When we started Collaborist in 2022 the two things we were most excited about were helping people tell stories and building community. Since then we’ve worked with dozens of writers and story tellers to help them with their novels and memoirs and query letters and book proposals. We’ve also produced a podcast that has allowed us to develop relationships with people who would otherwise be strangers.

In 2025 we are going to do our best to expand our efforts with both, simultaneously.

Here’s the deal.

For every hour you volunteer in your community, we’ll volunteer one hour with you and your project up to five hours every six months.

Questions you might have –

Where do I have to volunteer?

Where you volunteer is up to you. Our preference would be that it is for a 501(c)(3). There are so many options available to us all to participate and help make the world a better and more compassionate place. Extroverted and love people? Feed people. Spend time with those who need company. Like your introverted spaces? Clean up parks. Play with dogs. Sort through donations with your headphones on. If you’re within driving distance and you need a volunteer buddy, let us know and maybe one of us will join with you. Find a cause that needs help and speaks to you and sign up. It’s that easy.

What can I exchange my volunteer hours for?

If you’re just starting out with your book, we can speak with you about your plot, character motivation, goals for the finished book, etc. If you’re already done with your novel and you want thoughts on the writing and the opening, we can read and discuss. Happy with the novel you’ve written, but intimidated by writing a query letter? We can work with you to put your best foot forward. These are just some of the ways we can help in exchange for your help.

How do I let you know I’ve volunteered?

Send an email to info@collaborist.org with “Community Building” in the subject line. Not sure what the best way of tracking all of this is, but for now what we’ll do is if you reach out to let us know we’ll deposit that hour in the bank. You can use it right away if you’d like or you can save the hours for use at a later time. At least until we figure out capacity issues, you’re able to claim up to five hours every six months.

I had a good time volunteering! I’m excited about an opportunity! Can I tell you about it?

Please! We’d love to know and highlight the good work people are doing in their communities. Feel free to send an email to info@collaborist.org with anything you’d like to share about your experience. Conceivably, we might read some of these on an episode of Collaborcast or social media so please let us know if you don’t want to be included there, how you would like to be identified, etc.

Why are you doing this? What’s the angle?

There isn’t an angle. We truly believe it’s important for people to be engaged with the world around them in meaningful ways. It’s how we do the human thing. It’s also a great way for writers to learn about the human experience in ways that expand perspective and compassion which means that it shows up in the writing and that’s what we hold dear with the written word.