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We are always looking for both new and established writers to share their voice at Stranger Stories events! We are an "on-book" show, which means each writer gives a lively reading of their piece from their text. 

 

Submission Guidelines:

​Your story should:

  • Be between 900 - 1450 words in length.

  • Written as first-person narratives. Please no poetry or experimental prose. It should have a clear beginning, middle, and end. 

  • Be true! We want your story, told in only the way that you can!


Want more tips?

  • We like stories in the lower half of our word count as much as we like stories in the upper half. Don't feel pressure to extend your piece, if it doesn't suit the story.

  • We're a lit night, not a lit journal, so we recommend reading your story out loud before you submit it! This can be incredibly helpful in your editing process to understand how your piece might work with an audience and we read all stories out loud as part of our selection process.

  • Understand the stakes of your story. Is this the type of story that would make you lean in if your friend was sharing it over drinks? The most successful stories have unmistakable points - don't leave your audience guessing.

Pieces are not edited by Stranger Stories, but we do need to review your content in order to successfully curate the show. We may suggest an occasional tweak or update based on our experience of bringing work from the page to the stage. Themes are open to interpretation. Readers receive a modest stipend for their contribution at the event.

We're booking readers for...

Theme: Surprise!

Surprise! We're back for our first show of 2024. We're looking for your true stories of surprise endings, unexpected beginnings and events that left you fully flummoxed. Tell us about the consequences of the surprise puppy you brought home, when your partner's impromptu romantic gesture went off the rails, surprise parties, or what happened when the skeletons spilled out of your closet. Whether your surprise was a catastrophe or a slam dunk, we want to hear about it. Themes are open to interpretation, but stories must be true.

Submissions due April 1, 2024. To submit, please send your story, and a few lines about yourself, to: strangerstoriespvdgmail.com

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