writing guidelines

about content

what is a 2nd Story story?

At 2nd Story, we tell stories that are real. We tend to avoid the word “true” because memory is a tricky beast, and good storytelling often relies on craft: compression, pacing, or other literary techniques. Your submission should be your story about something that actually happened (not something that happened to a sibling, friend, or coworker), with you as the main character. It’s okay to consolidate characters or play with timing, but the majority of the story should be an experience you can stand behind as real.

Our litmus test for this is simple. After our in-person shows, storytellers are often approached by audience members who say something like, “Your story really spoke to me because that happened to me, too.” Because artists and audiences share the same room, it’s essential that a storyteller can meet that moment honestly and engage around a real, shared experience. That sense of connection is core to 2nd Story’s work.

See below for more detail about what we look for in submissions.

  • When a story is being developed at 2nd Story, we’ll ask ourselves: “Why should anyone besides me and my friends or family care about this story?” There needs to be a clear idea of what the story is about—what it means (or meant) to you, why it’s important to tell This story in This moment. That is what a larger audience will connect with.

  • Our Artistic Director frequently says: “All stories are valuable, and some make better theater.”

    We encourage you to reflect on this as you consider your choice of story. What makes this story important for you to share with an audience right now? What are you hoping that an audience will glean from your story?

    Another thing to consider is venue. For our in-person shows, 2nd Story events take place in bars, clubs, restaurants, or other non-traditional performance spaces. Can this story hold an audience’s attention in a venue with a lot of distractions, or for an audience that has been drinking?

  • Please read your story aloud and time it before you send it in. We strongly recommend that your story be 10 minutes or less. 

  • We like stories that we haven’t heard before—stories that will bring variety to what we do. If you’ve already heard us tell a certain story, consider choosing a different subject matter. If this is a story that we hear in the world really frequently, what are you bringing to the conversation that feels like a new perspective?

  • 2nd Story stories are all about scenes.  This means that the bulk of the story takes place in a real time and place—not in summary, not inside someone’s head, not as a rant or a list of opinions.

    Scenes contain information about the setting, character development, dialogue and, most importantly, SOMETHING HAPPENS. And just telling us about something that happened isn’t enough—we are looking for Scenes. With Dialogue. And Action. 

  • Keep in mind that this is YOU telling the story. Your voice, your situation, your realizations. You can include other people or events, but you should be the main character. If we wanted your grandma’s story, we’d ask your grandma!

    We want to understand what happened to you, what you noticed or felt, and what you discovered. The heart of every 2nd Story piece is the storyteller themself.

    We are open to literary techniques to make the best story (like exaggeration for effect, consolidation of characters or timeline, etc.) but YOU are still the main character. And though literary techniques are acceptable, we ask that you tell a story about events that really happened.

  • Yes, we explore different writing and storytelling styles and techniques, but at 2nd Story, we write our stories with the audience in mind. The storyteller is not in a bubble, you’re telling the story TO an audience. They are there, you can see them, they can see you, which means that you can talk to them directly.

about formatting

These guidelines are here to help us read your work with care and attention. Clear formatting allows our readers to focus on your story itself, rather than on logistics. We’ve broken things down into must-haves and nice-to-haves so you know what’s essential and what’s simply helpful.

must have:

  • Please submit your story as a PDF, .doc, or .docx file. These formats help ensure your work appears as intended across different devices.

    • For Apple/Mac users - we cannot open .files documents!

  • Include page numbers on all pages

  • Use a readable, clear font (e.g., Times New Roman, Calibri, Arial) and size (11-12pt)

nice to have:

  • Include the story title and storyteller name at the top of each page

  • Save your file with a clear, identifiable file name (e.g. LastName_StoryTitle.pdf)

  • Use standard margins (about 1 inch)

  • Keep formatting simple and consistent throughout

  • Use left-aligned text rather than full justification.

  • Avoid excessive bolding, underlining, use of color, or other decorative formatting.

None of this is about polish, perfection, or professionalism! Each story gets read by at least 4 people, and these formatting guidelines help us make sure your story arrives intact and gets the attention it deserves.