I just got the following email from Common Ties, a publisher of personal stories. I’ve been published on Common Ties twice, so I know they’re legit.
Common Ties is introducing a new section, 20 Questions, through which we encourage people to share their answers in the form of 50-words-or-less snippets. Our questions appear below; answers should be submitted to CT20Questions@gmail.com.
We pay for:
1. Answers ($50 per accepted answer)
2. Recordings ($50 per accepted recording; we will approach you if we want you to record your answer; recordings are optional)
3. Artwork ($50 to $100, though you can suggest another amount; people can submit artwork with their own answers or with answers that appear on the site; artwork is optional)
The questions.
1. What door do you wish you never opened?
2. What is your most obsessive thought?
3. Where is your favorite place in the world, and why?
4. What’s the one thing your parents don’t understand about you?
5. If you could relive a single day or moment, what would it be?
6. What were the strangest circumstances under which you have been intimate?
7. Under what circumstances have you been closest to death?
8. What is the most gracious act of kindness you have witnessed?
9. What is the worst betrayal you have ever experienced?
10. What is the most bizarre thing you have seen or done?
11. What is the greatest risk you have ever taken?
12. What is your earliest, most vivid memory?
13. What is the most meaningful “I love you” someone has said to you, or that you have said to someone else?
14. What was the single most terrifying moment of your life?
15. If you have experienced a moment of sudden faith or loss of faith, what prompted it?
16. If you could take back one thing you have done, what would it be?
17. What is your greatest talent or accomplishment?
18. What is the most joyful moment you have experienced?
19. What is the most painful moment you have experienced?
20. Open Question: Submit your own question and answer.
Editor | Common Ties
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
I got this email, too. I’m going to do this one. Just debating on how much I’m going to share in my answers ;0)
Smiles,
Michele
Amy,
Thanks for this great info! I’ll definitely have to give this some thought. There’s got to be something I can contribute to 20 Questions!
Great way to pick up a few extra bucks on the side! Why, entire articles often pay less than Common Ties pays for these 50-word answers!
Thanks again for sharing this opportunity with us!
Jeanne
Hi Michele,
I think they sent it out to everyone who has ever been published on their site.
Are you going to answer ALL the questions?? I couldn’t even find one I wanted to answer. LOL I guess I’m better at the story themes.
Enjoy your Sunday.
Hi Jeanne,
In case you aren’t familiar with Common Ties, they publish longer personal stories, too.
Good luck! If you submit and they publish one of your answers, let me know so I can read it.
Hmm… am I braver than I originally thought? I’ve considered answering ALL of them (although I might chicken out and use a pseudonym!)
*Giggles*
Michele
My understanding is that they’ll only be posting one answer at a time per person, so answering them all might be a huge waste of time. Maybe I’m reading it wrong?
Well, I assumed you could answer all or as many as you wanted to. Hmm… Maybe I should ask?
I’ve already answered a few, but dare I submit them
Smiles,
Michele
Well, it doesn’t really matter to me, since I don’t plan to answer any of them — although maybe I’ll change my mind at some point.
I’d say go ahead and submit whatever you want. You could always use a pen name.
This is true… Hope you’re having a great Sunday
I’ve only pulled out a third of my hair so far, so that’s pretty good I guess.
Hope you are, too!
Aw, poor thing! Other than a headache (detoxing again), I guess I can’t complain
Most days I’m closer to the 1/2 ratio, so 1/3 isn’t too bad. I haven’t been brave enough to try the detoxing yet. I think I’ll save that for a week when I don’t have major PMS, lest loved ones be forced to go into hiding.
Do wait on the detoxing. I don’t want to cause harm to your loved ones
Or the paper boy. He was five minutes from getting smacked this morning.
Whoa, Nellie! Go to celestialseasonings.com and order you some Tension Tamer tea–relax
A cup of hot bliss…
I actually have some of that. Doesn’t work for me. Unless of course tension is tamed by urinating every three minutes.
Will do, Amy! (written with fingers crossed behind back)
I am familiar with Common Ties and have, in fact, posted about the site as a potential market for Writer’s Notes readers–though I wasn’t aware of the 20 Questions project until I read about it on your blog. (Thanks, again for the tip!)
I’ve submitted to Common Ties (twice, I think), but have yet to have a story accepted. The pieces submitted were more general narratives, which I’d previously written, as opposed to actual creative non-fiction stories tailored to the market and containing all the elements of good fiction, which is, I assume, the reason they weren’t purchased. When I have the time, I’ll have to try writing something better-tailored to their guidelines.
Take care!
Jeanne
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