We're looking for longer-term members to write their stories for inclusion in the Stories of Recovery booklet and/or the GAA Basic Text. Preferably 3-10 pages from those with at least six months of game-free time.
You can submit them as a response to this post or to the Writing submission and review for literature subforum.
Share your story!
Forum rules
The first post in each thread should contain a piece of literature for review by other members of GAA. Preferably each post contains the full text, but if the text is very long or in a format garbled by this forum software, it can be put in another online document with a link provided here. All comments are welcome here. If the piece is in a Google document, detailed comments can be submitted directly into the document.
The first post in each thread should contain a piece of literature for review by other members of GAA. Preferably each post contains the full text, but if the text is very long or in a format garbled by this forum software, it can be put in another online document with a link provided here. All comments are welcome here. If the piece is in a Google document, detailed comments can be submitted directly into the document.
Re: Share your story!
Story guidelines:
Purpose. The purpose of the stories is to get through to the newcomer, who is invariably clouded in denial. Recovery fellowships get through to new people by sharing personal stories that clearly show the thinking, attitudes, behavior patterns and resulting problems to which a fellow gaming addict cannot help but relate. The stories demonstrate the unmanageability and powerlessness to get addiction under control. Note that most of the suggested topics below are in this vein.
Length. As short as 1000 words, up to 3000 words, ideally somewhere in the middle.
Length of game-free time. We’re soliciting stories from people with at least six months of game-free time.
Anonymity and background details. Stories will not include anyone’s real names. Otherwise, stay as anonymous as you want. You can leave out any identifying information if you are concerned about your anonymity.
Control over your work. You can make as many revisions as necessary and only the Literature Committee will see your work during that process. We will not circulate the stories in any way until you give permission for a specific draft of your story. You have complete control over what is included for the initial story, the revision phase, and the final draft submitted for approval process. You can make changes at any point before formal GSC approval.
Editing. If you don’t feel confident as a writer, that’s fine. Feel free to submit rough drafts for experienced writers to edit and fix up.
Long term vision. It will be very helpful if stories reinforce the long term vision of in-person fellowship. Let's focus on our friendships, recovery buddies and sponsors, on our growth, changes in attitude, and on practicing the principles of the program.
Examples. For examples of recovery stories, AA's Big Book and NA's Basic Text have many examples. They're available online at http://www.aa.org/bigbookonline/en_personalstories.cfm and http://www.capitalareancna.com/uploads/ ... nymous.pdf.
Storytelling. Readers are drawn in by a personal story that reveals intimate details (such as inner thoughts and personal difficulties) and includes good-old-fashioned storytelling with specifics. To engage newcomers (whose scattered game-obsessed thinking may make reading very difficult) through all of the story's lessons beginning to end, let's be sure to include details, vulnerability and revealing honesty.
Openness to inspiration. Most importantly, please write as your inner compass guides you. Pausing for a brief meditation or prayer before writing can open us to inspiration. Spiritual guidance is more important than any of the other suggestions.
Start now. Anyone with three months or more of game-free time can begin this writing (even if not submitted until later.) Let's gift our fellowship with the most valuable asset we gained from addiction: a story that helps newcomers lower their defenses and break through their own denial.
Possible questions to consider while writing. These are suggestions only.
1. Can you share a brief introduction of yourself and your early days of gaming?
2. How did your gaming escalate? What problems resulted and how did they escalate? Did you lose relationships, jobs, health, self-respect, morals, values, boundaries?
3. What were your thinking and attitudes around gaming like?
4. How would you describe your obsession with gaming and your compulsion to play more and more?
5. What were your attempts to moderate or stop on your own like?
6. What was it like when you hit your most painful bottom?
7. How did you first seek help? What was your introduction to GAA like?
8. What were your struggles in early recovery?
9. What suggestions or bits of wisdom helped you the most?
10. What are some of the successes and improvements you've most enjoyed in recovery?
Purpose. The purpose of the stories is to get through to the newcomer, who is invariably clouded in denial. Recovery fellowships get through to new people by sharing personal stories that clearly show the thinking, attitudes, behavior patterns and resulting problems to which a fellow gaming addict cannot help but relate. The stories demonstrate the unmanageability and powerlessness to get addiction under control. Note that most of the suggested topics below are in this vein.
Length. As short as 1000 words, up to 3000 words, ideally somewhere in the middle.
Length of game-free time. We’re soliciting stories from people with at least six months of game-free time.
Anonymity and background details. Stories will not include anyone’s real names. Otherwise, stay as anonymous as you want. You can leave out any identifying information if you are concerned about your anonymity.
Control over your work. You can make as many revisions as necessary and only the Literature Committee will see your work during that process. We will not circulate the stories in any way until you give permission for a specific draft of your story. You have complete control over what is included for the initial story, the revision phase, and the final draft submitted for approval process. You can make changes at any point before formal GSC approval.
Editing. If you don’t feel confident as a writer, that’s fine. Feel free to submit rough drafts for experienced writers to edit and fix up.
Long term vision. It will be very helpful if stories reinforce the long term vision of in-person fellowship. Let's focus on our friendships, recovery buddies and sponsors, on our growth, changes in attitude, and on practicing the principles of the program.
Examples. For examples of recovery stories, AA's Big Book and NA's Basic Text have many examples. They're available online at http://www.aa.org/bigbookonline/en_personalstories.cfm and http://www.capitalareancna.com/uploads/ ... nymous.pdf.
Storytelling. Readers are drawn in by a personal story that reveals intimate details (such as inner thoughts and personal difficulties) and includes good-old-fashioned storytelling with specifics. To engage newcomers (whose scattered game-obsessed thinking may make reading very difficult) through all of the story's lessons beginning to end, let's be sure to include details, vulnerability and revealing honesty.
Openness to inspiration. Most importantly, please write as your inner compass guides you. Pausing for a brief meditation or prayer before writing can open us to inspiration. Spiritual guidance is more important than any of the other suggestions.
Start now. Anyone with three months or more of game-free time can begin this writing (even if not submitted until later.) Let's gift our fellowship with the most valuable asset we gained from addiction: a story that helps newcomers lower their defenses and break through their own denial.
Possible questions to consider while writing. These are suggestions only.
1. Can you share a brief introduction of yourself and your early days of gaming?
2. How did your gaming escalate? What problems resulted and how did they escalate? Did you lose relationships, jobs, health, self-respect, morals, values, boundaries?
3. What were your thinking and attitudes around gaming like?
4. How would you describe your obsession with gaming and your compulsion to play more and more?
5. What were your attempts to moderate or stop on your own like?
6. What was it like when you hit your most painful bottom?
7. How did you first seek help? What was your introduction to GAA like?
8. What were your struggles in early recovery?
9. What suggestions or bits of wisdom helped you the most?
10. What are some of the successes and improvements you've most enjoyed in recovery?