Story Submission
Stories are powerful. Our brains rely on them to make sense of our world. The concept of “story” is how we make connections between things, people, relationships, time, space, and events. Story is the means through which we process information, interpret meaning and define purpose for our lives. That’s how important they are. That’s why brilliant speakers throughout history use them when speaking to the masses. Christ used parables. Aesop used fables. William Shakespeare used plays. Charles Dickens used fiction. And now is your opportunity to help change a hurting part of the world through sharing your truth.
Administrative Logistics
Please complete the form below, providing your first and last name, your complete mailing address, and obviously your email address, so we can correspond. Keep the word count somewhere between 750 to 1000 words. This is not absolute, but a guideline. Make your submissions in one of the following document formats, Microsoft Word, Mac Pages, text format, plain text (.txt), or rich text format (.rtf). You’ll send these as an attachment to an email after we’ve corresponded via email, and explained the process and your rights, confidentiality, etc. Please make sure the story submission is yours. You may change the names of the characters to protect other’s privacy, but the story must reflect your truth. Keep it real and don’t sensationalize; we want your story convincing and honest. These stories reach people’s hearts and minds the most, as they are the most believable.
Storytelling Tips
Great storytelling captures the reader’s attention through vivid, concise writing. One of the greatest pieces of advice a writer friend of mine gave me is, “show don’t tell.” Show, don’t tell is a writing technique in which writers relate story and characters through sensory details and actions rather than exposition. It fosters a style of writing that’s more immersive for the reader, allowing them to “be in the room” with the characters, rather than just looking in from the outside.
https://blog.reedsy.com/show-dont-tell/
Below are links you might find helpful in crafting and refining your story submission. But don’t get wrapped up in trying to become an author overnight. That’s not the goal here. Writing is often challenging, especially when writing about a difficult time in your life. Just get the story out, then rework or edit it as you see fit. Perfection is not the goal. Sincerity and honesty is. Check out the links below is you want some ideas helping you along.
https://writingcooperative.com/what-makes-a-compelling-story-a0ca4f53b746
Like any other story, it should have a beginning, middle and an end. You’ll want your readers knowing the players, what they did, and the outcome. Most of all, you want them to comprehend your experience, feelings, thoughts, and emotions. Show what it is like now that you came out on the other side? Again, I’m looking for stories from all walks of life, including practitioners, caregivers, policymakers, and anyone affected by chronic pain. They are all important!
Notification
Once you’ve completed crafting your story, please notify us by using the short email notification form below. Feel free to introduce yourself and make any introductory comments you make in the text field below. Your story submission will be attached to private email AFTER we’ve corresponded. This is only to start our conversation and get the ball rolling.
Thank you for taking the time to read this page and considering your story. I hope you’ll ponder your journey and what it could mean to other struggling with chronic pain. It’s time we make the invisible visible to all.
For more information on why we’re making this request, please click here. It will explain the “Whys” behind this request in greater detail.