What is it?
Update: The second contribution call for climate disasters has started! However, if you would like to write about this topic, please do. This exercise won’t end.
The first contribution call is for personal narratives, ranging from 500-2,000 words, on how your life is affected by ecological changes, including climate change. This exercise is ongoing for several months. All submissions must be free of typos and engaging, and may be subject to editing for grammar. Because this site is voluntary, no monetary payments will be made. This exercise is an extension of one given on our Discord. However, you may send a brief biography and links to your work so that others can find more about you.
It is possible that work contributed in writing exercises may one day be considered for an anthology, but only if you, the writer, agrees to the terms, which would be made at some time in the future, dependent on interest. Rewilding Our Stories is affiliated with Dragonfly Publishing in Canada.
Why should you write?
- It’s a chance to be creative and practice writing with prompts.
- Be a part of the Rewilding Our Stories Discord’s network of writers and find others with similar interests, including climate action through writing.
- Freely self-promote your other work by adding links to your social media, books, art, and so on. Send links when you submit your piece.
What should you write?
You do not need to include all of the below, but these are some prompts to get you going.
- This is a place-writing exercise, so think of ecological changes in a place you live, have lived before, or have spent a great deal of time in.
- Describe the natural landscape, animals, insects, birds, trees, flowers, wildflowers, and more surrounding the place.
- Describe an event or events that have changed this place. Is the event drastic or happening slowly?
- Hone in on a couple interesting tidbits: your memory of how something was before and how that has changed.
- Write with passion for the outdoors.
- Integrate the human experience in these changes; how have you and others been affected? Describe changes in landscape, seasons, cultural traditions, economy, species, and so on.
- Feel free to add into your creative nonfiction a brief poem, song, or other piece you’ve written (must have permissions from a publisher with rights, if relevant).
- A high-resolution image is helpful to illustrate your essay. This must be one that you photographed or created. If you licensed the art for use, that is fine too, as long as you provide us the proof.
Where should you send your essay?
Please send a Word file to us. In the email, include any links to promote your work.
When is the due date?
This is not a contest, nor a deadline-driven event. Any essays sent in will be published here soon after they’re received, as long as they follow the guidelines.
Rules
- Must be a member (rewilder role, so be sure to introduce yourself after joining) of our Discord.
- Please keep the word count between 500-2,000 words.
- Write in first-person and ensure that the piece is nonfiction.
- Follow the prompts and explanations above.
- Permission to publish at this site must be given at the time of submission, but we will not request any print rights.
- Your piece should not have been published before unless the publisher holding print rights also gives permission to reprint here.
- Do not plagiarize any writing or artwork.
- Please send your writing in a MS Word attachment. Do not send an essay in the body of an email.
- Check your piece for grammar, typos, spelling, word choice, and other editorial integrity. Avoid jargon, memes, and cliches.
- Content not acceptable: AI generated content, NSFW, illegal, scientific denial, hatred, discrimination of any kind, misinformation, erotica, and divisive politics.
- See the Style guide.