Write For Us

Submission Guidelines

Submissions are currently OPEN! Request your contributor account here.

The Woman Rising Project is a place for sharing the true stories of cults and domestic abusers hidden in plain sight, and a place for spreading radical healing to survivors.

The Woman Rising Project is a positive, impactful place for community, where survivors and their allies come together to share what they’ve been through and what they’ve learned.

Founded in 2020 by author, speaker, entrepreneur and survivor Julia McCoy, and funded by sales of her new book Woman Rising: A True Story as well as donations from generous-hearted entities and individuals, The Woman Rising Project actively seeks to give silenced abuse victims a platform where their stories will be published, treasured, shared–never taken down nor removed. The Project also looks to publish powerful methods and messages of healing from therapists and counselors that have real experience guiding and helping cult survivors heal. The Woman Rising Project is for women and men alike, primarily reaching a female audience of survivors and victims.

Our site will only grow with a focus on WE, not me. Contributors, like yourself, are the reason we exist–we want your voice, authenticity, and your story.

Anyone, of any age, from any location can submit an original post (not previously published anywhere else, including your own site), with a bio, for inclusion on the blog.

Note: This is not an elite space, reserved for experts, thought leaders, or professional bloggers. This is a blog for real people who are willing to share themselves honestly and vulnerably.

 

What Makes A Strong Blog Post (Story) for The Woman Rising Project?
The most popular posts on the Woman Rising Project all have the following things in common:

They are deeply truthful, authentic, and personal. They don’t dance around the details, nor do they include vague details or references to the authors’ experiences.
Instead, they share truth without hesitation, pulling the reader in with emotion, painting a vivid picture of their truth and life experience.

They dig below the surface. Advice given from therapists, counselors, and survivors is not cliché or regurgitated info. Instead, it’s insightful and truly thought-provoking, perhaps never published anywhere else before. It enables the reader, and those healing and their allies, to understand themselves and heal on a deeper level.

Why Contribute To The Woman Rising Project, Inc?

  1. Your post will receive social media and broad exposure, which will grow as we grow together. Your story will be promoted to our growing community on Facebook.
  2. The Woman Rising Project community will be responsive through comments on the site and social networking, creating a rewarding experience.
  3. Every post will include a bio with one link back to your site, if you have one.
  4. As a Woman Rising Project contributor, you are welcome to publish more than one story, and can update your bio at any time to promote products you may be launching.

WRITING GUIDELINES
If it’s your first time submitting, please write and submit your story in a new Google Doc here in this folder.

Please write and include a favorite quote at the top of your post. A search on BrainyQuote.com is a great place to find quotes for your topic. Please avoid song lyrics and quotes from pop culture.

Aim for a word count between 500 and 2,500 words.
Share a specific story from your life, or a message of healing and recovery, with detail. Don’t tell us you went through something; show us. Tell us what happened, the incident, who was there, who was involved, what caused it to happen, how you felt before, during and after. It’s great to share insights, but the story will be far more powerful if you also share how you came to learn them.
You can submit a story without this, but, if it fits — include insights and practical tips to help readers overcome their similar challenges. You don’t have to have a list per se, but your story, if it fits, should build a clear message or lesson for readers, something that might evoke an “Aha!” moment for them.

Choose a topic related to your story of surviving trauma (we are very interested in publishing true stories of a horrific, hidden trauma experience; life with abusers, either at home growing up or in adult life; and life in a cult). We also want stories that center on how to heal, for our survivors. This includes marriage, relationships, parenting, and even work and home life, since healing from trauma touches every aspect.
No overly promotional mentions, please. Do not over-reference your blog, coaching practice, book, or speaking career. Your post should focus on the message and story you are sharing.

Send us original, personal, and honest work. If it exists anywhere on the web already, we will not be as interested in publishing it. If it does not exist on the web, we would love to publish your story.

Keep paragraphs to three sentences or fewer. Include a bio, seventy-five words or fewer, at the bottom of your post.
Reserve self-promotion to your bio. Please note that links in the body of the post may be removed.

HOW TO SUBMIT
Create a new document in our Google Drive folder (please request access) and write your story inside. Send a bio and a headshot in the document as well.
Upload a photo of yourself at gravatar.com (if you’d like a photo to show next to your bio). Also, please include in your document the email address you linked to your Gravatar account.

A FEW MORE THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND
If your post feels like a good fit for our Woman Rising Project Stories at this time, you will receive a response within a week. If you don’t receive a response, please feel free to try again with a different post. You may be asked to revise to make your post stronger or clearer, and your proposed title may be changed. Your story may also be edited for clarity, grammar, and overall style. If there are any major changes made, you will be asked to review and approve it first.

Thank you for the light and voice you are. Thank you for being a part of The Woman Rising Community!