Submissions

SUBMISSION FOR TWOS ARE CLOSED. PERMANENTLY.

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Would you like to take part in Three Words, One Story? Here’s how you can participate:

How to Start

Each Friday, we’ll post several sets of random words, each set containing a noun, a verb, and an adjective. Pick a set (no mixing and matching words!) and write a story around it. Let the words inspire the story, and see where it goes.

Max Story Length

Keep your TWOS stories to 1003 words or less (not including title, byline, etc.).

Content Restrictions

TWOS is for all ages, that means we must all be careful about how explicit things get. A little ribald humor is fine, as is intimacy that’s pertinent to the story. However, crass humor, explicit sexuality or violence, and excessive swearing (especially the old S-grenade and F-bomb) will automatically disqualify a submission. In this particular publication, at least, it’s better to imply some things than describe them in detail. The TWOS editors reserve full rights reject any story submission.

Edits

TWOS editors will perform a quick edit for grammar and spelling, but except for restricted content mentioned above we will rarely if ever edit for content or change the story. However, please from the bottom of our wizened writer hearts, give your own story at least one or two reads before submitting. If a story is riddled with grammar and spelling errors, we’ll likely just reject it.

Story Format

Make sure to write out the three words that inspired the story as well as the date of the submission at the top of the page (before the title). After that, include the title and author’s name, followed by the story.

How to Submit

Send stories to TWOS by email: threewordsonestory@gmail.com. Do not send attachments. Simply put the story in the body of the email (in the format outlined above). Make certain the email subject line starts with SUBMISSION (in all caps) followed by the title of the story.

Deadlines

All submissions must be received by the Thursday after the prompt,  at 11:59 PM in order to be posted. The stories will be posted after the next prompt is released. That means that the stories you read will be from the previous week’s prompt. This allows each author six days to write their TWOS submission.

Writing stories with previous prompts is great, and we wont discourage it, but we will only post stories from the current week’s prompt. Entries will be posted Saturday through Thursday of the next week. See the diagram below.

Art Submissions

The submission guidelines for art are very similar to that of stories.This site is family friendly, so let’s keep the art PG to PG-13 rated. No sexual or overly violent themes (clear conflict is essential to any story, but guts and gore are unnecessary and unwelcome). The TWOS editors reserve the right to reject art submissions for any reason.

Submit art as JPEG or PNG files (must be at least 600 pixels wide at 72 dpi, larger is fine). If the image is inspired by the word prompts, they must be submitted by the Friday (at midnight) following the Monday Prompt. If the image is inspired by any of the TWOS stories, art submissions will be accepted at anytime and that story along with the artwork will be re-posted as a featured set. Standalone images will be posted separately, while images inspired by a TWOS story will be posted with that story.

Send art to TWOS by email: threewordsonestory@gmail.com. Attach the JPEG or PNG; make sure the file name contains your last name and a keyword or two about the image. In the body of the email, give us your full name as you’d like it to appear on the site, the date of the prompt, the name of the piece you’re submitting, and the three words or story that inspired the image. Make sure the subject line starts with ART SUBMISSION, followed by your last name.

Rights

We reserve nonexclusive rights to publish the story or image on our site, meaning that you are still free to publish your work elsewhere or modify it how you please after submitting to TWOS.