Storyteller Guidelines Agreement
Hello! So Say We All welcomes you to the one and only non-fiction storytelling showcase– VAMP! We’re so glad you’re thinking about submitting. Before you do, we want to be clear about the process, guidelines, and expectations you’re agreeing to should you submit and accept the storytelling torch. At So Say We All, our process is where the magic lies, so it’s essential you’re on board for the ride. (You must read and agree to this document to submit!)
Step 1: Submitting to VAMP
As you might have seen, all VAMP shows have a specific theme. We encourage submissions with elements that center around such a theme. Though let us be clear– the interpretation can be as tight or as loose as you’d like it. We ask that your submission be a 5-10 minute long (4-6 page, 12pt. font, double-spaced) story, and that you submit through the link on our website. If your submission exceeds the 10 minute mark, you’re still free to submit! Just please know you’ll be expected to cut it down to around the 10-minute mark throughout the process. Further submission guidelines can be found there, as well.
Step 2: Getting Accepted
Once you submit, all stories are reviewed by an unbiased panel of judges who will select the cohort of stories we believe will be most conducive to our mission of highlighting radically inclusive, radically vulnerable storytelling. If your piece doesn’t get accepted, it doesn’t mean you suck at writing. It just means the story wasn’t exactly what we were looking for that time around, and we encourage you to keep submitting, please! Even our most seasoned storytellers still get rejected, so please don’t let that deter you.
If you’re accepted, you’ll receive an acceptance email from our show producer detailing next steps.
Step 3: The Critique & Coaching Process
Once accepted, you’ll be expected to engage with VAMP’s critique and coaching process whole-heartedly. Being open to and ensuring that your story evolves and changes is all part of the fun! It’s not uncommon that the story you tell on the stage be significantly different from the story you submitted. (Yes, even if it’s a story you’ve performed before). There are two elements to this process:
Individual Coaching:
Each storyteller will be paired with a writing coach at the start of the process. So Say We All’s coaches are incredibly seasoned, knowledgeable, and kind. We do our best to pair storytellers with coaches that we think are a great match and will bring particularly helpful insight to our storytellers’ works. Your coach will leave notes on your story in Google Docs as comments before your group critique sessions (explained below) so that you’ll have time to have a new draft before the critique sessions. Please ask your coach clarifying questions if you have them as you’re implementing notes to your story and making changes over time– they’re there to help you do deep work on your story both before and after your group critique session should you still have questions for them.
The second element of the process?
Group Critique Sessions: There will be TWO critique sessions with your cohort of fellow writers that you are expected to participate in. Across the two sessions, every storyteller will have a chance to read their story aloud, and then receive a round of live, constructive feedback from the rest of the cohort. We ask that everyone be prepared to actively listen and provide encouraging, actionable feedback to their fellow storytellers, and not be a jerk. Because feedback is subjective, and jerks are jerks and we don’t like jerks. Once everyone has given their feedback, you’ll have the chance to ask any clarifying questions before you’re sent on your way to make edits on your own time. If you’d like any help implementing group critique notes, your writing coach is your go-to resource!
Please note! If your story is running too long, you will have to make edits to get it to the right time, or we will not be able to keep it in the show. Keeping a tightly timed ship is out of respect to your other storytellers, our audience, and the venue.
Step 4: Preparing Your Performance
Once you’ve got a final version of your story, you’ll meet with your performance coach to do a runthrough and receive feedback on how to make it as entertaining as possible. Once you’ve received your notes, the name of the game is practice, practice, practice! You want reading your story to feel second nature day-of so you can spend less time thinking about reading, and more time delivering the performance of a lifetime! YOU’RE GONNA BE A STAR!
In addition to the above, you’ll also be working on your story’s accompanying slideshow during this time. You’ll want to pick photos that enhance the story, not detract from it, so less is usually more when it comes to picking photos. The show producer will reach out to the cohort with specific instructions on how to denote in what order you want your pictures to show up on the screen while you read your story, and we ask that you complete your media document (the script with the noted photo placement + the file of photos themselves) by the deadline outlined by our producer, please. It’s essential.
If you have any questions on this part of the process or would like to request any feedback on your photo selections/placement, this is another thing that your individual coach and/or producer would be happy to help with.
Step 5: SHOWTIME!
The limelight you’ve been waiting for has arrived! Please plan to get to the venue one hour prior to show start for a mic check and pre-show meeting with your producer and cohort. The shows are usually at 7PM, which means you should plan to be there and ready to rock with 2 copies of your story printed (1 for yourself, and 1 for our producer), at 6PM sharp. The show order will be revealed at that meeting, so it’s incredibly important that you’re on time.
While our show takes place at a bar, you are expected to remain coherent, respectful, and aware throughout the duration of the night. This isn’t to say you’re barred from the bar, but if you appear too intoxicated to perform by the time you’re up, we reserve the right to pull you from the show. Please don’t make us do that. It’s a safety thing.
We also expect our performers to remain for the entirety of the show, even after you’ve performed, to support your fellow storytellers. Please encourage your guests to do the same! You wouldn’t want everyone to leave when it was your time to read, would you?
And finally, we will film and publish all stories to our So Say We All YouTube account, and reserve the right to use and share that footage and any photos taken that night in any way we choose. If you do not want your story to be posted or your pictures used for promotional purposes, please let your producer know ASAP. Thank you!
OKAY!
Now that you know how the magic of VAMP works, we ask that you acknowledge your understanding of our guidelines and expectations with your signature (that is sure to be worth millions in the near future) below.
By agreeing to this document, you are agreeing to engage with the VAMP process whole-heartedly and follow its guidelines, as well as acknowledging that failure to do so may result in getting pulled from the show. But that won’t happen, because you’re awesome.