It’s the start of March, which means the count down to the fourth Script Frenzy is on. This is the month where we madly try to think of plot ideas, characters, scenes… or, if you’re me, you try to recruit other people to the cause. Plot? I’ll think of one later. What I’m here to do is to introduce other people to the fantastic madness that has been part of my life since 2007.

Script Frenzy is an online writing challenge based in April every year. It’s the sister project to NaNoWriMo – National Novel Writing Month – run by the Office of Letters and Light, Chris Baty’s love child.

The goal is to write 100 pages of scripted material, whether it is for screen, stage, a musical or comic, anything that needs a script. It’s free to be part of, and asks only for your donations if you’re able to support it, as it’s a non-profit organisation. They offer gifts if you donate a certain amount, information of which can be found in their Donation/Store section of their website.

There are no prizes awarded, but those who complete the challenge get to download a Winner’s Certificate and a web icon proclaiming their awesomeness, and sponsers also offer up what they can. For example, this year there’s a free trial of Storyist available good for all of April and into May, and then if you decide to buy it, you get a 30% off voucher to use up to May 15^th – which is a pretty good offer!

Then there’s also the fact you come away with your very own script, probably something you’ve been meaning to write for a while, but you’ve just ‘never had the time’. Script Frenzy is great for banding together with like-minded crazies, all who have full lives of looking after a family, working or going to school throughout the week, just like you. Most don’t ‘have the time for it’, but we stick with it anyway, and most discover just how much time they actually have when there’s a project they really want to do.

In your area, there may even be a group of people participating. On the site there are regional forums, and every region that has a willing leader (known as a municipal liaison) gets their own part of the forum to call their very own. Since Script Frenzy began in 2007, I myself have looked after Elsewhere Australia, which means most of our meet-ups are online (all of which you’re welcome to join in, no matter where you’re from) but most regions get together in coffee houses and libraries to write together and chat. It’s a very tight-knit community where everyone’s welcome with open arms, and thankfully, there hasn’t been much drama as a result. The forums are moderated calmly and discretely, but really, with an area for everything from reference (how much carpet would it take to cover the entirey of Florida?) to tech help and promotion (which program is best to write in?) to help to getting those 100 pages down (mind tricks to sugary sweet rewards!) there’s so much to offer from the forums that there’s something for everyone.

There’s information on the site of how to format your script, there’s a plot machine, and there’s interviews with people in the business. Really, what more could you ask for?

Taken from the site, here’s the breakdown of the facts.

Who: You and everyone you know. No experience required.

What: 100 pages of original scripted material in 30 days. (Screenplays, stage plays, TV shows, short films, and graphic novels are all welcome.)

When: April 1 – 30. Every year. Mark your calendars.

Where: Online and in person (if you want!). Hang out in the forums, join your fellow participants at write-ins, and make friends by adding writing buddies online.

Why: Because you have a story to tell. Because you want a creative challenge. Because you’ll be disappointed if you missed out on the adventure. Because you need to make time for you.

How: Sign up. Tell everyone that you are in the Frenzy. Clear your calendar. (US participants: Get your taxes done now!) Start some wrist exercises. Have fun!

The 5 Basic Rules of Script Frenzy

• 1) To be crowned an official Script Frenzy winner, you must write a script (or multiple scripts) of at least 100 total pages and verify this tally on ScriptFrenzy.org.
• 2) You may write individually or with a partner. Writing teams will have a 100-page total goal for their co-written script or scripts.
• 3) Script writing may begin no earlier than 12:00:01 AM on April 1 and must cease no later than 11:59:59 PM on April 30, local time.
• 4) You may write screenplays, stage plays, TV shows, short films, comic book and graphic novel scripts, adaptations of novels, or any other type of script your heart desires.

5) You must, at some point, have ridiculous amounts of fun.

Hope to see you there!

Script Frenzy Official Site