 We are excited that you are thinking about submitting your story. In order to help you clarify your ideas we have put together these Story Guidelines. Please review and if you do not find the answer to your questions here, please try our or
What are we looking for?
An Expat Women Story is about a real-life experience that you have had (or someone you know has had) as an expatriate woman. Feel free to combine several experiences into one story.
We are looking for people-oriented stories that make the reader say things like:
- “I’m so glad that terrible experience did not happen to me”;
- “I cannot believe they do that in that country”;
- “They were so lucky to survive that”;
- “I wish I could do that”; and
- “She has inspired me!”
Some topic ideas to get you started:
- Culture shock;
- Funny incidents;
- Scary situations;
- Scandals;
- Communication issues;
- Relationship struggles;
- Adjustment issues;
- Children and family;
- Misunderstandings;
- Hospital and Health incidents;
- Food;
- Work;
- Travel; and
- Any other topic!
We welcome stories of both positive and negative experiences, because we believe that this is a more accurate reflection of life’s ups and downs.
Try not to leave out any of the details – our readers want to re-live the experience exactly how you felt it. Remember to give your story a beginning, a middle and a great ending.
What are we not looking for?
We are not looking for stories about the nitty gritty of relocation. (For example, your tips for moving and/or advice specific to one location. This information we hope to gather in other sections of our seb site.)
We also request that you do not submit: controversial political stories; religious sermons; school papers; racist stories; and/or stories that do not stop complaining about an expatriate location.
If your story is on our web site:
You will of course be credited as the author of your story. However, we thank you for understanding that we cannot pay you for the use of your story on our web site.
Please understand that your story may or may not be included in our book.
If your story wins $100:
(Please note that the US$100 prize promotion ceased on 28 February 2008.)
Congratulations! Your story will be showcased on our homepage as a Winning Story of the month. So remember to Tell Your Friends!
We will be contacting you via email to arrange payment.
Please understand that your story may or may not be included in our book.
If your story is selected for our book:
If your story is selected to be published in our book, we will endeavor to contact you prior to the book’s publication, to check that your biographical details are up to date and to confirm your acceptance of our intention to publish your story in our book. If we cannot successfully contact you, we will use the biographical details already supplied by you and we will assume that you agree to your story being published in our book. Please be patient, as it may take 2 or more years to collect the stories and publish our book.
Additional Submission Guidelines:
Story Length:
Stories should be between 250 and 1000 words.
Your Details:
Please provide us with a reliable contact address, that will apply both now and if/when you move location. To be sure that we have your current details, please notify us when you change your contact details.
Your Biography:
When you submit your story, you will be asked to write a short biography, telling us about yourself in 100 words or less. Your biography may appear next to your story, either on our web site and/or in our book, so we encourage you to make your biography light and fun. You are welcome to include a link to your own web site, or a publication that you sell on another web site, but we reserve the right not to include that information on our web site.
Editing:
If your story is selected for our website and/or our book, your work will be edited with care, without any liaison with you. If you do not want your story edited at all, please do not submit your story. ExpatWomen.com reserves the right to remove a story at anytime and without notice if factual inaccuracies are discovered and/or if characters mentioned by real name in a story did not agree with the author for their names to be shared publicly.
Copyright:
Feel free to submit stories that you have previously submitted elsewhere, if you have retained the copyright or can obtain written permission from the copyright holder for us to reprint the material. Please tell us at the time of your submission, in case we need to clarify the copyright status.
Plagiarism:
Plagiarism is not permitted. No exceptions.
Rights:
Submission to ExpatWomen.com means that you agree to grant us non-exclusive rights, in all languages, throughout the world. Our use of your material does not restrict your rights to have your story reprinted elsewhere.
Compensation:
Please understand that unless you win $100, as detailed above, you will not be paid for the use of your material on our web site and/or in our book.
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