Call for Submissions for D.A. Publications
We’d like to express gratitude to the many members who have shared their stories to help build our library of recovery literature. Their service continues to reach still-suffering debtors. This is an opportunity for you to share your own story to carry the message of D.A. recovery.
We invite you to submit your story via our easy-to-use
We are currently only able to accept stories written in Word format (.docx, or .doc). Many types of word processing software offer this format for saving documents.
In order to complete the form, you must sign an Assignment of Rights. We cannot consider your story for publication without a signed Assignment of Rights. Here is a copy of the AoR so you can see what you will need to sign. Downloadable Assignment of Rights
Note: a version of the form is available for electronic online signature, so you don’t need to print, sign and scan the form.
Please read on for more information about the types of stories we are looking for at the moment:
Recovery Stories needed for the Debtors Anonymous Basic Text
The GSB Literature Publications and Literature Services Committees are asking members to submit their recovery stories for possible inclusion in the “Member Stories” section of the Basic Text of Debtors Anonymous.
Our hope is that the recovery stories will reflect a rich variety and range of recovery experiences in Debtors Anonymous.
- Submitters will need to identify as “compulsive debtors” or “debtors” in order to be consistent with D.A.’s primary purpose, which is to “not incur unsecured debt.”
- Members are welcome to identify and highlight symptoms of debting in their personal stories (underearning and compulsive spending, for example).
All submissions should be in MS Word format only.
Please include your full name, email address and phone number.
All personal information will be kept confidential.
Download an informational flyer here.
Please share this information with other members and at meetings.
Other Publications Open for Submissions:
Voices in D.A. Recovery: Health Issues
While sharing your D.A. health issues story (health issues include chronic physical and/or mental health conditions and/or other disabilities), you may want to address some of the following points:
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What specific chronic health issues* or other disabilities** do you have and how have you navigated these, using the Steps, Tools, and principles of D.A. recovery?
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Is medical debt a part of your D.A. story? If so, please share your experience working with this type of debt in D.A. and what has helped you address it.
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Do your health issues or other disabilities affect your ability to earn, to participate in your recovery, to attend meetings regularly, and/or to stay solvent?
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What have been your challenges in finding serenity and solvency with your health issues or other disabilities?
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How have you used D.A.’s Steps and Tools to remain solvent?
* Chronic health issues include, but are not limited to, autoimmune illnesses, allergies, asthma, bipolar disorder, cancer, chemical sensitivities, chronic fatigue, chronic pain, depression, diabetes, fibromyalgia, hepatitis, and HIV.
** A disability is any condition that significantly impacts a major life activity. These can include impairments of vision, hearing, mobility, thinking, and/or loss of a limb, among other conditions.
Voices in D.A. Recovery: Couples & Relationships
While sharing your D.A. couples and relationships story, you may want to address some of the following points:
- What specific relationship issues have you experienced and how have you navigated these particular issues using the steps, principles, and tools of D.A. recovery?
- Is your partner or spouse also in D.A. recovery? If so, please share your experience working the program together and/or separately and the benefits of both.
- If your partner or spouse isn’t in D.A., how have you managed to stay solvent with or without blended finances?
- Have you ever received or given a couples PRG?
- What have been your challenges in finding serenity and solvency with your relationship issues in regards to D.A.?
- How have you used D.A.’s tools and steps to remain solvent in your relationship?
- Are you in a non-traditional relationship or arrangement that has come with its own unique challenges to D.A. recovery? How have you navigated these challenges?
Voices in D.A. Recovery: Black Voices
At the 2019 World Service Conference in Los Angeles, the Convocation passed a motion to approve the concept of developing a pamphlet entitled “D.A. Voices from the Black Community.” Its mission statement is to “Give voice to the voiceless by bringing the message of D.A. to the Black debtor who still suffers.”
Voices in D.A Recovery: Relapse Experiences
While sharing your D.A. relapse experiences story, you may want to address some of the following points:
- What specific relapse issues have you experienced and how have you navigated these particular issues using the steps, principles, and tools of D.A. recovery?
- How has relapse informed your current D.A. recovery?
- What were some of the thoughts that preceded your relapse and how have you managed to do things differently this time around?
- How has your experience with relapse helped you to be more effective when working with others and being of service in D.A.?
- Do you or did you ever identify as a “chronic relapser”? If so, what ultimately helped you to maintain consistent solvency?
