Our Stories Matter, open call to LGBTQ+ writers with an Isle of Wight connection
Out On An Island invites members of the LGBTQ+ community with an Isle of Wight connection to contribute their experiences of life on the island for a new book to be published later this year.
We are looking for prose, historical themed articles and autobiographical experiences telling the story of what it has meant to be part of this community on the Isle of Wight.
What does this mean to you? How have attitudes changed? Perhaps you want to write about your first experience of attending Pride, or maybe you have memories of living under Clause 28. It could be a coming out, or a going out story. We want to share the emotions borne from being LGBTQ+ on the island.
Three hundred and fifty copies of the finished book will be sent, free, to heritage archives and museums to populate national archives with LGBTQ+ stories. Writers whose work is selected will receive two copies of the book when it is launched later in 2020.
Copyright will remain with the writer, who will give consent to the project to publish material in the book and online. No one else will be able to publish the work without the writer’s permission. We are not able to pay any fees or royalties for successful submissions.
Submissions, which should be no longer than 1,500 words, should be sent to hello@outonanisland.co.uk with the subject line ‘Out On An Island Writing Submission’. Please let us know if you would like your submission to be printed anonymously.
We would also like to invite people to send images, photos, visual art that might illustrate their writing. Please note that any written work or image which identifies anyone other than the writer can only be accepted with proof of their consent to be included in the collection.
‘Out On An Island’ is a project run by StoneCrabs Theatre Charity and funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. It has been running for the last 12 months recording the moving and inspiring stories of LGBTQ+ people with an Isle of Wight connection from the last 100 years.
Submissions to be sent to: hello@outonanisland.co.uk Please title the email with: Out On An Island Writing Submission
FAQ:
Who is selecting the stories for publication?
Submissions will be shortlisted and selected by OOAI team.
Where is it going to be published?
As part of our Oral History project, we are putting together a book of stories and photographs, personal accounts and historical stories which will be published late Autumn 2020. The stories will also be published online.
Must I be living on the Isle of Wight?
You don’t have to be living on the Isle of Wight for your submission to be considered. We welcome all LGBTQ+ stories with a connection to the Island.
Where to I send my writing to?
Submissions to be sent to: hello@outonanisland.co.uk Please title the email with: Out On An Island Writing Submission
What is the reward?
There is no remuneration or prize for work included in the Out On An Island book. You will get your story published in our book and you will receive 2 copies of the book when it is launched at the Isle of Wight Literary Festival in October 2020.
Is the work copyrighted?
Copyright will belong to the writer, the consent will be given to us to publish it in the book and online. No one else will be able to re-use your writing without your permission. For more information read the general rules published at the end of this article.
Do I get royalties?
No royalties apply. The book is funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, we will distribute 350 copies free to heritage archives and museums as a way to populate national archives with LGBTQ+ stories.
Can I submit my story anonymously?
Yes, we are happy to receive anonymous submissions but please mark your entry clearly with ‘Anonymous Submission’ next to your heading.
General rules:
• Submissions must not have been published before.
• All work must have a title and must be up to 1500 words long (including the title). Entries must have an Isle of Wight and LGBTQ connection.
• All content must be the writer’s original work.
• Submissions must be written in English.
• Submissions must not have been published, self-published, published on a website or made public on social media, broadcast or featured among the winners in another competition before 2 June 2020.
• There is no limit to the number of submissions a single author can make. • Under no circumstances can alterations be made to submissions once submitted.
• There is no remuneration or prize for work included in the Out On An Island book, we will include your name unless you prefer your work to be submitted anonymously. In this case please mark your work ‘Anonymous Submission’ next to your heading.
• Each selected author will receive 2 free copies of the published book.
• Email entries will receive automatic confirmation at the time of submission.
• Telephone or email confirmation of receipt is not available. The Out On An Island team are unable to confirm the content of documents submitted online, so please ensure you send the correct version.
• The Out On An Island team will read all submissions; their decision is final as to which material will be included in the book. The Out On An Island team will not enter into any correspondence.
• Authors may be asked to provide their identification. We reserve the right not to include submissions where the author cannot provide sufficient proof of identification.
• All who provide a valid email address will be notified about the outcome of their submission, whether or not it is to be published in the OOAI book.
• The copyright of each submission remains with the author. When submitting work the author grant the OOAI team the right in perpetuity to publish and/or broadcast their submitted work.
• The closing date for submission of work is 2 June 2020.