Things to Know as a Writer Participant
First and foremost, sincerely, thank you for your interest and consideration. It is through stories that we know not only those around us, but ourselves. They are how we evolve. How we grow and become better, both individually and as a society. And for this reason, we salute your efforts and your time. We will make sure that the dignity you bring is the dignity we share.
And dignity is paramount to us. The strength it takes to own their story, and beyond that, to have the courage to share it for the benefit of others, will always be recognized and appreciated throughout the process. So regardless of the subject matter, our veteran participants should feel free to speak their truth. If this is even remotely a potential issue for you, then we can adapt and find a way for you to participate in another way. Having said that, what you are doing is meant to make the world a better place. Sometimes you have to get dirty.
Having said that, though not at present, we will also be incorporating a survey that will be taken four times throughout the process, from initial interview to roughly a month after the end of our traveling art project, in order to get the feedback we need to make sure we are the best nonprofit we can be, where we fall short, and where we excel.
It is a goal in the future to be able to pay the writers for their time and effort. However, as a burgeoning nonprofit, we don’t have the budget at this point. On the bright side, we will be delivering our book to the library of congress, which will be another “published work” in your rolodex. Also, we have garnered international press in the past, and that was before we had other countries involved.
So please know that your efforts are entirely appreciated and we are taking active steps to providing our writers with compensation. Until then, what you’re doing is both generous and noble. Sincerely, thank you.
What to Expect
-You will not be a participant until you have filled out the submissions form on our Submissions Page of our website. Once you have done this, one of our representatives will reach out to you for further steps.
-Veterans, writers, and artists are all randomly assigned.
-Any stories told, be it written or dictated, are subject to the laws in accordance with Stolen Valor. If the spirit of the story given is not in the same context as the actual events, we cannot use said story. If you suspect that your veteran is suspected of Stolen Valor, please don’t hesitate to let us know.
-Not all great military stories have to involve combat. Just make sure it’s a moving story. But if it does involve combat, those stories are entirely welcomed as well. Don’t shy away from shining a bright light on aspects of the human condition, be they funny, horrifying, or anything in-between. However, use artistic license for metaphor, not context.
-If you have a great story but you don’t think it’s appropriate because of the social context, as long as it doesn’t undermine the dignity of those involved, send it. It may very well be exactly what we’re looking for.
Example: The government has had a history of experimenting with vaccines on veterans.
This is both true and uncomfortable.
-We are not a religious or politically affiliated nonprofit. If you want to include either of these, it must be a poignant addition to the story.
Example:
Bad- “Christians are…”
Good- “Her Christianity got her through ____.”
-Stories need to be anywhere from 1-4 pages, single spaced, 11pt font.
-Each project has a schedule and you will be required to follow the milestones set for the schedule. You will be required to submit drafts at different milestones throughout the project. If you find yourself feeling stuck or not able to work with the deadlines, reach out to us and we will work something out. If deadlines are not really your thing, we can find another way for you to participate.
Timelines
Step 1– You can either supply your own veteren-centric story or we can provide one for you. Just let us know. These will be set up either in person or online, situation depending.
Step 2– Interviews can be done on any aspect of life that makes it worth living, either in celebration or in direct opposition to the circumstances provided, so long as it captures the spirit of the subject’s story.
Step 3– We will need a rough draft within a month of the reception of the interview.
Step 4– We will then send the veteran the rough draft specifically for informational discrepancies. Once they give the thumbs up to the rough draft, you will have one more month to finish the story. You can turn in your work at any point before the deadline.
Step 5– Once we receive your story, that’s it! We’ll be putting it into our book that encompasses the entirety of the show.
Thank you so much for your interest and effort!
We are always accepting submissions for our future projects and we’d love for you to join us!
For our next iteration of our show Bullets and Bandaids Vol. 3, ‘What Now?’
Submissions for this show end on July 31st unless otherwise acknowledged.