Voices in D.A. Recovery: Retirement
While sharing your D.A. retirement story, you may want to address some of the following points:
- What does retirement mean to you?
- Do you have a vision for retirement?
- Are you someone living a vision in retirement?
- What have been your challenges in taking the financial leap into retirement?
- How have you used D.A.’s tools and steps to remain solvent in retirement, for example, by taking part-time employment?
- Did you come to D.A. later in life? What has that experience been like for you and how has it given you a new outlook on your next chapter?
- Have you chosen not to retire in order to stay solvent or because continuing to work is a part of your vision later in life?
- How has the aging process changed your relationship to earning, solvency, service, and recovery?
- What do you wish you’d known about the aging process and/or retirement when you first got to D.A.?
Voices in D.A. Recovery: Young People
Stories of D.A. members who are under 40, or who came into D.A. when they were under 40 years of age.
While sharing your D.A. young person story, you may want to address some of the following points:
- What specific debting issues have you experienced as a young person and how have you navigated these particular issues using the steps, principles, and tools of D.A. recovery?
- Where have you found other young people in D.A. recovery and how has building relationships with other young people helped to inform and strengthen your recovery?
- Do you ever feel apart from in D.A. meetings when people are talking about retirement and other issues related to aging? How have you “listened for the similarities” and in what ways are you able to feel more a part of when these things come up?
- What have been your challenges in finding serenity and solvency with issues specific to your age in regards to D.A.?
Voices in D.A. Recovery: Business Owners
The WSC BDA committee is calling for stories focused on Business Debtors Anonymous to be included in our literature. We would love to hear your story!
Here are some guidelines to keep in mind:
- Please keep your story under 1500 words
- We ask that you share your experience, strength, and hope from a D.A. perspective about how your business has been an integral part of your recovery.
- Please share a bit about your background in business as it relates to B.D.A., while still maintaining your anonymity.
Optional points to include in your story:
- How your business has helped you to fulfill the promises of D.A.
- How you use the D.A./B.D.A. tools in your business.
- How you take a spiritual approach in your business.
Voices in D.A. Recover: Experiences of Being Unhoused
The Unhoused project endeavors to explore the intersections of financial insecurity and fear of being unhoused/homeless and the relationship between experiences of being unhoused and compulsive debting.
The focus of this Voices literature is to illuminate the underlying and unspoken factors that may lead a debtor to become unhoused. This is a taboo subject even within the walls of recovery in D.A. and the undisclosed experience of a debtor can perpetuate shame.
Because the experiences of this community are not reflected in the current literature, people who have had this experience, may be currently having this experience, or are in fear of becoming unhoused may be in grave danger of losing their solvency which may lead to homelessness and shame.
Suggested maximum length: 1500 words
Voices in D.A. Recover: Gender Identity and Debt
Do you identify as gender-nonconforming, non-binary or transgender?
D.A. WANTS TO HEAR YOUR VOICE!
D.A. is preparing a new “Voices” pamphlet with stories from members whose gender identity differs from the sex they were assigned at birth.
You are invited to submit your story.
At the 2025 Debtors Anonymous World Service Conference, the Convocation approved the development of a pamphlet outline on Gender Identity and Debt: “Voices of Gender-expansive Debtors”. In the interest of making D.A. safe and inclusive for all members, we propose a pamphlet containing stories on issues that directly affect the gender-expansive community. Stories might address gender-affirming care expenses, housing insecurity, employment, spirituality and risk of suicide
Our hope is that these recovery stories will help to reflect a diversity of paths to a serene and solvent recovery. This is our Step-12 work as a fellowship: helping to make D.A. more inclusive by carrying the message to the debtor who still suffers. We welcome the experience, strength and hope from ‘gender-expansive’ members throughout the world.
GUIDELINES FOR SUBMITTING YOUR STORY:
Your submission should observe D.A.’s Twelve Traditions and be written in the first person: ‘When I first came to D.A. ….’ Submissions will be anonymized for the final publication. The D.A. GSB reserves the right to edit your work where necessary.
You may want to address some of the following points:
❖ What was your life like before D.A.?
❖ What brought you into the program?
❖ What was your experience coming into D.A.?
❖ What are your experiences with incurring unsecured debt with earning?
❖ What have been your challenges in recovery? ❖ How has D.A. changed your life?
❖ How have you used D.A.’s tools and steps to remain solvent and to have an abundant and prosperous life?
Please keep your story under 1500 words