Photography, Nature, Headstand

Submission Guidelines & Layout

Six Word Photo Story Challenge

Beach headstand — creating a different perspective.

Note: We’re closed for all submissions until the new year! The January 2024 Challenge will be published January 1, 2024 and we will reopen for submissions on January 2, 2024. Please do not submit stories between December 22 and January 1st. Any stories received during this timeframe will be declined. Please respect our time off from running this publication. Thank you and enjoy the rest of December! – The Editors. Mary, Sandi, and Vidya. See you in 2024! 💕🥰🙏 Read this article to keep the editors happy in 2024.

That’s me in the photo — I’m addicted to headstands, nature, and six word photo stories. Can you write a story in six words inspired by a photo? Six word photo stories create a different perspective to tell a story.

UPDATE! July 25, 2023: Please see Photo Update, Rule #1.

UPDATE! March 22, 2023: By submitting photographs to this publication, you agree that you have the right to use the image and that it does NOT violate another’s copyright, and that you have been granted permission to use the photo if there are images in the photo that may require permission to publish. If we receive anything that is questionable or falls into a grey area, we reserve the right to decline the story or remove it from this publication.

Here’s how to write one and become a part of this Six Word Photo Story Challenge publication.

Enjoy the creative process. You’ll be amazed at how a photo can inspire you to tell a story in only six words.

Please read all rules to make publication turnaround efficient and timely.

My submission guidelines may seem overwhelming — sorry! Once you’ve submitted your first story to our pub, it’s easy to duplicate the formatting style, as set out below!

Formatting Tip: Once you’ve published your first story in this publication, go into that story and select “edit story,” then select and copy the entire story (including the photo). Then click on your profile picture at the top right corner of the screen and click “write a story.” Then click “paste” to paste that story into a new story to create a template. Save this draft story under as a “SWPSC Draft Template” and use this as a “draft template” for any future stories that you submit here.

Note: For the NEW story, you’ll need to change the following on your template: 1) new photo (remember to add photo credit) 2) new title 3) new subtitle (depending if it’s freestyle or responding to the current “Monthly Challenge” prompt). 4) new six word story. 5) Tag your story either “Freestyle” OR “Monthly Challenge”

Remember to copy and paste the draft template each time you create a new story! This template will save you time when creating new stories.

For formatting step-by-step instructions (these are unique to this publication), see Formatting Your Six Word Photo Story.

To Apply to be a Writer

Apply to be a writer by commenting on this article: “Please add me as a writer.” If you clap 50x for this story, it will remind me to respond to your request.

The Photo

1. UPDATE July 25, 2023: This rule was updated to allow photos that have been posted on your personal blog or social media. The photo must be taken by yourself and ORIGINAL & UNPUBLISHED elsewhere on Medium, and please include a photo credit. This means if the photo you took yourself — is on your personal blog or social media, you can use it in SWPSC publication. But if your photo has already been published anywhere on Medium, we can NOT accept it.
2. It must be one that you have taken, hold exclusive rights to, and have full authority over. Please DO NOT USE STOCK PHOTOS from Unsplash or any other type of stock photos. The point of this challenge is to draw inspiration from your own life from photos that you have taken yourself.
3. Only ONE PHOTO can be featured in your story, and it must be placed ABOVE the title and subtitle. Your photo must be the first thing our editors see when we review your submission.
4. The only person that can be featured in the photo is YOURSELF. If you’re in the photo, it can be taken by someone else (please include the photo credit.) Photos of people other than yourself are NOT ALLOWED. See this article for legal reasons why.

The Title & Subtitle

1. Title: Choose your own title.
2. Subtitle for “Monthly Challenge” stories. Subtitle your story. If responding to a monthly challenge prompt, type in the name of the challenge as the subtitle. See sample stories under the Monthly Challenge tab. To see the current monthly prompt go here.
3. Subtitle for “Freestyle” stories unrelated to a monthly challenge. Choose your own subtitle and type in “Freestyle” after your own subtitle OR type in Six Word Photo Story: Freestyle. See sample stories under the Freestyle tab.
4. For all subtitles: Once you have written your subtitle, remember to highlight it and click on the small “T” to format it correctly.

