What is the One Week Challenge?

The One Week Challenge is a Free exercise where you will have one week to write a script (properly formatted) 12 pages or less (courier 12 point font) on the selected theme and genre to be revealed on Friday, August 21st at 11:59 pm e.d.t..

The script must be received by Friday, August 28 at 11:59 pm e.d.t..

Please do not put your real name on your script, however, please use your real name and real e-mail address on the submission form (After the exercise closes you can either have your script removed or resubmit the script with your name on it). Please put “(c) Copyright 2009” on your script.

No gambling! No running with scissors. This is completely Free to enter.

This is only an exercise. There is no prize for winning (after all, we all win if we have fun). There will not be an official judging for the best script (after all, we all win if we have fun). All submitted scripts will be posted anonymously for a week before the writers are revealed.

Please visit the discussion board for an idea of what is going to happen.

The Schedule:
August 21 11:59 pm edt – theme and genre revealed
August 28 11:59 pm edt – submissions due
August 29 – 31 – scripts posted without author’s names
August 31 – September 5th – review, critique, comment, guess who wrote what
September 6th – authors are revealed.

Additionally, I’m in talks with iScript.com to see if they are willing to audio produce one selected script.

And, I’m also in talks with Norm Sherman of The DrabbleCast to help put a little twist into the August ’09 Challenge. Take a moment to pop over to The DrabbleCast, a short fiction podcast that is often humerous, often bizarre, always fun. With sci-fi, fantasy, wierd, disturbing tales- narrated by Norm Sherman.

Try and figure out what the OWC twist will be. You’ll never guess. When the twist is reveled, I’m sure I’ll anger and alienate just about everybody. – Don

Of Sound Mind by Cameron Mitchell
Read by: iScript.com

As you all know, in early April we had the April One Week Challenge wherein participants were asked to write a 12 page dramatic script about a secret revealed at a family picnic . We had 33 entries. The fine folks over at iScript.com were kind enough to select one script out of the group to be recorded.

The selected script is Of Sound Mind by Cameron Mitchell .

The wealthy Hogarth clan gathers for a picnic in the woods, to be followed by a reading of the patriarch’s will. The family will never be the same.

You can read along with the pdf version of the script here. You can discuss this script and all the OWC entries here. Click the “Play” button to listen to the script.

{note: This audio recording is released under a Creative Commons, attribution, noncommercial, no derivatives 3.0 license. You can share the audio recording in its entirety, but you can’t change it or sell it. }

Thanks to everyone who participated in the April One Week Challenge. – Don

Very special thanks to iScript.com for sponsoring the challenge and judging the final scripts.

Picnic basket image courtesy of MD Resort Bed and Breakfast in Fort Worth Texas