Story Submission Guidelines

What kinds of stories we're looking for

We are looking for real human stories — the experiences, relationships, losses, joys, struggles, questions, turning points, and ordinary moments that have shaped who you are and who you are still becoming.

Your story does not have to be dramatic. You do not need to have overcome something extraordinary. You do not need to be a writer. We are interested in the honest, particular, human texture of a life — not a polished narrative or a lesson with a tidy ending.

Stories may touch on identity, relationships, love, grief, health, caregiving, faith, purpose, work, friendship, loneliness, resilience, family, personal growth, or any other dimension of human experience.

You do not need to have it all figured out

You can submit a story that is still unresolved. You can write about something you are still in the middle of. You can share a question you have not answered. The project is called Welcome to Your Becoming — not Welcome to Your Having Arrived.

How your story may be used

By submitting a story and completing the required license acknowledgment on the submission form, you give Welcome to Your Becoming and Dr. Stephen Rue permission to review, edit, excerpt, reproduce, publish, display, distribute, archive, translate, adapt, and otherwise use your written story in connection with the project. This may include the Welcome to Your Becoming website, book, social media, newsletters, digital publications, and related project media.

This permission is a non-exclusive license — you retain copyright ownership of your original story. We do not claim ownership of your writing merely because you submitted it.

No payment or royalty is promised unless separately agreed to in writing. Submission does not guarantee publication or use.

Editing

We may edit submitted stories for grammar, clarity, length, organization, headlines, formatting, privacy protection, and presentation. We will try to preserve your voice. Not every contributor will receive final editorial approval before publication. If we make substantial changes to your story, we may contact you to discuss them.

Your name and identity

When you submit a story, you will choose how you would like your story identified if it is used publicly: full name, first name only, a pseudonym of your choosing, or anonymous.

We will make reasonable efforts to honor your preference. Please understand that highly specific facts within a story may sometimes make a person identifiable even when a name is not used. Welcome to Your Becoming may use less identifying information than you authorized when additional privacy, safety, ethical, or legal protection appears appropriate.

Your email address, private contact information, and precise location will not be publicly disclosed merely because your submission is published.

Interviews

Some contributors may be invited to speak with Dr. Stephen Rue as part of the project. If you indicate that you are open to being interviewed, we may contact you. Agreeing to be contacted or interviewed does not automatically authorize publication of a future recorded interview, photograph, video, audio recording, voice, or likeness. Those materials may require a separate written media or interview release.

Respecting other people in your story

Please be thoughtful when describing other people. Avoid unnecessary highly private information, identifying information about minors, confidential communications, private records, or serious accusations about identifiable individuals.

You do not need consent from every person casually mentioned in an ordinary life story. But you must not knowingly submit material that you have no lawful right to disclose.

Welcome to Your Becoming may edit, redact, anonymize, decline, delay publication of, or request clarification, corroboration, or additional permission regarding material raising privacy, safety, accuracy, defamation, copyright, confidentiality, or other legal concerns.

Stories involving children

Stories may discuss children and family experiences when genuinely relevant. Please avoid unnecessary identifying information about minors, including full names, exact addresses, schools, detailed medical information, or other sensitive identifying information. Welcome to Your Becoming may anonymize or remove information involving minors before publication.

Copyrighted and confidential material

Please do not submit copyrighted writing, photographs, recordings, screenshots, private messages, confidential communications, medical records, legal records, or other material belonging to another person unless you have the legal right or appropriate permission to submit it.

Truthfulness

We ask that submissions be truthful to the best of your knowledge. We do not require you to prove your story before submitting it. Welcome to Your Becoming retains the right to request clarification, corroboration, additional information, editing, redaction, verification, or additional permission before publication when appropriate.

Withdrawal requests

You may contact us at [email protected] to request changes or withdrawal before publication. We will make reasonable efforts to honor such requests. Once material has already been published, printed, distributed, archived, supplied to publishers or distributors, incorporated into completed books or media, or otherwise publicly released, complete removal or recall may no longer be possible.

Safety and emergency resources

Welcome to Your Becoming is not an emergency service, crisis service, medical provider, or mental-health treatment provider. If you are in immediate danger or experiencing a medical or mental-health emergency, please contact emergency services or crisis resources in your location immediately.

In the United States: call or text 911 for emergencies. Call or text 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Visitors outside the United States should use appropriate local emergency and crisis resources.

Contact

Questions about these guidelines or your submission may be directed to: [email protected]