Writers in Recovery from Alcoholism and Addiction: Unsent Letters

Cool sites
- Health Blog Directory
Categories
- Recovery (101)
Monthly
- March 2009 (33)
- February 2009 (23)
- January 2009 (30)
- December 2008 (15)
Pages
Meta
- Login
- Valid XHTML
- XFN

Mar 18 2009

Published by recoveryrocks at 7:42 am under Recovery Edit This

If you are in a Twelve Step program such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, or Overeaters Anonymous to recover from alcoholism, addiction, or compulsive overeating, your sponsor may have suggested you write a letter, never intending for you to send it.

Maybe the recipient is deceased and you never had the opportunity to say good-bye, a sexual offender and it would not be safe to go back and confront them, or someone you have unresolved resentments against.

Therapists, counselors, and psychologists also often use this technique.

The purpose is to identify and process emotions, to write the words, even if they are never shared with the recipient.

About Unsent Letters:
Unsent Letters is a regularly updated weblog of submissions received from people who have chosen to share their unsent letters, and a print anthology collection of the best unsent letters received.

Writer’s Guidelines for Unsent Letters :

note: Unsent Letters is not a venue specifically for Recovery Writers, though are submissions are welcome if they meet the admission criteria.

You do not have to be a professional, published writer to submit to Unsent Letters, but they ask that you follow a few simple submission guidelines:
You must be 18 or older, no exceptions.
All submissions must be in letter format.
You can write to more than one person, for example your old drinking buddies from the bar, but they prefer letters addressed to one person.
“True” letters are preferred, but you are welcome to change names or locations as necessary.
Fiction is welcome as long as it meets the guidelines feels real to the reader.
All letters should be properly written. Use English grammar, American spelling, and proper punctuation. Slang and curse words are acceptable where applicable.
Letters should be signed, but you don’t have to sign it with your real name. You can use only your first name, a nom de plume, or submit anonymously.
Pictures are welcomed, provided they match the content of your letter and you own the copyright.
The word limit is 250 - 5,000 words.
Unsent Letters weblog pays $10-25 per letter, payable within 30 days of publication.
Unsent Letters pays $50-250 for letters accepted for their published collection (paperback anthology)
Some letters may be accepted for both the blog and the print anthology, and the writer will be compensated separately for each.
Unsent Letters asks for first publication print and electronic rights. Rights will revert back to author 12 months after publication, and author may reprint their letter in any form.
Unsent Letters does not accept multiple submissions.