April – Special Creative Writing Challenge

April 20, 2026

Scriptwriters Network 40th Anniversary Celebration

12 Months • 12 Ways We Give Back

As Scriptwriters Network celebrates 40 years of supporting writers, we’re giving back to the creative community with monthly opportunities for writers to learn, connect, and grow.

Each month throughout 2026 highlights a different aspect of our mission — from mentorship and education to creativity and community.

Everyone is welcome to participate.

April 40th Anniversary Giveaway

Creative Writing Challenge

April celebrates the creative spirit of storytelling and the power of writers coming together as a community.

Scriptwriters Network invites writers to participate in our Creative Writing Challenge as part of our 40th Anniversary year.

Participants will be given a set of words and sentences that must be incorporated into an original short piece of writing.

This challenge encourages writers to stretch their creativity and experiment with storytelling in new ways.

Everyone is welcome to participate.

Challenge Instructions

Using the provided April Writing Prompts on the Monthly April Writing Challenge event page, create a short original piece of writing that incorporates the words or sentences provided.

The prompts will be posted on the Scriptwriters Network website and social media channels at the beginning of April.

Creative Writing Challenge – April Page

Optional Creative Approaches (Optional):
Writers who would like an additional challenge may choose one of the following approaches:

Atmosphere Focus
Write a piece with no characters, focusing entirely on environment, tone, and mood.
Dialogue Focus
Write using only dialogue—no description or action.
Full Scene
Create a complete scene with characters, setting, and action.
Twist Ending
Build your piece toward a strong or unexpected ending.
Genre Reversal
Reimagine a familiar genre or concept in a new way.

These approaches are optional and are meant to inspire creativity. Writers may choose any style that best fits their story.

How to Enter

Email your submission to:

info@scriptwritersnetwork.org

Subject line:
April CWC Submission

Include:

• Your name
• Your email address
• Your completed writing challenge entry

Submission Guidelines

• Maximum 500 words
• Must incorporate the provided April prompts
• Original writing only

Font and Font size: 12 pt Times New Roman
1-inch margins
Standard document formatting
Please clearly indicate where the required prompt words or sentences are used (you may highlight, bold, or underline them within your submission).

Entry Guidelines

• Writers may submit up to three (3) entries.
• Each entry must be submitted in a separate email.
• All entries must include the correct subject line.

Entry Deadline

All submissions must be received between:

April 1 – 30, 2026

Prizes

The winning entry will receive:

🎁 One-Year Free Membership to Scriptwriters Network

🎁 One-Hour Script Consultation with SWN President Melessa Y. Sargent

🎁 Featured Writer Spotlight in the SWN Newsletter

Selected entries may also be mentioned on SWN social media.

*In addition to the Grand Prize winner, selected Honorable Mentions may be featured on Scriptwriters Network social media and in the SWN newsletter.

Winner Announcement

Submissions will be reviewed at the end of the month.

The winner will be contacted and announced during the first week of May 2026.

Celebrating 40 Years of Writers Supporting Writers

Throughout 2026, Scriptwriters Network will continue celebrating its 40th Anniversary with special opportunities, giveaways, and events designed to support writers at every stage of their journey.

We invite you to join us in celebrating four decades of storytelling, mentorship, and community.

*Invite another writer to participate and celebrate 40 years of Scriptwriters Network together.