GET REAL ABOUT™ STORY SUBMISSION TERMS
Effective Date: August 1, 2026
Thank you for sharing your story with GET REAL ABOUT™.
We believe some of the most meaningful conversations begin when someone is willing to say, This happened to me, too.
We are honored that you are considering trusting us with your story. Before submitting, please read the following Story Submission Terms carefully. By submitting a story, essay, photograph, video, audio recording, or other material (“Submission”) to GET REAL ABOUT™, you acknowledge and agree to these terms.
1. YOUR STORY REMAINS YOURS
You retain ownership and copyright in the original material you submit.
Submitting your story does not transfer ownership of your work to GET REAL ABOUT™ or GET REAL ABOUT COLLECTIVE LLC.
Your submission gives us permission to review and consider your material for possible publication, sharing, or inclusion in a GET REAL ABOUT™ project.
2. SUBMISSION DOES NOT GUARANTEE PUBLICATION
We appreciate every person who takes the time to share a story with us, but we cannot guarantee that every Submission will be selected, published, featured, or responded to.
Because of the volume of submissions we may receive, we may not be able to provide individual feedback or updates regarding the status of a Submission. Please keep a copy of everything you submit. We are not responsible for maintaining or returning submitted materials.
3. IF WE WOULD LIKE TO PUBLISH YOUR STORY
If your Submission is being considered for substantial publication in a GET REAL ABOUT™ book or another project requiring additional publication rights, we may contact you for additional information, fact-checking, editing, permissions, photographs, or a separate contributor or publication agreement. That agreement may address publication rights, compensation, attribution, editing, promotional use, and other terms applicable to that particular project.
Submitting your story alone does not guarantee compensation. Any payment, complimentary products, contributor copies, royalties, or other compensation, if offered, will be explained before publication or in a separate written agreement.
4. PERMISSION TO REVIEW AND FEATURE SUBMISSIONS
By submitting material through the GET REAL ABOUT™ website, you grant GET REAL ABOUT COLLECTIVE LLC a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to receive, store, review, evaluate, reproduce internally, and otherwise use your Submission as reasonably necessary for the submission and editorial review process.
You also give us permission to contact you regarding your Submission and possible GET REAL ABOUT™ opportunities.
We will not publish your complete story in a book or other substantial commercial publication solely because you submitted it through this form. If additional publication rights are needed, we may contact you and request a separate written agreement.
5. YOU MUST HAVE THE RIGHT TO SHARE IT
By submitting material, you represent that:
• You are the author or creator of the Submission, or you have all necessary rights and permissions to submit it.
• To the best of your knowledge, the Submission is truthful and accurate when presented as a true personal story.
• Your Submission does not knowingly infringe another person's copyright, trademark, privacy, publicity, or other legal rights.
• You have not copied or plagiarized material belonging to someone else.
• You have disclosed any previous publication of the Submission when requested.
• You are at least 18 years old, or a parent or legal guardian is submitting or providing consent on your behalf.
6. STORIES ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE
Real stories usually involve real people. If your Submission discusses another identifiable person, please be thoughtful about that person's privacy, particularly when your story involves sensitive subjects such as grief, illness, relationships, divorce, abuse, addiction, mental health, medical information, family conflict, children, finances, or other deeply personal experiences.
We may ask you to change names, remove identifying details, obtain permission, provide documentation, or make other edits before publication. GET REAL ABOUT™ reserves the right to decline any Submission that we believe creates privacy, safety, legal, ethical, or editorial concerns.
7. CHILDREN AND MINORS
Please use particular care when submitting stories, photographs, videos, or other information involving children under 18.
We may require written permission from a parent or legal guardian before publishing material that identifies or depicts a minor.
We may also change names or identifying details when we believe doing so is appropriate.
