In Her Words

About This Anthology
Our anthology, titled "In Her Words: Celebrating the Mother-Daughter Bond," seeks to gather authentic stories, experiences, and insights of individuals who embody the rich cultures and backgrounds that make up our vibrant community. We encourage you to share the lessons, challenges, and moments of joy that have shaped your mother-daughter relationship. Your story can provide inspiration, healing, and understanding to those who read it.
If your story is selected as a valued contributor, it will become an integral part of our anthology, joining the voices of others who have navigated the intricate terrain of being both a mother and a daughter. We will acknowledge and celebrate your unique perspective and contributions as valuable additions to our project. Additionally, you will receive a digital copy of the finished anthology, allowing you to share your story and the collective wisdom of our community with friends, family, and your wider network.

Submission Guidelines
Contribute your heartfelt and authentic stories to help us create a publication that offers stories to help us escape, learn, or contribute to improving the world. Your submission should be at most 1,000 words and focus on lessons, challenges, and moments of joy that have shaped your mother-daughter relationship. One submission per author. DOC or DOCx only. Times New Roman 12pt Font. Double Spaced. 1” Margins. No extra spacing between paragraphs.
We believe in promoting positivity and inclusivity, which is why we will not accept submissions that glorify, support, encourage, or gratuitously include content related to hate, hate crimes, rape, sex, sex crimes, racism, ageism, misogyny, misandry, violence, torture, or any other forms of inhumanity.
If you are under 18 years old, please ensure you have the approval of a parent or guardian to submit your work. We welcome contributions from all ages and backgrounds.
We cannot provide free physical copies to contributors, but we will gladly provide a complimentary e-copy of the finished anthology for your contribution. Join us in sharing your stories and making a positive difference.

Get Started!

Answer as many questions with as much detail as you would like from the questionnaire below.
Tell us your name!

First NameLast Name
What is the best email address for us to use when sending your free e-copy?
example@example.com
What is your age?
What race/ethnicity do you identify as?
What is your city/state/zip code/country?

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState / Province

Postal / Zip CodeCountry

Environment & Influence
How did the environment in which you grew up, including your household dynamics, neighborhood, and activities, shape your upbringing and influence how you spent your time?

Maternal Perceptions
(For Adults) How did your childhood perception of your mother, the challenges you faced, your favorite memories together, the activities you enjoyed, her parenting style, and the dynamics of communication with her evolve from your early years into adulthood, especially in terms of her consideration of your feelings and respect for your opinions?
(For Children) How do you envision these aspects of your relationship with her evolving as you transition into adulthood?

Communication & Expectations
How did your mother's approach to accepting your choices versus reinforcing cultural expectations influence your upbringing?
Can you describe the evolution of your communication with your mother as you age?
Do you feel it progressed, remained the same, or suffered from a lack of productive communication?
If the latter, how did this lack of productive communication impact you, and how do you envision improving it in the future, especially if you are still working through these dynamics?
Do you feel your mother attempted to understand your point of view, and did you feel like you had a voice in your discussions and decisions with her?

Your Parental Skills
How has your relationship with your mother influenced your perspective on parenthood and your desire to become a parent?
Do you anticipate your parenting skills similar to your mother's, particularly when raising a young daughter of color?
What changes do you envision making to your parenting style based on your past experiences?

Acceptance & Approval
Additionally, did you ever desire to impress your mother, leading to specific decisions made to gain her approval?
How frequently did your relationship with your mother impact your choices, even when unrelated to her?
Lastly, have your achievements been acknowledged and valued within your relationship with your mother?

Self-Esteem & Confidence
How has your relationship with your mother influenced your self-esteem and self-concept, and in what ways has her impact shaped you?
Were there any other significant influences in your life that played a role in shaping your self-esteem?

Trust
Do you trust your mother, and if so, how would you describe what that trust means to you?

Favoritism & Impact
Additionally, do you have siblings, and did you ever observe differences in how your mother treated or cared for your siblings that impacted you?
Lastly, considering your experiences and upbringing, what strategies do you believe are essential to raising a strong black girl in today's world?

Upload your story here! Please be sure to reread the guidelines prior to submitting for compliance.

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If you are under 18 years old, please ensure you have the approval of a parent or guardian to submit your work. We welcome contributions from all ages and backgrounds.