Guidelines
& Rules

What is this?

This is a collaborative novel. This means that it’s a singular story from beginning to end with established characters/world, plots, narrative voice, genre consistency, and throughline, but written by multiple authors. What this means is that your job is to pick up where the last author left off.

Your goal is to read everything before your contributing chapter, accept what has been written before you, and build upon what’s already been created. Though you’re free to mold, shape, change and even turn things on their head from a storytelling perspective, you cannot fundamentally change the nature of the novel to make it into something completely different. Please respect the hard work of the previous authors, as well as the integrity of what is being built.

How does it work?

Participants, once approved by the administrator, will sign up for a month in 2022 as their assigned contribution to the project. Participants will then provide their finished submission via email for review and final considerations. Once everything is approved, published, and posted online, there will be a few more steps before authors are paid/able to select non-profits to donate their compensation to.

How much are authors paid? How does it work?

Contributing authors will be compensated $2/per page. Pages must be more than halfway to be considered a compensated page (we round up in terms of page completion). Contributing authors will choose which methods they wish to receive their compensation (e.g. PayPal invoice, Venmo, Zelle, Check, etc.), and will coordinate with the administrator to finalize all transactions. Additionally, contributing authors can choose to donate some or all of their earnings to a select # of partnering non-profits that can also accept donations. Donations amounts will be communicated to the administrator, who will then make said donations in the contributing author’s name (said author will then receive email confirmations from the non-profit(s) signifying said donation).

How many pages do I have to write? What’s the maximum # of pages I can contribute? What writing programs and formatting should I adhere to?

Contributing authors must provide a minimum of 20 pages for their chapter to be approved. The maximum number of pages you can contribute is 50 pages. This means technically you can earn $40 at minimum, and $100 at most.

Writing Guidelines:

  • Microsoft Word or Google Docs

  • 12 or 14-size font

  • Single spacing

  • Calibri or Times New Roman font

  • Please include the name of your chapter at the top of your written submission in bold and 28-size font

If you have an issue with these guidelines or would prefer your own style, please coordinate with the administrator and some compromises can be made to accommodate the storyteller’s preferred writing format.

How long do I have to write my contributing chapter?

Each contributing author will have almost the entire 30/31 days to write their chapter. At the end of each of the 4 weeks, the administrator will check in with the author to monitor their progress and coordinate with the author to make sure contributions run smoothly. Writers will be expected to submit their finished work no later than THE LAST Friday of each month in order to give the project administrator ample time to review, proofread and edit the written chapter in order to get it ready for publication. If conflicts or unforeseen complications get in the way of an author making their 4-week deadline, then both parties will discuss ways to handle the situation, whether that means a short extension or annulment of the agreed chapter contribution.

Does my contributing chapter get an illustration? And if so, do I get to choose which section of my writing gets illustrated?

That depends, but technically, YES! Each writer, so long as they meet 1 of 2-page # milestones, is guaranteed an accompanying professionally provided illustration! Simply put, if you write 25 pages, you get one color illustration added to your chapter. If you write 45 pages, you get a second color illustration added to your chapter. Writers will highlight one or both sections (usually between 1-5 sentences long) and share their desires for what is depicted. All details will be considered and afterward, the illustrator will be contracted to bring those highlighted parts to life!

Can I write anything? What are the RULES exactly?

We want writers to be able to express themselves fully without intervention by other authors, or even the administrator himself. However, certain considerations must be abided by in order for your contributing chapter to be approved. The following things will not be allowed, nor tolerated as acceptable content for this project:

  • Depictions of sexual violence

  • Extreme graphic depictions of gore

  • The glorifying of hateful or discriminatory ideas (without context), such as:

    • Racism

    • Sexism

    • Misogyny

    • Homophobia

    • Transphobia

    • Antisemitism

    • Xenophobia

  • Sexual acts/activity in graphic detail, consensual or otherwise

Determining whether or not your content meets these criteria is solely the judgment of the administrator and is carefully considered on a case-by-case process.

Other things to consider

Author Bio:

Each writer will have an opening bio about them, with an accompanying drawn avatar. This will be an opportunity for storytellers to share details about themselves, as well as links to their portfolios/websites/bodies of work, social media channels, and so on. How much information is shared is up to you, but at the bare minimum, each other must introduce their chapter with a short written paragraph that summarizes who they are. You are encouraged to provide a profile picture of themselves for the illustrator to use as a model for headlining your chapter, however, if the author chooses not to have their image shown that represents them as the author of that chapter, they must choose either an animal, creature, plant or object to represent them in their place.

Note To The Next Author:

Each contributing author is given the option to provide a short 500 word or less message to the next writer that follows them. This can be suggested story ideas or concepts, general advice, a quick note about their own writing experience, or even a simple message of encouragement. The author that follows you is within their right to ignore your suggestions and do whatever they wish, but the option is provided for those who have had their chapter approved and published, and wish to take advantage of it.

Questions? Issues? Comments?

Send us a message via the contact page and we’ll get back to you if you have any questions, issues, or simply wish to inquire about future volunteer opportunities and the latest publishing updates!