Thanks and a "script in october"

Thanks to all who contributed to the "outlining" thread. I got some good ideas from y'all.
Since I'm starting a new script I'm in need of inspiration and a good work ethic and thought some of y'all might too, so I'm posting something that maybe the newer members haven't seen before and maybe the older members would like to see again. It's rather inspiring, I think.
Calix was a regular on the old newsgroup for quite a while and started this "Script in September" thing which maybe at some point got changed to a "script in October." Therefore, a Sept. 31st was "added." These guidelines could be adjusted to fit the time frame of your choice.

And congrats, RonB on that first draft.
I just thought I would repost Calix's original post. Seems like someone does that here occasionally. Here goes:
**

A Script in September
(a game for MWS)
I've been thinking about this the past couple of weeks, and it seems worth a shot might even be worthwhile for the group.
In ish 30 vol 5 of MovieMaker, our hero Dov S-S Simens (the self-styled Mr Hollywood who runs that two-day "you can make movies too!" school of questionable repute) spends the first half of his column outlining a "write a script in 21 days" program. While most of us know that there's usually much more to it than that, it seems a good jumping-off point for us procrastinators and work-avoiders.
I've been thinking of late, for example, that Martin and his partner sold and wrote a major feature in the same time many of us were arguing two brads vs. three, and am using that as motivation to wrap up a new script this year. Writing a script is more a matter of writing than how long it takes, and most of us can think of a million ideas not to finish. Well, here's a chance to put that to bed.
And, since writing a script in 21 days isn't an idea unique to Simens, I'm gonna crib it and put it here in slightly modified form, with a challenge that whosoever will meet the deadlines. I've not read Vicki King's book, but I'm guessing it's pretty close in approach to what Simens wrote - indeed, I wouldn't be surprised to hear Simens ripped off King much as I'm, er, "borrowing" from Simens here.
I'm also expanding it by a week to fill out the month. If nothing else, we'll enrich the coffers of the WGA by a couple hundred bucks in Oct. when we register our drafts.
To be fair, the script I'm going to finish in September is one I've bounced around for the past six months or so, but all I have on paper is part of an outline. Actually, it's not even on paper yet, it's on the laptop. But it's the next one I should finish for a variety of reasons, so it's the one I'm choosing.
So who's in? Who'll commit to writing a Script for September, with the cajoling and encouragement of the rest of us in the MWS Script for September program?
Okay, here's the proposed schedule:
Tues, Sept 1: Pick the idea from that huge pile of scripts you always wanted to write. Write the theme in 5-10 words, the "moral center" that we all agree is essential (thanks, Mysti & Co.!)
Wed, Sept 2: Start naming names. Name your script. Get a collection of names for all the characters, and a handful of extras just in case. Just write a list of the names, don't worry too much about character development; keep notes as ideas pop up, but don't stress. Just start naming names.
Thurs, Sept 3: Write the log line. Since you have the theme and title already written it shouldn't be too hard.
Fri, Sept 4: Dov says "write the treatment" for the next 4 days. He suggests a three-page treatment, for the three-act structure. It looks like a good tool to try out. I'm not sure how to break down his suggestion over four days (and neither is he, from the looks of the article) but four days for the treatment seems about right. Here's what he suggests, with some slight adjustments from yours truly:
At the top of page 1 write "The Beginning." On the top half of page one write "Who. What. When. Where. Why. How." Answer these questions in a sentence or two each, not filling up more than half of page 1.
At the top of page 3 write "The End." At the bottom half of the page, write how the story ends how it all wraps up. It's not going to be seen by anyone, so fragments and ideas are okay, but since so many movies fail by not knowing how they're going to end I think it's important to get this on paper early. In fact, for every script I've ever written I've known exactly what the first and last scenes would be before I ever started typing; it's how movies come to me. So obviously this approach looks right to me!
Now we've still got two blank pages of paper left to fill half of page one, half of page three, and all of page two. The middle of the script. This is where all the action takes place. Dov suggests 4-6 plot points in the middle; I don't have a strong feel for the number (suggestions from the group?). These are the reversals, the conflicts that hinder the hero from reaching the goal, the setbacks, whatever you want to call them. Me, I'd look for 5-10 of 'em in the middle. Pick a number, and write a paragraph of what happens in each until you've filled up those two pages. Don't forget the subplots.
Sat, Sept 5: since it's the weekend, you've got plenty of time to work on that treatment, right?
Sun, Sept 6: attend the church or non-church of your choice. ;-) I find church time to be a great time for daydreaming about my next script. More work on the treatment; by now it should be almost done.
Mon, Sept 7: Finish the treatment.
Tues, Sept 8: Rewrite the treatment, polishing and clarifying. Feel free to expand or delete, add or subtract, but try to keep it between 3-10 pages. Make it cohesive, with a constant tone.
Wed, Sept 9: Time for the outline. Write a scene-by-scene outline; let's assume that a screenplay should contain from 40-60 scenes. Those are Dov's numbers, and they match much of what I've heard. If you want more or less, fine. It's your script, and I'd love to hear what other people know about how many scenes a script should have. For the one I'm working on I'm figuring closer to 60, maybe even more to fit in a subplot I want.
Number a page from 1-60, or however many scenes you feel comfortable with. It's not a hard-and-fast number, and it'll change as you outline, but you need a goal to aim for. Also, this is where many people prefer to use index cards. Me, I just drop them and they fall out of order, so I do it on the page. Anyway, pick a number of scenes to aim for and make a structure to put your ideas in. For me, it's the numbers 1-60 down the side of the page.
Your first scene is how the movie begins. Summarize that as scene #1. Your last scene, obviously, is the ending you worked on. So that goes in the last place/on the last card. All of your plot points or reversals are gonna take a scene each, so plug 'em in next. Start looking at how your story needs to move from point to point. Think about the character arcs, make notes about that, maybe even do a separate outline for the protagonist's arc.
Thurs, Sept 10: Keep working on that outline. It should be filling in nicely by now.
Fri, Sept 11: Looking over your outline, make sure you see how your subplots weave in and out. Fill in some more of the blanks.
Sat, Sept 12: Finish the outline. You should have between 40-60 lines of what happens in what order in the script. Each one represents a scene in your movie. When you start writing on Monday, approach each scene as a mini-movie; consider the three part structure - beginning, middle, end - and rhythm of each scene.
Sun, Sept 13: Look over the outline, the log line, the treatment. Jot notes, play with order and structure. Sleep well, watch your movie in a dream.
Mon, Sept 14: Type: FADE IN:Type 5-10 pages. Make them really crappy if you have to. Even Dov says that if you follow this process the first draft will STINK. But there has to be a first draft before there can be a second. Just get words on the page. We've got an outline, a treatment, a moral center taped to the monitor, now we need a script. At this point in the schedule, if you type 10 pages a day between now and the 27th you'll have 140 pages, so there's a slight cushion for slacking a day or so, but not much.

