2024 Competition
The Screenwriting Challenge 2024 is underway! All competition assignments and results will be automatically updated below. Best of luck to the 1,700+ writers participating worldwide!
UPDATES & ANNOUNCEMENTS
IMPORTANT LINKS
1st Round: Kickoff Email / Assignments
Rules: Official Rules & Participation Agreement
How it Works
The 21st annual Screenwriting Challenge is a competition open to screenwriters worldwide. There are three rounds of competition. In the 1st Round (March 15-23), writers are placed randomly in groups and are assigned a genre, subject, and character assignment (see examples of past assignments on the FAQ page). Writers have eight days to write an original short screenplay no longer than 12 pages.
The judges choose a top five in each group to advance to the 2nd Round (May 9-12), where writers receive new assignments. This time, they have just three days to write a short screenplay no longer than eight pages. Judges choose a top three in each group from the 2nd Round to advance to the competition's Final Round (June 21-22), where writers are challenged to write a screenplay no longer than five pages in just 24 hours.
A panel of judges review the final round screenplays and winners are selected to share in thousands in cash and prizes. Feedback from the judges is provided for every submission and writers retain all the rights to the screenplays they write during the challenges. Sound like fun? Join the competition below and get ready for March 15th!
A Few Reasons to Participate
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Feedback provided on every submission
Not only do the writers receive feedback from the judges for every submission, but a special review forum is available for the participants to submit their screenplays for review from fellow writers throughout the competition.
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A Vibrant Writing Community
Join over 27,000 writers in our online forum to discuss the challenges, post and review stories, and discuss writing in all facets. We are dedicated to providing a forum that is a welcoming and helpful place for writers of all levels. Click here to visit the forums.
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Keep All the Rights to your Screenplays
Writers retain all the rights to the screenplays they create during the competition, which means that we could not and would not share the stories publicly without consent from the authors.
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Thousands in Prizes
There are thousands in cash and prizes for the top writers, with $4,500 going to first place. Click here to view the full prize list.
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Writing for a Good Cause
We are proud to support global charities currently dealing with some of the most critical issues facing our world. We will be donating two dollars from each entry fee, and writers can choose where their donation goes. Click here to view the charities.
Never written a screenplay before?
What Our Participants Say
“Absolutely loved the challenge, because it got me thinking about stories I would not have even considered writing otherwise. Thinking about writing down the info for the other heats in this round to practice with later. Good luck, everyone!”
— Alexi W. (Minot, ND, USA)
“Let's just say.. that was SUPER fun! And SUPER challenging.”
— Cierra M. (Soddy Daisy, TN, USA)
“Newbie to screenwriting. This was truly challenging and super fun. Feel pumped just getting the writing submitted. Good luck everyone and thanks NYCM.”
— Patty A. (Los Angeles, CA, USA)
“I love this contest. I got to write ghosts, history, a little action-adventure, and an ending that makes me happy in the best bittersweet way.”
— Melinda L. (San Diego, CA, USA)
“Just put mine in. Loved the challenge of working up something at speed, with given elements. Best of luck all.”
— Philip L. (London, GB)
“That went down to the wire . . . such a rush! Thanks NYCM!”
— Lesley G. (Carson City, NV, USA)
How to Register
Registration is now closed. We’ll have many more exciting challenges in 2024, so make sure to sign up for our newsletter to know when the next one is announced!
*Get $5 off the entry fee just for tweeting! Click here to make a post to Facebook or Twitter and receive a $5 promotional code.
We will be donating two percent of every entry fee to charities currently dealing with some of the most critical issues facing our world, and writers can choose where their donation goes. Click here to learn more.
Mark Your Calendar
While we send e-mails to all registered writers at the beginning of each round, e-mails often go to junk/spam folders or are blocked by servers for unknown reasons. We recommend that everyone mark their calendars with each round's start dates, especially the first challenge at 11:59 PM (New York time) on Friday, March 15, 2024, so that you know when to expect an e-mail. Use the "Add to Calendar" buttons below to add each event to your calendar, or click here to learn about subscribing to our entire event calendar.
Results
1st Round
May 7, 2024
Results
2nd Round
June 19, 2024
Results
Final Round
July 31, 2024