The glass is half full, or half empty. Maybe the glass
is actually cracking — or even shattering…
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Be it our dreams, beliefs, plans, work, health, or relationships — things fall apart. Through a process of change and renewal, we pick up the pieces. Falling-Apart.net ...and Picking Up the Pieces aims to embrace our common humanity and provide a place for writing and reading about the pathos, despair, humor, courage, inspiration, and triumph we experience in our moments of setback and resiliency.
Eligibility
Tell us of your experience. We accept strictly nonfictional, firsthand stories, essays, and poems that align with our mission to explore, understand, accept, and embrace both the fragile and fallible and the resourceful and resilient aspects of the human response to challenging changes of circumstance.
As much as possible, we appreciate facts and details—reportage-style writing—more than a preponderance of inner reflection or soul-searching.
In addition to writings detailing firsthand experience, we accept pieces that offer comprehensive understandings and helpful, objective information.
If you wish, you may include photos, pictures, or drawings pertinent to your writing.
If you have web resources that you have found to be particularly helpful around the issue(s) you are writing about and would like to share those resources, you may include their URLs (web addresses).
We do not encourage opinions, advice, or any other direct commentary on original work already published in Falling-Apart.net ...and Picking Up the Pieces.
Pieces should be well written, a few paragraphs to 2000 words. (We sometimes accept longer work.)
Anonymity
We honor requests for anonymity. Be sure to tell us if you wish your article to be published anonymously. Otherwise, we will assume you would like your name published as author.
Editorial Review
All submitted content is subject to close review by our editors. Editors may accept or decline the material or suggest changes before acceptance. No changes will be made by the editors without your full approval.
Notification of Publication
Upon finalization and acceptance of your piece, we will give you an approximate publish date. We will send notice as soon as the actual publish date is known.
Consent Agreement
The publishers of Falling-Apart.net ...and Picking Up the Pieces would like the freedom to be able to publish accepted material at any time on our web site and to re-publish it at a later date on our web site and/or incorporate it in other types of media, including books. We therefore ask that you consent now to granting us this privilege with respect to your submission(s).
By so consenting, you will still retain full ownership and rights to publish your work elsewhere at any time. We simply want to be able to publish and possibly re-publish your piece without generating any potential confusion or conflict around copyright issues, should you choose also to publish your work elsewhere.
You may, in writing, revoke this consent at any time, in which case we will agree not to publish your work(s) further beyond what may have already been published at the time we receive such notice of revocation.
SUBMISSION PROCEDURES
1. Address an email to: submissions@falling-apart.net
2. Type “Submission” into the Subject Line.
3. Copy the above Consent Agreement and paste it into the body of the email.
4. Beneath the Consent Agreement, type the following:
“I, [your full name], give my full consent to the above Agreement.”
5. Type “Categories:” then type up to three terms from the lists below that fit your piece. (You may suggest your own category term(s) if you feel the ones offered are not adequate.)
| Health | Relationship | Occurrence | Help |
| Addiction | Children | Accident | Caregiving |
| Cancer | Family/Friends | Aging | Grace/Miracle |
| Cardiovascular Disease | Marriage/Relationship | Betrayal | Recovery |
| Chronic Illness | Pets | Death/Loss | Re-Entry |
| HIV/AIDS | Relocation | Spirituality | |
| Loss of Function/Part | Personal Choice | Rights/Laws/Justice | Therapy |
| Mental Health | Beliefs/Worldview | Violence/Crime | Treatment |
| Muscle/Joint Disease | Faith | War | |
| Neurological Disorder | Hopes/Dreams | Poetry | |
| Pulmonary Disease | Lifestyle | ||
| Surgery | Work | ||
6. Either type or paste your piece into the body of the email or attach it as a standard file. Be sure to give your piece a title.
7. Attach any accompanying photos or illustrations. Include captions and placement instructions in the body of the email.
8. Type or paste into the body any URLs to helpful resources that you would like to share.
9. Also include any questions, comments, or special instructions regarding your submission. Be sure to tell us if you wish to be published anonymously!
We will send you an acknowledgment of receipt of your submission.
