Storytelling guidelines:
Stories are selected based on how they illustrate the topic, how they convey the transformation of a life challenge to a sense of peace, and the potential for relatability to our readers.
If your story is selected for publication we will notify you and request additional bio information with a profile picture. Attribution will include your first name, country of origin, and email or website link (your choice).
When published stories are presented in blog form, with your attribution, searchable by Category and Tags which we provide. Comments are generally open to encourage engagement and to build peacemaking community.
What do we consider impactful personal stories? The stories we choose will:
Provide context: Set the stage - describe when and where you had the experience. As much as possible bring the reader into that time period and place with all of their senses - relevant sights, colors, smells, tastes, sounds, textures.
Describe your experience emotionally - tell what happened, who you were with, what you were feeling and thinking, before and during.
Answer the “Big Why” - Why do you remember this experience so vividly? Why was this experience meaningful to you / others in the story? What changes to your beliefs, behavior or peacemaking practices have you made to your life as a result of this experience?
TIP 1: To make your story come alive it helps to craft it naturally, as if you were telling it to one trusted friend. Don’t worry about grammar and spelling if that’s not your thing - we can clean it up! We are much more interested in amplifying stories that engage readers hearts and minds.
TIP 2: You may want to draft your text story or caption for a visual story or do a few takes of your video first (on your phone or your computer or in your journal). Sit with it a bit to consider any changes you want to make before submission.
TIP 3: Have a great experience to share but don’t know where to start? Answer the three questions associated with your role below. Speak freely, “stream of consciousness” style, without concern for punctuation, grammar or spelling. Then give it a review / make changes before submission.
STORYTELLER
1. How did you shift / transform the life-challenging experience to a sense of peace?
2. How do you “make peace personal” / integrate peacemaking into your life now? Any particular practice?
3. In what way(s) did your experience put you in touch with our interconnectivity as humans - with all life?
PROFESSIONAL PEACEMAKER
1. Is there an experience or story from your early life that influenced your decision to pursue peace – personally and professionally?
2. In terms of your organization, what are the core principles / lessons you imbue to your target audience and how do they increase resilience, compassion and peace into the world?
3. What does “make peace personal” mean to you?
ARTIST / MUSICIAN:
1. What role does art play in change activism?
2. What challenging personal experience(s) have you transformed to a greater sense of peace through your art?
3. How does your art inform or reflect our interconnectivity with each other and all life forms?
Ready to TellYourStory?
YAY! Let’s have at it!
Go to Guidelines & Submission Page Now
Questions?
