The Fandom Saved My Life Project

Originally posted by wordvagabond at The Fandom Saved My Life Project

THE FANDOM SAVED MY LIFE PROJECT

One statement I have heard over and over during my years in fandom is, “Fandom saved my life.”  Sometimes this is a starkly literal statement.  Literal or not, the truth that many fans know is that a fandom, at its best, can provide a strong, supportive community that can make a real difference in its members’ lives.  Many people who would otherwise feel isolated, depressed, or even suicidal find a home in its ranks.  After all, we engage in the most interactive and fundamental of all human activities- sharing stories.  Whether we write fanfic, make art, or simply read and watch, we are sharing stories that transform our lives.

Now the Fandom Saved My Life Project wants to help you share your story.

What it is:

Fandom Saved My Life will be an anthology of personal essays about peoples’ strong, positive experiences with fandom and on-line communities.  Any positive stories are welcome, but stories about transformative or even literally life-saving circumstances will be preferred.  All fandoms and types of fans are welcome! 

Who I am:

My name is Alexis Arendt. I am freelance editor, operating the book review and editing website Word Vagabond.  I’ve been in fandom for 22 years, starting off-line with Star Trek: The Next Generation, and continuing through Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly, Doctor Who, Torchwood, Merlin, Sherlock (books, movies, and BBC), Avengers, and Once Upon a Time, among others.  I’ve been a professional and semi-professional editor for nearly that long (my first gig was a ST:TNG fanzine).  Please feel free to check out my website, http://www.wordvagabond.com, for more information about me and to see my editing credits.

Submission Guidelines:

We are looking for submissions of personal essays 2,000-6,000 words in length.  No explicit materials will be accepted; essays containing explicit materials may still be considered if the explicit material can be edited out without compromising the narrative.  Submissions must be in Word-compatible format.  Not all submissions will be accepted.  The submission deadline is at 12:00 a.m. EST, 5/15/2013.  No submissions will be accepted after this deadline.

Authors who are chosen for the anthology will be required to sign a waiver with their legal names, but their essays may be published under a pen name if requested by the author.

Authors will receive free editing, a copy of the anthology (digital or paperback, as preferred), and credit for their work.  Authors will have final approval of their edited manuscript before publication.  Authors will not receive royalties or other compensation.

Please send all submissions to Alexis Arendt at: fsml@gmail.com as attachments.