Share Your Survival Story
Thank you for having the courage to consider going public with your story. It’s important for your own growth and empowerment, and it could also – literally – save someone’s life. Whether you’re a survivor of depression, anxiety, discrimination, abuse, self-harm, loss of a loved one – and the list goes on – your story could have an invaluable impact on others who are currently suffering in the same way.
It’s critical, however, that you check in with yourself to be sure you’re ready to go public, as your story will be available to anyone who visits speakbravely.com, and viewers will have the option to share your story. Your viewers will most likely be overwhelmingly supportive and gracious, but there is always the chance of pushback, particularly from those who are close to you, and especially if they are part of your story. If this is potentially the case, you’ll need to ask yourself some questions that only you can answer: Should I ask for consent to speak publicly about this person? Do I feel that they deserve this request? If they respond negatively, am I okay with the outcome? Is there a way to keep them anonymous? Give yourself some time to think through your answers to these questions.
For those of you who are ready to share your story, thank you for considering our platform. Options and guidelines are posted below, and if you have questions, please reach out by clicking “contact” at the top or bottom of this page. In the meantime, have courage! You are never alone. 🙂
Written Submissions:
- The opening words of your poem or narrative are critical for catching your reader’s attention. Keep this in mind!
- Some of us are survivors of many things. For example, I could be a fire survivor but also a survivor of depression and abuse. For the sake of writing a focused piece, it’s usually best to choose one thing that you have survived and address that experience. It doesn’t mean you can’t mention other struggles along the way, but a central focus on one topic will keep your entry from being a full-blown book. 🙂
- In chronicling your journey, be sure to also share your learning and growth.
- Remember that your readers are suffering and are looking for a lifeline in your story. They want to see that you are going to be okay, even though you have been through something difficult.
- Be sure to edit for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors.
- Submissions need to be less than 1000 words. Email us if you are struggling with this word limit and we could approve you for more words depending on what you’re writing and how you’re writing it.
Video Submissions:
- Deliver a spoken word poem or simply tell your story.
- Avoid reading from a script or narrative. Memorize or prepare what you will say so that you are speaking into the camera. You may want to watch some spoken word poems on YouTube if you’re unfamiliar with them.
- Feel free to be creative by inserting music or images, but these elements are not required.
- Consider using a plain backdrop (like an uncluttered wall), or a planned setting (such as an armchair or desk). Avoid unintended clutter in the background. You are the focus, and we want your audience to center their attention on you!
- Remember that your readers are suffering and are looking for a lifeline in your story. They want to see that you are going to be okay even though you have been through something difficult.
Request an Podcast Interview
If you have a survival story you’d like to share via interview, we would love to interview you for our podcast series! Start by clicking the button below and summarizing your survival story in 200 words or less. Please be sure to discuss hardship(s) as well as what has helped you most in your survival journey. After you’ve submitted, we will let you know if your story sounds appropriate for our website, and if so, we will schedule an interview either in-person (if you live in Butte, Glenn, or Tehama counties in California) or via Zoom if you live out of our area. Please also check out our podcast Listener’s Corner on our home page!