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Inspired by The Moth Radio Hour and PBS-TV's "Stories From the Stage," Flathead Story Concerts share

pre-selected and inspiring true experience essays, flash fiction, novel or memoir excerpts &/or poems from multiple tellers.

These are curated and themed spoken word events; not open-mic storytelling. 

We offer these Spoken-Word events as community events -- co-hosted at Sacred Waters Brewing 

or other locations in Flathead Valley 

Email us at story23fvcc@gmail.com to get notices about 2023-24 story concerts!

Flathead Story Concerts curators & hosts: 

Barbara & Glenn Schiffman **

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Flathead Story Concerts Sponsors also include:

• Authors of the Flathead ~ writers helping writers, free weekly seminars~ www.authorsoftheflathead.org

• The Bookshelf ~ new books by MT authors & used books of all types in downtown Kalispell ~ www.bookshelfmt.business.site

• My Glacier Village ~ connecting, inspiring & supporting aging seniors in our community ~ www.myglacier.helpfulvillage.com

• Sacred Waters Brewing Company ~ craft beers, great food, music & more ~ www.sacredwatersbrewing.com

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For details on submitting YOUR story or poems (6-8 minutes total tell-time) 

for consideration for future Story Concerts,

PLEASE READ OUR SUBMISSION GUIDELINES below

or email us at: story23fvcc@gmail.com

-- and read our new blog post (below) about what we 

mean by "true stories" for Flathead Story Concerts.

SEEKING STORIES FOR 2024 EVENTS

Do you have an inspiring story to share? 

Are you ready to tell it LIVE to Flathead friends & story fans?

We believe everyone has a story -- true or fictional -- and we want to hear YOURS!

You don't need to be a published or aspiring WRITER to participate. 

Some of the best stories we've heard are from ordinary folks with "universal" 

or extraordinary experiences or tales to share!

​

Our Story Concerts are also an effective and fun way

for writers who do book signings or readings to practice 

verbally sharing your short stories or flash fiction, 

book excerpts or poems.

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Our 10/15 story submissions are now closed - but if you have a story 

to submit for 2024, please contact us at

story23fvcc@gmail.com for future event details.

HOW TO SUBMIT:  

To be a Teller in one of our upcoming Story Concerts, 

first submit your true story, short or flash fiction or poems 

in writing (900-1200 written words = 6-8 minutes tell-time).

Please include word count and tell-time minutes 

at the top of your written submission's first page.

There is no charge to submit your story or poems. 

We offer this as a free community event and opportunity for storytellers 

- FYI, all FSC curators, hosts, venues & tellers are volunteers.

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Submit completed stories only (not stories in-progress) 

by email to story23fvcc@gmail.com

2024 Story Themes + event dates/locations to come 

-- check back here or email us for details at:

story23fvcc@gmail.com

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STORY TYPES WE REVIEW & CONSIDER:

* True personal experience essays (YOURS = 1st person)

* Short or Flash Fiction (900-1200 words)

* Novel excerpts (unpublished = OK)

* Memoir excerpts (a portion of YOUR story)

* Poems (3-5, to be read as a group)

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WHAT WE ACCEPT & DO NOT ACCEPT IN CONTENT:

We seek true or fictional stories that can inspire and entertain all ages. 

They can be serious or humorous, but should be

memorable and (generally) uplifting.

Our events are "family friendly" -- but our stories or poems are 

not  "anecdotes" or kid-lit tales. They need to have universal appeal 

and a message with a clear beginning, middle and conclusion.

True stories should have an opening "hook" and 

lead to a conclusion that shares what you learned from

this experience as well as your story's "takeaway" 

meaning for Listeners.

Exceptions: "Colorful language" is acceptable (within reason), 

but we will not consider adult-only (pornographic, abusive or violent) 

material or overtly offensive language.  All stories 

must also be religion-political-gender issue neutral!

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HOW LONG SHOULD STORIES BE:

Tell-Time = 6-8 minutes avg. per Teller

This equals approx. 900-1200 written words. 

FOR POETRY: a group of poems tellable by you in 6-8 minutes. 

At least one must fit our event theme.

RE TIMING: Please practice your story or poems out loud

and TIME THEM before submitting to us. If they are too short 

or too long we will not consider them without revisions or editing by you.

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SUBMIT  VIA EMAIL -- AS ATTACHMENTS:
Formats accepted: Word doc/docx files or PDFs only.
Any other formats will not be reviewed.

SUBMISSIONS MUST INCLUDE:

WORD COUNT + STORY TELL-TIME MINUTES,

YOUR FULL NAME, EMAIL, PHONE 

(in email text & also on attachment)

EMAIL SUBJECT LINE:

Please type "Story Concert submission"

After we get your submission -- 

We'll email-reply that we've received it (via story23fvcc@gmail.com).

If you do not get a notice of receipt from us within a week,
please SUBMIT again or phone us to make sure we got it
(some emails go to spam; always good to check receipt).

If your story has potential for a 2024 event, we will notify you 

by phone or email -- make sure we have your name and contact info!

HOW DOES IT WORK?

If your story is selected for potential participation, we will reach you to schedule a 

verbal "story audition" by Zoom. If you're then invited to share it in an upcoming Story Concert,
we will expect you to promote your event to friends, family and local groups you're
part of. We will also need you to attend a dress rehearsal and group sound check at the venue
during the week before the event; if you can't attend, we will rehearse you separately.

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WILL YOU NEED TO MEMORIZE YOUR STORY?

No. Unlike other spoken word events -- i.e. The Moth, Tell Us Something-Missoula 

or Pivot Spokane -- we DO NOT require you to memorize your story 

or tell it live without notes.

But you must be familiar enough with telling it out loud

 before the event to do so comfortably 

within our 6-8 minute per story timeframe.

We will provide editing suggestions &/or presentation coaching to selected Tellers if/as needed
-- but we do not currently offer a group class on storytelling. We may do so again in the future.
If you need training, let us know and we can suggest or provide other resources for you.

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QUESTIONS: Call Barbara Schiffman at 747-238-0038.
If you get her voicemail, leave your full name and phone
-- say you're calling regarding Story Concerts - thanks!