Sunday morning is “reader story” time at Get Rich Slowly. Every week, I share a story sent in by a reader like you. Today, though, I’m going to take a time out to do some housekeeping. This morning, I’m sharing info on how to submit a reader question or story for future publication. At noon-ish, I’ll republish the GRS comment policy. And in the late afternoon/evening, I’ll share mini bios of all the GRS writers in one place. We’ll return to the regular reader stories feature next week.

UPDATE! Because I’m an idiot, the info I posted here earlier was more appropriate for folks wanting to submit a guest post. Its tone and content wasn’t appropriate for readers looking to submit questions and stories. I apologize. I’ve fixed that. The info below is what I meant to share earlier today.

I’m getting low on good reader stories and questions; if you have something you’d like to ask or share, please send it in. I can’t publish every question and story I receive, but I do try to read them all. (And now that there’s an assistant editor around here, we should be more organized about this.)

Honestly, the reader stories are my favorite part of this site. Sure, I like to read what the staff writers have to say. Sure, it’s great to share my own financial progress. But I think it’s the stories and questions you contribute that set GRS apart from other blogs.

If you would like to share your story, or if you’d like to ask a question, take a look at the Get Rich Slowly guest submission guidelines. Reading through these before you write will save everyone headaches in the long run.

Also, please keep these guidelines in mind:

  • Your story doesn’t have to be an example of what to do right with money, but be aware that readers can get cranky with folks they think are making dumb decisions. If you think you can handle negative comments, then go ahead and share examples of what not to do.

  • Keep things entertaining! Write naturally, as if you were sending an e-mail to a friend. Don’t try to gussy it up for Get Rich Slowly. I’ll help edit things so they’re presentable.

  • Readers have made it very clear that they’re tired of bankruptcy and “I ran away from debt” stories. Your story can still have these elements, but try not to make them the focus. If your story is, “I got out of debt by declaring bankruptcy”, it’ll go near the bottom of the stack.

  • Length doesn’t matter (your story can be long or short). You don’t have to put the story in MS Word or any other format. Just type it up and send it over to jdroth@getrichslowly (dot-org, not dot-com).

  • And if you need to be anonymous for whatever reason, be sure to specify that, too.

Though it’s not a requirement, it’d be helpful if you flagged your submission by adding the following to the subject line:

  • If you’re sending a reader question, add “ASK:” to the front. For example, your subject might be: “ASK: How Much Should I Spend to Keep My Pet Turtle Alive?”

  • If you’re sending a reader story, add “STORY:” to the front. For example, your subject might be: “STORY: Why I Spent $3,000 in Vet Bills on My Pet Turtle”.

  • If you’re sending a guest post, add “GUEST:” to the front. For example, your subject might be: “GUEST: How to Save Money on Your Pet Turtle”.

Again, these subjects aren’t a requirement. They’ll just make my life easier.

Note: It’s okay to mention your site or project in your post, but don’t make it the focus. Experience has shown that readers get cranky when guest authors are all about self-promotion.

Finally, if you’ve sent a question, reader story, or guest post in the past, and I haven’t replied, you’re welcome to re-send it. I apologize for not getting back to you. I’m notoriously poor at replying in the first place.

So, please: Send me your stories and questions. I look forward to reading them, and to sharing the best with your fellow GRS readers.

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This article is about Administration, Ask the Readers, Reader Stories