8. EDITING
If your Submission is selected, GET REAL ABOUT™ may suggest edits for length, grammar, spelling, clarity, style, sensitivity, privacy, or consistency with the particular project. For substantial publication, any applicable approval process will be addressed with you before publication or in the contributor agreement for that project. Our goal is to preserve the heart and authenticity of your story while presenting it clearly and responsibly.
9. ATTRIBUTION AND PRIVACY
We understand that some stories are deeply personal. Depending upon the project, contributors may be identified by their full name, first name, initials, a pseudonym, or anonymously. If you have privacy concerns, please tell us when you submit your story. We will consider requests for anonymity or the use of a pseudonym, although we cannot guarantee that every request can be accommodated.
Changing a name does not always guarantee anonymity, particularly when other details in a story could identify you or someone else.
10. SIMILAR STORIES AND IDEAS
Life has a way of giving different people surprisingly similar experiences. By submitting material, you understand that GET REAL ABOUT™ may already be developing or may later develop books, articles, stories, courses, podcasts, videos, resources, programs, or other content involving themes, experiences, concepts, titles, ideas, or subject matter similar to those contained in your Submission. You agree that the mere similarity of another GET REAL ABOUT™ project, story, concept, theme, or idea does not establish that your Submission was copied or used. Copyright protects original expression, not general ideas, themes, experiences, or concepts.
11. SENSITIVE CONTENT
GET REAL ABOUT™ exists to have honest conversations about real life, and sometimes real life is complicated, painful, messy, heartbreaking, funny, hopeful, or all of those things at once. We welcome honest storytelling, but we reserve the right not to publish material that we believe contains unlawful content, hate speech, threats, harassment, gratuitously graphic material, intentionally false or misleading information, or content that could create unreasonable legal, privacy, or safety concerns.
12. NO CONFIDENTIAL RELATIONSHIP
Please do not submit information that you are legally required to keep confidential. Submitting material does not create an attorney-client, therapist-client, physician-patient, fiduciary, or other confidential or professional relationship between you and GET REAL ABOUT™, GET REAL ABOUT COLLECTIVE LLC, Jennifer Barrette, or any GET REAL ABOUT™ contributor, expert, employee, contractor, or representative.
13. PERSONAL INFORMATION
Information submitted through our website will be handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy. We may use the contact information you provide to communicate with you regarding your Submission, obtain additional information, discuss publication opportunities, or administer the submission process.
14. WITHDRAWING A SUBMISSION
If you decide that you no longer want your Submission considered, please contact us at [SUBMISSIONS EMAIL] and include your name, the title of your Submission, and the email address used when submitting it. We will make reasonable efforts to remove the Submission from future consideration. However, withdrawal may not be possible once material has entered production, been published, or become subject to a separate signed publication agreement.
15. SUBMISSION IS VOLUNTARY
You understand that submitting your story is voluntary. Unless GET REAL ABOUT™ enters into a separate written agreement with you providing otherwise, you are not entitled to payment, royalties, fees, or other compensation simply because you submitted material or because we reviewed or considered it.
16. OUR RIGHT TO DECLINE
GET REAL ABOUT™ reserves the right, in its sole editorial discretion, to accept, reject, remove from consideration, or decline to publish any Submission for any reason. We are under no obligation to explain an editorial decision or provide feedback regarding a Submission.
17. GOVERNING LAW
These Story Submission Terms are governed by the laws of the State of California, without regard to conflict-of-law principles.
Any additional rights or obligations relating to a Submission selected for substantial publication may be governed by the separate written agreement entered into between the contributor and GET REAL ABOUT COLLECTIVE LLC.
18. AGREEMENT TO THESE TERMS
By checking the acknowledgment box and submitting your material, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to these Story Submission Terms. You also confirm that the information you have provided is accurate to the best of your knowledge and that you have the right to submit the material.
Thank you for trusting us with your story. Real life gives us plenty to talk about. Sometimes sharing what we've lived through helps someone else understand what they're going through, find the words for something they haven't been able to say, or simply realize:
I'm not the only one.
That's why we're here.