months - Aliens, Terminator, Rambo: First Blood Part II. So why not?

That's a great point, Kelley. The compressed time frame really makes it about just being productive. Quantity over quality. That's hard for a lot of writers having grown up in education systems where mistakes are punished. This is a great way to get writers to embrace a common approach among pro writers -- the vomit draft. Let's see how many people express interest in doing this. If we get a decent size group, we can set a month, then go for it.

There you go, Michael. I was kinda thinking September, give people the summer to clear the decks and do some prep work. But we don't have to lock that down just yet. Want to see what size group we may get. There has to be a substantial size, I think, in order to achieve the kind of critical mass to help push all the writers along.

Wonderful idea. Pencils Down Draft?

Pencils Down Draft. Good one, Efidalgo. If we go forward - and early indications are that we will - we'll crowdsource possible names for it. This one will go into the virtual hopper. Thanks!

I'm in. I'm always a better write under a deadline. Idea for a name: - Don't Look Back Draft (my biggest downfall in getting that first draft done is editing throughout and not pushing forward)

Brooke, that is one of the most common temptations and it's so easy to get lost doing that. Yes, this would be an effort in pushing ahead. Thanks for the suggested title.

I love this idea too. Get It Done Draft? July?

If it's September, I'm so in! I'm trying to re-vision a story I love and I need a bit of time to re-think it. But a fast and furious draft would help me break my inertia.

I'm thinking September would be good, too. Give folks the summer to clear their fall schedule and do some prep work.

Long time lurker, love the idea. I'm in for a September Script Throwdown!

Great, Birdscratch! And thanks for coming out of the shadows. Welcome your input and observations anytime.

I'm up for this (I've sent you an email Scott with a possible idea). Title? Ass + Chair Draft

This is a great idea Scott. I would not want to submit any pages publicly though. I wouldn't feel comfortable with that. Editing as I work kills any momentum I have, so it's like wading through treacle (molasses!?) Purge Draft - the words and my demons

I agree. No pages need be uploaded. This is raw first draft content. Rather I see the daily conversation on the site as being about the joys and frustration of the process, people supporting each other, and perhaps a page count ("Today I wrote 5 pages"... "Didn't write ANY pages today, should I hate myself?"... "Got on a roll, did 9 pages today.") Gratifying to see the response to this initiative via here, email, and Twitter. I'll have something to announce next week. Onward!

It will help a lot of people encourage each other. Certainly count me in. I will try and keep September as clear as it can be. Thanks Scott!

Good to hear, Camilla!

Personally, September isn't the best month for me and I imagine the back-to-school timing (not really my issue) doesn't work well for some others. But I'll probably give it a try even if is that month. NaNoWriMo used to have a screenwriting version called Script Frenzy which was held in April (felt like a good time of year). I participated in a few years ago but they discontinued it in 2012. 100 verified pages (via the automated PDF checker) was the goal to be a 'winner'. Script Frenzy at Wikipedia

Thanks for your feedback, Jerry. No month is good for me, so per comments where folks asked for some time to prep, I figured why not give us the summer, then hit it hard in September. We'll see. If it becomes an issue and we decide to do it annually, we can always change the month. I know about Script Frenzy. And there have been a few other such things. I just don't see them around that much. And as it was suggested to try it by members of the GITS community, why not? I hadn't thought of some sort of official way to confirm participants hitting a set page count a la 100 pages, but I guess it does make a certain amount of sense to have some prize at the end. We can take up all these issues when I make a formal announcement we're going forward, probably some time next week. Again thanks for your feedback, Jerry!

Just FYI, I wasn't disparaging the idea; I like it. A communal writing sprint like this can be really helpful. Hmm... maybe it's the GITS September Sprint. As to a prize, the Script Frenzy prize for hitting the page count was nothing. Well, you got to proudly assert that you won Script Frenzy along with everyone who hit the goal. There may have been a certificate generator or something IIRC. Today it would be an achievement badge for your avatar and be called 'gamification'. Anyway, I was just commenting about Screnzy not saying that's how it should be done. Whatever you end up with will certainly help a lot of folks, just like the rest of your site. Belated congrats on the anniversary and thanks again for all you've done here for writers. - jerry

No worries. Achievement badge + 'gamification'. Ha! Maybe I'll just award everybody a virtual bottle of Veuve Cliquot! Again thanks for your feedback!