10 Day Writing Challenge

We’ve added a surprise 11th day to our challenge; thanks to the contributions of a generous anonymous donor, we are hosting a contest where you or a friend could win $125!

We’ve offered a lot of writing exercises in our 10 Day Challenge, but we want to know– What keeps you writing for the stage? What rituals inform and inspire you to keep at your work?

To enter, go to our twitter, and retweet the contest announcement.

Then, email challenge@dgf.org with your answer to the above prompt, “What keeps you writing for the stage?” or “What rituals inform and inspire you to keep at your work?” Entries close at 12pm Eastern on Thursday, May 2.

We will be announcing the winner on Friday, May 3rd. Only one entry per person.

We’ve been so inspired by this community of artists lately. Thank you for sharing your work with us on social media. We love knowing what you’re working on, whether it’s a blank page, final draft, or opening night. In an effort to nurture this creative energy, we invite you to participate in our 10-Day Writing Challenge.

Below you’ll find the full list of exercises. Though we’ll be “hosting” this challenge on Twitter from April 17-April 26th, you can begin a challenge cycle at any time or host your own with a writing group!

Pencils ready?

Day 1: Spend 15 minutes in the morning writing in a notebook. Do this *before* you check your phone.

Day 2: Learn a new word. Use it in a sentence and tweet it to @DGFound.

Day 3: Send something you’ve written (a page, a play, a poem) to a friend. You don’t have to ask for feedback. Just get in the habit of sharing.

Day 4: Put your phone on airplane mode. Set a timer for 10 minutes. Don’t touch it. That’s it!

Day 5: Create a scene that teaches a lesson. Write it twice– once for your peers, and once for children.

Day 6: You’re more than half way through! Today, challenge yourself to write for 2 hours or until you have 5 pages (whichever comes first).

Day 7: Don’t write today! We mean it. Instead, see a show, visit the library, read a new play. Let your own ideas marinate.

Day 8: Adaptation. Choose a piece of work in the public domain. Write a pitch about how you would adapt it for a modern audience.

Day 9: Try the 20-20-20 exercise today. Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away, for 20 seconds. It’s a great way to gather your thoughts and rest your eyes from the computer screen!

Day 10: Revision. On day six, we challenged you to write for 2 hours or for 5 pages (whichever came first) revisit those pages and revise them today!

Congratulations! And thank you for your commitment to your work. Maybe you’re ready for a day-off; maybe this 10-Day cycle will be habit-forming for you; and maybe you’re itching for more, so we present you with… .

BONUS DAY: Reflection. Dedicate 30 minutes of your day to sit and write. Free-write during this time about your experience. What worked for you? What didn’t? And if you still have time to spare, keep going. Some of the best (and surprising) thoughts come out when you don’t have a plan.

Be sure to follow @DGFound on Twitter and #DGFound if you choose to share your exercises and to connect with other writers participating in the challenge.