| How to write a Gratitude Heals story that inspires others: |
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Your story should be written about a real instance, with real people, and real emotions.
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Tell it from your heart. Try to be so descriptive that the reader feels like a participant. The best stories will connect the reader to the emotions captured in the tale. Don’t forget to introduce your characters in descriptive ways – people you may have known for years are strangers to a reader.
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Remember that these stories are for the sake of people everywhere. Write about a positive happening in your life, and make it feel real to the reader.
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| Here are some ideas to get you started: |
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How have Gratitude Cards or their ripples made a difference in your life, or the life of someone you know? Did you learn something new about yourself? About others?
If you have given Gratitude Cards, what motivates you to gift a card? Are those people who touched your life enough to receive one still alive in your thoughts? How has giving Gratitude Cards changed how you feel about yourself? How has it changed how you view the world and your relationship with others? How has changed your life changed since you started taking a “gratitude attitude?” How has the way you feel about yourself transformed knowing you are a have made a real difference in the world, both at an individual level and at a global level?
If you were the receiver of a Gratitude Card, what did you do to receive it and how did being acknowledged in such a tangible way make you feel in that moment? Through the rest of the day? Did knowing that someone appreciated you stick with you over time? Did you keep the card or were you moved to pass it along?
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| What not to submit: |
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A sermon or discourse on a spiritual organization. |
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An analytical paper or topic discussion. |
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Fiction. The power behind these stories comes from the fact that they really happened! |
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Stories which are self-serving or degrading. |
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| Story Specifications: |
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If you do not have Internet access, please type (in Arial or Times New Roman font) or handwrite your story and mail it via USPS to the address below.
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Your story should be between 300-1200 words. Poems are also accepted.
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Anonymous or “author unknown” stories will not be considered for publication. It is important to us that your story has a person behind it.
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Submit each story only once. Be sure to proofread and revise it to the best of your ability before submitting it.
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Your story will not be returned! If you are submitting a hardcopy, please send a copy, not your original.
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If your story is selected for publishing, you will be notified via your submitted contact information, and you will be paid upon publication of the story. The amount of payment will be determined at that time. If your contact information changes after submission, please email us at shareyourstory@gratitudeheals.org so that we can keep your information current.
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If you submit via standard post, you will not receive a confirmation of submission. You will, however, get one if your submission is sent via e-mail.
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Send submissions to:
E-mail: shareyourstory@gratitudeheals.org
Mail: Gratitude Heals
Attn: Story Submissions
c/o Des Wilson
3413 Nottingham Dr.
College Station, TX 77845-8167 |
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Share Your Story