This is where the rubber meets the road. This is where you decide if you're a writer or not. 10 pages of screenplay is under 2,000 words, fewer than 10,000 characters. If you can tap the keys at 25 words per minute then it'll take you less than an hour and a half to do those 10 pages. With dawdling and backspacing and daydreaming, call it two hours. Two hours a day for two weeks to get a finished draft.
So the question is, are you a writer? Well, are you, punk?
Tues, Sept 15: Type 5-10 pages.
Wed, Sept 16: Type 5-10 pages. (I know. It's redundant. But like the saying goes, a writer writes, and with your outline and treatment and log line and theme in-hand and a schedule to write two hours a day, now is the time to write, right?)
Thurs, Sept 17: Type 5-10 pages.
Fri, Sept 18: Type 5-10 pages. (I'm sensing a theme here.)
Sat, Sept 19: Type 5-10 pages.
Sun, Sept 20: Type 5-10 pages. (Yes, I've taken my laptop to church and written during the sermon. I'm sure I'll go to hell for it, but on this tight a schedule ... )
Mon, Sept 21: Type 5-10 pages.
Tues, Sept 22: Type 5-10 pages.
Wed, Sept 23: Type 5-10 pages.
Thurs, Sept 24: Type 5-10 pages. (Getting close to the end of the week and the end of the first draft now ... )
Fri, Sept 25: Type 5-10 pages.
Sat, Sept 26: Type 5-10 pages.
Sun, Sept 27: Type the last pages, hopefully ending around page 120 (a few more will be fine, since the next step is to trim and tighten). Type "Fade Out: The End." Stand up and dance around the room, grin like a fool, chuckle to yourself, cause people to worry about your sanity. You are now, officially, Screenwriter. You have written a Screenplay. Just a couple more steps before the rewrite begins in earnest ...
Thu, Sept 28: Proofread, from beginning to end. Change those clunky bits of dialogue. Cut the first couple of lines and last couple of lines in each scene, getting in and out of scenes as quickly as you can. Look at every single line and figure out how to make it shorter. Rephrase things so the lines are shorter. Look for every opportunity to fill the page with lovely, pristine white space. Look for any camera direction and cut it out, changing it to evocative writing. Get the screenwriter off the page.
Fri, Sept 29: Proofread, from end to beginning. Read each sentence backwards, looking for spelling and grammar errors you scan over forwards. Double-check to make sure that every single word is spelled right. Make sure all of the names are consistent. Then proofread again. Look up words you spelled right but have a niggling doubt about. Look up words you're sure you spelled right just for the practice. Then proofread the script again. Even though it's officially a "first draft," it's good practice to get each draft as technically perfect as possible.
Sat, Sept 30: Read the final script one last time. Smile. Print it. Punch three holes in it. Fasten with two brads. Hold a finished script in your hands. Print a second copy. Mail it to the WGA with a check (but no brads; they don't like brads.) Post another "see, I did it!" note on MWS. Buy yourself a cool dinner. Eat lots of ice cream.
(Sun, Sept 31: The biggest horror this Halloween just might be that hideous first draft of yours, but so what. This year you can put away that William Goldman mask and trick-or-treat as a screenwriter without it! Or if you've slipped a day, make it up now. You get one more day than those poor chumps did last year, so you've got no excuses.)
Mon, Oct. 1: Begin the rewrite ... (I hate Mondays.)
(Anyone got good suggestions for how to rewrite a script in 21 days?)