Writers' Guidelines

Fiction That Heals seeks brief, thoughtful essays examining the therapeutic value of individual stories. If you would like to write for us, please follow these guidelines:

• Each post should be in the 500- to 750-word range, approximately.
• Please focus on a single story. Identify the story by title and author. Take care to properly acknowledge sources of stories and any other materials. The story should be previously published, and it should not have been written by the author of the post.
• In our best posts, the writers have a clear grasp of the uses and benefits of narrative therapy. Writers also have a clear grasp of terms such as inspiration, catharsis, identification, externalization, and empowerment.
• It is up to the writer whether or not to discuss their own personal life. Doing so is neither required nor forbidden. In any case, it should be clear what kind of person the story would be most therapeutic for.
• Please make an effort to craft a well organized blog post. It does not have to be a formal essay, but it should have a clear structure.
• Unless you are a mental-health professional (most writers for the blog are not), please refrain from offering our readers advice. Our purpose is simply to spotlight stories and point out their potential therapeutic value.