Deadline Amnesty for Voting (and other handy challenge tips)

Even more important than writing - VOTING in the election this year.

I took care of this myself back on September 20th, the first day of early voting here in Minneapolis, Minnesota, which Threshold Theater calls home.

A great many of you live in states where early voting is already available.  Please take advantage of it.

However, if you haven’t voted by the time November 1st rolls around, the November Playwriting Challenge is not going to be standing in your way.

Any day from November 1st through November 5th, if time spent voting prevents you from having the time you need to write, just let me know that and the noon Central Time deadline doesn’t apply to you for the day’s writing which is impacted by your going to the polls.

This will also apply the day after the election (November 6th), since I know the lines are liable to be longest on Election Day on November 5th and that could snowball through that day’s writing, due by noon Central Time on November 6th.

So, please make your voices heard and VOTE.

Not just the top of the ticket but all the way down - the President will need a House and Senate willing to work with them, and school board and city and state government have an even greater impact on your day to day lives often than the federal government does.  Choose the people exercising power over you.  That’s your power.  Choose people who are going to address issues that matter to you.  I did.

Your Secretary of State’s website will have voting information for you.  For instance, here’s Minnesota’s where you can find out how to register to vote, where you can early vote or where your polling place is on Election Day, and what’s on your ballot.

Good national resources include:

I Will Vote

Vote Save America
VSA can help you figure out how to vote
Where you can volunteer to help campaigns
How you can donate to make the biggest impact

In addition to getting out there and voting, because we all can get in our own way so easily, here’s some words of reassurance on the basics of this month, handy tips gleaned from the three previous years of the challenge:

Friendly Reminders - Answers To Common Questions:
(Follow the links to read me expounding on these items :)

Don’t Stress About Writing A Full Play

Don’t Stress About Format

Don’t Stress About Sticking To The Writing Prompt

No.  Really.  I Mean It.  Don’t Stress About Sticking To The Writing Prompt

Don’t Stress About Finishing An Idea (You Can Add Later)

Don’t Stress About “Succeeding” or “Failing”

Don’t Stress About What You’re Turning In Each Day

Don’t Stress about November 28th (however you recognize the holiday weekend)