So Say We All is a 501c3 non-profit literary and performing arts organization whose mission is to help people tell their stories, and tell them better, through creating performance opportunities, educational offerings, and accessible media forums.
About
So Say We All (SSWA) was founded in 2009 in San Diego by a group of writers and artists who wanted to bring a truly accessible and populist storytelling platform to their communities—one where anyone in the audience at one show could be on stage at the next. From humble beginnings, So Say We All has grown to produce several shows each33 month at various venues for the public at large, providing programs to high schools and colleges, offering creative writing and storytelling workshops, and creating special programs for populations talked about more than heard from including US Veterans and the LGBTQ+ community—all amounting to our having a hand in the development thousands of original works from hundreds of writers.
We hope the next story we hear comes from you.
The VAMP Storytelling Showcase
A highly-produced multimedia reading series, The VAMP Storytelling Showcase presents an evening of several writers performing works with visual accompaniment revolving around a changing theme.
All participants are chosen by blind online submission, given writing and performance workshops to further improve the material and its delivery, and the final product is curated in a featured capacity, monthly since 2009.
Writers are encouraged to submit a 5-10 minute long (4-6 page, 12pt. font, double-spaced) story related to a show’s theme through the “submit” link on our website. We highly encourage the use of images in power-point style presentation during the writer’s final performance, but these do not need to be submitted up front.
How the VAMP process works:
• Writers submit a first draft of their true stories to our submittable account, indicating which VAMP theme they are submitting for.
• A panel of blind readers are assembled from volunteers who have previously performed at VAMP. Each reader, along with the show’s producer and SSWA’s Program Director, upvotes, downvotes, or stays neutral on each piece submitted.
• Scores are tallied and top-scoring stories are identified. Final selection begins with the show’s producer and Program Director, taking into account factors that will make the show as a whole the best it can be. These can include if there are two or more stories too similar in theme, if there is a range of performers that represent the community, if there is a balance of humor and poignancy, etc. Submitters who have never performed at VAMP before are given extra attention.
• The selected cohort begins a literary boot camp that involves participating in group read and critiques to give and receive feedback, work with assigned writing coaches 1-1, and receiving performance coaching to ensure they’re comfortable with public speaking.
• Finally, the cohort members select visual images to accompany their stories, send in their final drafts, and then perform together in front of an adoring audience!
• Videos of performances are uploaded to our Youtube Channel, and selected pieces will appear on The VAMP Podcast.
• We encourage writers to seek opportunities to publish their work, and to treat the VAMP Storytelling Showcase as a powerful growth experience, but not the end of the line for the stories they workshop with us. Authors retain the rights to their work.
Upcoming performances and submission opportunities
Long Story Short
Long Story Short offers a populist platform for anyone, and we mean anyone, to join us and tell a true story, without notes, for five minutes or less on a different theme every month. No RSVP necessary, just check the schedule for the next event and show up ready to share! This is an excellent opportunity to get your storytelling feet wet in a fun environment. It’s a great place to meet people, with an extraordinarily welcoming environment and supportive people genuinely curious to hear true stories from strangers in their community — whether funny, painful, practiced, or off the cuff. Sign up when you arrive. Or halfway through the show. Or just come to listen! Long Story Short is held the first Thursday evening of every month, at 7pm PST.
Education Partnerships
Since 2011, So Say We All has been proud to work in community college, high, and middle school classrooms to develop storytelling programs with students. We work alongside instructors developing syllabi and course curricula, after-class programs, special sessions, and critiques groups, all in the efforts of having final performance showcases which feature student storytellers performing their own true stories (involving their selected media) in front of the public — oftentimes in large-capacity buildings such as theaters and public auditoriums, housing audiences of 200 or more.
Check out some videos from a prior educational partnership here.
If you would like to partner with us to bring storytelling to your class, contact us at info@sosayweallonline.com.
Veteran Writers Division
So Say We All’s Veteran Writers Division provides free non-fiction creative writing courses to veterans, active duty military, and military family members. Participants create and workshop original stories as a team, learning the fundamentals of craft while supporting each other through feedback. 1-1 literary and performance coaching further hone the cohort’s stories, culminating in a public storytelling performance (participation optional.) The Veteran Writers Division accepts participants outside the San Diego area through digital attendance.
The Whole Alphabet
The Whole Alphabet is a series of free creative writing workshops for LGBTQ+ writers, wherein they follow a process much like our VAMP bootcamp. Together with editors and performance coaches, over a series of sessions and through individual work, writers take their true story from first draft to stage- and publication- ready material. TWA provides a fun, caring, and supportive environment where participants can learn, express themselves, and take pride in their work.