40 Years • 12 Months • 12 Ways We Give Back

January 18, 2026

The Scriptwriters Network 40th Anniversary Writer Development Series

A year-long initiative designed to support, challenge, and elevate writers through monthly creative and craft-focused opportunities.

Celebrating 40 Years of Supporting Writers

As Scriptwriters Network celebrates our 40th anniversary in 2026, we are honored to give back to our community in meaningful ways — one month at a time.

Each initiative throughout the year highlights our commitment to education, mentorship, recognition, and supporting writers at every stage of their journey. From live programming to member exclusives to spotlighting outstanding achievements, 2026 is a year of gratitude and action.

We look forward to sharing these moments with you throughout the year.

“Forty years represents more than longevity — it represents thousands of writers who dared to believe their stories mattered. As we celebrate this milestone, we do so with gratitude for the community that built SWN and a renewed commitment to the writers who will shape the next forty years.”

— Melessa Y. Sargent, President & CEO

January – Recognition & Community

January Membership Drive – Win a Personal Masterclass!

In January, we kicked off our 40th Anniversary year by welcoming new storytellers into our community.

Join or renew your membership between January 1–31, 2026, and you were automatically entered to win a private, personalized Masterclass with our President, Melessa Y. Sargent, tailored to your goals — screenwriting, pitching, story development, rewriting, or crafting your next big idea.

This initiative set the tone for a year focused on education, access, and celebrating writers.

January Featured Winner

Stephanie Bourbon
Stephanie’s achievement highlights her dedication to craft and creative growth. Through this recognition, we celebrate her commitment to storytelling and the promise of future projects.

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Program Winners Spotlight

As part of our 40th Anniversary year, Scriptwriters Network proudly recognizes outstanding achievement within our 2025 programs. These projects reflects the strength of the writer’s work as evaluated through our established program review standards and the excellence, dedication, and craft celebrated within our community.

HOP 2025 Winner

Connie Mulqueen – A Secret Turning
Drama / Fantasy

Selected through Scriptwriters Network’s Hollywood Outreach Program (HOP) review process, A Secret Turning rose to distinction among a competitive field of submissions. We proudly acknowledge this achievement and celebrate the creative vision demonstrated within our program.

Industry inquiries regarding this project may be directed to Scriptwriters Network for appropriate coordination.

View Featured Winners

TOP 2025 Winner

Dan Glasband – Monsters & Murderers
Original Feature – Thriller / Psychological Drama / Espionage

Chosen as the Television Outreach Program’s (TOP) Winner through our review process, Monsters & Murderers earned distinction within a highly competitive program year. We are honored to spotlight this accomplishment as part of our 40th Anniversary celebration.

Industry inquiries regarding this project may be directed to Scriptwriters Network for appropriate coordination.

View Featured Winners

February – Education & Craft

Members-Only Writers Lab

In February, as part of our 40th Anniversary, SWN is giving back to members with an exclusive interactive Writers Lab.

Event Details:

Date: Saturday, Feb 21, 2026
Time: 1:00 – 3:00 PM PST
Format: Members bring 1–2 pages of their original script for live feedback, mentorship, and discussion on story, character, dialogue, and craft.

Submission: Pages must be submitted by Feb 12, 2026.
Access: This event is members-only. Registration is required.

This interactive session provides a supportive space to strengthen writing skills and connect directly with SWN leadership and fellow writers, reinforcing our ongoing commitment to education, craft, and community engagement.

Page submission deadline: February 12, 2026
This event is exclusively for current SWN members.

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March – Logline Challenge

One of the most important skills a writer can develop is the ability to communicate a story idea clearly and quickly.

This month, Scriptwriters Network invites writers everywhere to participate in our March Logline Challenge.

Submit your best original logline for a chance to win a mentorship opportunity and other prizes as part of our 40th Anniversary celebration.

All submissions must be received by:

March 31, 2026

Everyone is welcome to participate.

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March Logline Challenge Winners Announced!

Thank you to everyone who participated in our March Logline Challenge as part of Scriptwriters Network’s 40th Anniversary celebration.

We received an incredible response, with a wide range of creative and compelling loglines submitted. We truly appreciate the time, effort, and imagination each writer brought to this challenge.

After careful review, we are pleased to announce:

Grand Prize Winner

Kevin Martin

Honorable Mentions

Phil Yuhas
Bill Lundy and P.K. Silverson

Congratulations to our winners, and thank you again to everyone who participated. We look forward to seeing more of your work in the months ahead.

Select loglines may be featured with writer permission.

👉 Featured Writer Spotlight

As part of our 40th Anniversary celebration, we are proud to introduce our Featured Writer Spotlight – 40th Anniversary Series, highlighting the writers behind this month’s winning loglines.

👉 View the Featured Writers

April – Special 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.

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May – Scene Writing & Structure

May focuses on one of the most essential elements of storytelling — the scene.

A strong script is built moment by moment, and every effective story is driven by scenes that carry purpose, tension, and meaning. This month, Scriptwriters Network invites writers to focus on crafting a single, powerful scene that stands on its own while revealing character, conflict, and intention.

As part of our 40th Anniversary – 12 Months • 12 Ways We Give Back initiative, this challenge is designed to help writers strengthen their storytelling at the foundational level.