Seeking Stories About Grieving, Loss, and Healing

Submit your story today.

Chicken Soup for the Soul publishes anthologies of short stories and they are creating a new collection:

101 Stories of Comfort and Recovery

So many people have experienced loss this year. Covid created a situation where almost everyone has a story of loss. There were wildfires and other natural disasters around the world. People lost their homes, their livelihood and some of them lost friends and family.

Everywhere I look there is a sense of loss.

But there is also a lot of hope. In times of loss, people step forward. They extend a hand and offer help. They offer shelter, and food if they can. They may comfort, even if it’s just a simple hug.

This publisher is looking for your stories. They won’t accept a story written about a loss that happened to another person.

This is all about you. Do you have a story of comfort and recovery to share with the world?

Here are their submission guidelines.

Did someone comfort you in a time of loss? Maybe that’s the story the world needs to hear.

This anthology will come out sometime in 2022 and I’d love it if your story made the cut.

This information is from their website:

“We all grieve in our own ways and on our own schedule. There is no right or wrong way to grieve. We want this collection of emotional and inspirational stories and poems to provide comfort, guidance, support, and peace to those who have lost someone close to them.”

This book is going to be about the grieving, loss, and healing process.

Here are some suggested topics:

• How to say goodbye when your life will never be the same. • Tell us tales of support and coping mechanisms you discovered. • Learning to live in your new normal. • Providing support for others • Accepting help

What helped you the most when you were grieving? Who were the people who helped you with your loss and what did they do? What lessons can you share with someone starting on their own journey through grief and loss? When did you know that you had finally “turned the corner” and were on the road to healing?

• Reaching out and asking for help • Making the most of memories while missing the small things. • Moving on with your life in ways you didn’t imagine you could. • Starting a new and different life • Finding opportunities to laugh and not feeling guilty. • Appreciating life • How faith helped you • Seeing your loved one in your dreams; revelations from those dreams • Time heals — there is light at the end of the tunnel

Please do not submit a biography about someone who has died or a eulogy from the funeral.

Write your heart out. Let’s tell each other stories that provide solace, insight, and peace to those who grieve

It’s easy to submit and it’s free.

They’re a family-oriented organization, so don’t send them stories that you wouldn’t tell to your grandchildren. They pay for each story they accept, and you retain all rights. If you like to write feel-good stories, this might be a fit for you.

All stories must be TRUE and must be your stories.

They want to read stories from a diverse group of writers. That includes stories from the LGBTQ community and people of all ethnicities, nationalities, and religions.

They share their revenues with nonprofits, focusing on furthering unity and understanding in the world.

Let’s tell stories that foster an appreciation for our differences.