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Story Request: Your Encounter With Someone Facing Homelessness

www.speakupmag.com

Story Request: Your Encounter With Someone Facing Homelessness

Matt Shaw
Dec 1, 2022
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Story Request: Your Encounter With Someone Facing Homelessness

www.speakupmag.com
MacBook Pro, white ceramic mug,and black smartphone on table
Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash

Dear Reader,

Over the last couple years since we began publishing Speak Up Mag online, you’ve had the opportunity to read many dozens of stories written by people facing homelessness. Their pieces have been rich, funny, shocking, and surprising.

Here are a few highlights:

Think Better — Angel Williams

The Cigarette Cartel — Mark Gansert

Suddenly Homeless — Lynn Mendes

Thank you to the dozens of courageous writers who have shared these thoughtful and vulnerable episodes from your lives. Much respect. Much love.


Now we are looking for pieces written by anyone about encounters with folks facing homelessness.

We want to present other angles of the homeless experience—and need your voice to do it.

To start, there’s no limiting criteria.

The tone of your piece can be upbeat and sunny or bleak and gritty. It can have a happy ending or conclude without resolution. You can share about a long-term friendship or a one-time encounter. Maybe this person is a family member, a familiar sidewalk presence, or a passing stranger. The story you are carrying may not be a happy one. Or it could be unexpectedly hopeful.

Bottom line: authentic and real.


Ideal length starts at 400 words minimum, with no upper limit.

Send your piece in the body of an email or as an attachment to write@speakupmag.com.

Thank you!

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Story Request: Your Encounter With Someone Facing Homelessness

www.speakupmag.com
5 Comments
Eric Lortie
Writes BEST IGNORED
Dec 18, 2022Liked by Matt Shaw

Okey dokey. Gimme a few days. My story is more about repeatedly avoiding homelessness--like Indiana Jones dodging that big boulder--while living in a city where many people are far less fortunate.

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2 replies by Matt Shaw and others
Loyal Opposition
Writes The Loyal Opposition
Dec 4, 2022·edited Dec 4, 2022Liked by Matt Shaw

I've been homeless in 4 continents; just haven't written about THAT. Probably because it doesn't pay. Writing in general, and the preconceptions one has the minute they know you were homeless. "There must be something wrong with him!" as opposed to wearing a suit, and being the same exact person. I guess I prefer dignity over money, but I feel like I am losing dignity spending all my time promoting myself (which I hate) for pennies (and I'm satisfied; even with just a couple of views).

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