What to Expect
when submitting your sacred moment story to the Sacred Story Hub
We believe that your sacred moment story could inspire and resonate with our readers.
We offer two options for you to share your story: Write it yourself or participate in an interview.
Write Your Own Story
Brief Description of the Story
On the submission site, we ask that you write a brief description of your sacred moment story. This is not designed to be the script for the final story, nor does it need to be comprehensive. It is simply meant to be a brief synopsis of the events and the impact the moment had on you. It can be as short as a few sentences but no longer than 500 words. This brief description will allow our staff to determine if your story is right for the story hub.
Contact Us
Let us know you are interested in sharing your story. On the submission site, please fill out the form (name, email, brief description, etc.) and hit the submit button. After we receive your submission, a member of our team will contact you to discuss next steps.
Writing Your Story
Tell your story in your own words, using the first-person format with “I” and “me.” Take us back to your sacred moment experience and tell us all about it. Tell us how you felt, and what you saw and heard. Include why this moment was so meaningful to you. If interested, we have developed some suggestions and guidance for writing your own story and are happy to share this with you. We are also happy to answer any questions as you develop your story.
Title and Name
Please include a suggested title for your story. Your name will also appear next to your story on our website.
Story Length
Most stories highlighted on our website are around 700 to 2,000 words in length. However, this range is simply a suggestion and there are no strict word limits for stories.
Submit Your Story
Once you are happy with your story, send it to us via email. After we receive it, a member of our team will review it as quickly as possible. We may edit your story with the sole purpose of improving its clarity and brevity. However, this is your story and we would never post your story before you have had a chance to review and approve it. We also may go back and forth a few times with the editing process but once you have approved the final written version, it will be posted on the website.
Include a Visual
Please include a photograph of yourself, the person whom you shared the moment with, or another visual that best represents the moment.
Authorization and Consent
Before your story can be posted on the website, you will need to fill out an “Authorization and Consent” form. This form will ask if you give consent for the Regents of the University of Michigan to make and use recordings of you, to use your name and biography, and to use the materials you make available as a part of the story hub. You will have an opportunity to ask questions about the form. The form will be sent to you when you submit.
Participate in an Interview
Brief Description of the Story
On the submission site, we ask that you write a brief description (less than 500 words) of your sacred moment story. This is not designed to be the script for the final story, nor does it need to be comprehensive. It is simply meant to be a brief synopsis of the events and the impact the moment had on you. This brief description will allow our staff to determine if your story is right for the story hub.
Submission
On the submission site, please fill out the form (name, email, brief description, etc.) and hit the submit button.
Scheduled Date and Time
After we receive your submission, a member of our team will contact you to schedule a date and time to be interviewed. You can choose to be interviewed over the telephone or via Zoom video conferencing. If you choose video conferencing, you will need a computer with internet access.
Authorization and Consent
Before the interview, you will be provided an “Authorization and Consent” form. This form will ask if you give consent for the Regents of the University of Michigan to make and use recordings of you, to use your name and biography, and to use the materials you make available as a part of the story hub. You will have an opportunity to ask questions about the form. The form will be sent to you once the interview is scheduled. Please fill out this form and return it to us before the interview date.
Interview Recording and Duration
We will audio record your interview. Interview duration will vary depending on your story. You may take as long as you would like to tell your story but most interviews last between 30-60 minutes.
Interview Questions
We appreciate that interviews may feel a little daunting for some. We want the experience to be comfortable for you so we will gladly share the planned interview questions with you prior to the interview. However, the focus of the interview will be to ask you to describe your sacred moment and how it affected you.
Be Yourself
Just as with sacred moments in our lives, some of the greatest moments in storytelling occur unexpectedly and without warning. We invite you to be your authentic, honest self. During the interview, imagine you are talking with a close friend or family member. Let the story guide you.
Transcription
Your interview will be recorded and transcribed verbatim. The written transcript may be edited by our team to improve clarity and brevity. This edited transcript will then become the heart of your written story for the story hub.
Your Review and Approval
The edited transcript will then be emailed to you for your review and approval. We would never post your story before you have had a chance to review and approve it. You are welcome to revise and edit it at this time. We may go back and forth a few times with edits but once you have approved the final written story, please email it back to us for posting on the website.