Tags — Remember to tag your story!

1. Tags for “Monthly Challenge” stories: If your story is related to a featured monthly challenge, please tag your story Monthly Challenge.
2. Tags for Freestyle: If your story is a freestyle story, please tag your story Freestyle.

These tags will ensure that your story appears on the main page AND either the Freestyle OR Monthly Challenge tabs of this publication.

The Six Word Photo Story

1. The photo must be connected to your story in some way, whether you’re responding to a “monthly challenge” prompt or submitting a “freestyle” (photo & topic of your own choosing) story. The connection should be made clear in the photo, six word story, or (optional) backstory.
2. All six word stories and optional backstories must abide by Medium’s rules. Note: Any stories that the editors may view as disrespectful or inappropriate or that fall into a grey area will be reviewed at the editors' discretion and may be rejected.
3. The story must be six words only. Once you write your six word story, highlight it and click on the small “T” to format the six words. This is so your six words stand out; it’s a formatting guideline unique to this publication.
4. The 3 dots (like in this story) should appear directly below your six word story. See the formatting guidelines if you don’t know how to do this.
5. One complete six-word photo story is SIX words plus ONE photo.

The Backstory (OPTIONAL) & 2-Minute Maximum Read per story!

1. IF you include a backstory, it can be 1–2 minutes.
2. The 3 dots (like in this story) should appear directly below your backstory.
3. The entire reading time of your story must be 2 minutes MAXIMUM. This includes the photo, six word story, any tags, links, or promotion of yourself or other stories. It will be unread and rejected if your submission comes in as a 3-minute read or more.

How to Submit Your Story

1. Submit unpublished drafts only. Previously published stories (self-published or published elsewhere) will be unread and rejected.
2. To submit your unpublished draft, follow these instructions: a) click on the three dots in the top right-hand corner of the screen, b) click “Add to publication” c) Select “Six Word Photo Story Challenge” d) Click on “Select and continue.” e) Lastly, click “Submit.”
3. WHAT NOT TO DO: When submitting your unpublished draft, DO NOT CLICK “Publish.” If you click “Publish” — your story will be automatically self-published to your own profile page, and we will NOT accept it if you then attempt to submit your self-published story to our publication.

Publishing Turn-around & Private Notes

1. Publishing turn-around is between 1–3 days. Quicker if I’m fast, slower if I’m busy. If your story requires edits, re-formatting, or does not meet guidelines, I’ll let you know through “private notes” — please note that this will delay publication or may result in your story being rejected.
2. Please ensure you have “private notes” turned on in your settings. Go to your settings, scroll down to “Account” and “allow private notes.” If you do NOT have “private notes” turned on, we will be unable to communicate with you regarding your story and may result in your story being rejected.

Update (Feb 21, 2022): Please submit at most 4 stories per week. A maximum of ONE story per author per day will be published (up to a maximum of 4 stories per week by the same author).

You can take a quick view of my stories in my “Lists” section to give you an idea of how stories must be formatted.

About the Editor

Mary Chang is the editor of the Six Word Photo Story Challenge publication — inspired by her original 6-Word Photo Story Summer Challenge writing prompt (2021) on Medium. Read the backstory here. She’s also a writer, parent, and fitness enthusiast and loves creating monthly challenges. Her self-mantra is “Try, Mary, Try!” and she believes that if she can do it — it may inspire others to try too.

Check out Mary’s new series, “The Fun & Funny Fitness Bitch!” She’s putting together her fitness adventures and experiences over the past four years into a series for 2023. About once a week, she’ll publish an article that offers either a quick tip, advice, or insight into the various challenges she’s embraced and how she dealt with her self-doubt and fears, or she’ll chat about her current fitness escapades. Find all stories in the series to date here.