Stranger Stories
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:
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Be between 900 - 1450 words in length.
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Written as first-person narratives. Please no poetry or experimental prose. It should have a clear beginning, middle, and end.
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Be true! We want your story, told in only the way that you can!
Want more tips?
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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.
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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.
Pieces are not edited by Stranger Stories, but we do need to review your content in order to successfully curate the show. Themes are open to interpretation. All readers receive a modest stipend for their contribution at the event.
We're booking readers for...
May 2023 Theme:
The Greatest Love of All
Was Whitney Houston right? Was the greatest love of all really that easy to achieve? How DID you learn that loving yourself is the greatest love of all?
We're now reading your true stories of devotion, adulation, and the lengths you traveled in a blizzard to get your favorite pizza. When did you realize the thing or person YOU thought was the greatest ... maybe wasn't so great? What happened next? Themes are open to interpretation!
E-mail your story, with a line or two about yourself, to strangerstoriespvd@gmail.com.
Deadline: April 10, 2023