Are you passionate about storytelling? Do you have a fresh and personal perspective on how people take part in civic life? The INTERFACED project invites you to share your voice and help us explore how participation, democracy, and community are evolving throughout Europe and beyond. We’re looking for original, engaging fictional stories that capture the realities, challenges, and hopes of people navigating a rapidly changing social and political landscape. Your narrative could help shape how researchers, policymakers, and communities understand participation today.
Edgeryders’ Role
Selected stories may also be featured in the Witness universe—our collaborative science fiction worldbuilding project, where your vision can inspire and interact with a growing community of speculative fiction writers and thinkers.
Ideal Candidate Profile
We are seeking freelance writers based in Austria, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Romania, or Tunisia who are passionate about writing stories of participation, civic life, and democracy. Ideal contributors will have:
A strong interest in social issues, community, and civic engagement
The ability to craft engaging, original narratives (personal stories, fiction, or creative non-fiction)
Native or fluent proficiency in the relevant country language(s) and good English skills
A proactive, ethical approach and the ability to work independently
Why Participate?
Get Published: Selected stories will be featured on the INTERFACED and Edgeryders platforms, and included in our final printed publication reaching researchers and communities across Europe.
Turn Stories into Impact: Your contribution will help researchers and policymakers see the human side of democracy, making your story part of the evidence that shapes future decisions.
Monetary Award: Selected story will receive a 300€ honorarium as recognition of your contribution. You need to be able to provide an invoice.
Be Heard: Selected stories will be presented at INTERFACED project events
Join a Community: Connect with a network of writers, researchers and changemakers
How to Apply
Write a draft: Prepare a draft or outline of your story (up to 500 words) inspired by the provided theme or prompts.
Submit your draft: Email your draft to bojan@edgeryders.eu, subject: “INTERFACED Call for Stories”, along with:
Proposed story title
A short description (1–3 sentences)
A short bio and relevant experience
Deadline: 30 November 2025(One entry per author)
Selection Process
A jury composed of Edgeryders team members and representatives from INTERFACED consortium partners will review submissions based on:
Originality and creativity
Relevance to the project’s themes
Narrative quality and impact
The best drafts will be selected. If your draft is chosen, you’ll be invited to complete and submit your full story (up to 3,000 words). Authors of selected drafts will receive further instructions and a deadline for submitting the complete story. Selected authors will be announced at the end of December 2025!
Compensation & In-Kind Benefits
Compensation: 300€ per published story
Commissions available: 4 paid contributions
In-kind benefits:
Your work featured in our final research publication
Opportunities to collaborate with an international, interdisciplinary research team
Contribution to research with real-world impact
Networking within the Edgeryders and INTERFACED communities
Public recognition and visibility for your work on our platforms
Potential for future paid collaborations
Terms
One-off freelance assignment with clear deliverables and deadlines
Payment upon acceptance and publication of the work
All work must be original and unpublished elsewhere
Join our community platform to connect with the team, ask questions, or discuss your ideas before applying. We welcome diverse perspectives and encourage you to reach out!
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