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To friends of Open Space,

After a long pause when life seemed to be especially chaotic, we’d like to revive our STORIES Newsletter, an occasional online newsletter about Open Space. The world has only gotten more chaotic—and perhaps that is what stirs our hunger to be in closer touch with friends and colleagues around the world.

What are you holding space for, these days? Holding the cauldron for deep change, or weaving together the frayed edges of the everyday? In my own work, I am astonished at the far-reaching power of small changes, well-done.

Tell us your stories; we will send them winging out into the world.

Joelle Everett


CALL FOR STORIES:

The Open Space Institute-USA invites you to share your experiences in Open Space via our online newsletter. We're gathering materials now for an early-spring issue.

To have your story in the next issue, please contact Joelle Everett, jleshelton@aol.com or phone 360-426-8517 (PST) by May 6 and let us know what you are writing for this spring issue. Reply to me, not to the OSList.

We are looking for first-hand accounts of Open Space experiences that you have facilitated or taken part in. The guidelines might prompt your memory.

GUIDELINES FOR STORIES:

What--Theme of your Open Space?

Process. Was it a "by-the-book" OS?

OS combined with other processes?

Who--Client. If your client is willing to be identified, great. If not, keep the name confidential and briefly describe the type of organization. Please get written permission to use a client's name.

People Involved. Your Open Space may include a whole corporation, a single department, a community group--let us know.

When--Anything about the schedule or timing which made a special contribution?

Where--In what country, community, type of organization did this take place? For colleagues in the contracting stage of a project, it can be helpful for the client to know that OS has been successful in Austria, or in a small town, in a public school or a large corporation.

Why--did you and your client say "yes" to an Open Space event?

Summary--the rest of the story. Outcomes, special moments, what made it successful for your client, or . . .

OTHER MATERIALS:

In addition to stories from Open Space, we'd like to include shorter pieces: poems, short essays, vignettes (mini-stories that relate an anecdote or observation from Open Space). Original materials, please. Call or email if you have questions.

MATERIALS IN OTHER LANGUAGES:

We will publish stories in languages other than English. Please provide an English translation of the title. If a translation of the whole story is available, we will put it on the website, with a link from the newsletter. We may be able to help you find a translator--email and ask. I'm an unreliable editor in languages I don't know, so please ask a friend to check your story for small errors.

TRANSLATION:

If you are willing and able to do an occasional translation, let us know.

RIGHTS TO PUBLISHED MATERIALS:

Rights to materials belong to their authors. Your story might be lightly edited. Because the newsletter is online, we expect stories to be copied. We will request that readers include the author's name and source information when they copy a piece. If there are constraints on copying a particular story, provide that information and we will publish it.

IMPORTANT DEADLINES:

May 6 --Let us know if you want your story in this issue.

May 20 --Email all materials for this issue on or before this date.

Between issues, material may be submitted at any time, clearly marked "OSI Online Newsletter." Submitted material may be published immediately or held for a future issue. Stories may receive minor editing.

REGIONAL CONTACTS:

To assure that the newsletter is the voice of worldwide Open Space, keep us posted on events in your region. When colleagues tell you about a great OS they're working on, encourage them to write and submit the story.

We'd like to hear your thoughts and ideas about this online newsletter.

Please email all materials for the newsletter to jleshelton@aol.com and copy usa@openspaceworld.org marking "OSI Online Newsletter" on the subject line.

To be added to the mailing list for STORIES, email Peggy Holman at mailto:usa@openspaceworld.org.

 Joelle Lyons Everett, editor 
 mailto:jleshelton@aol.com

 Peggy Holman, publisher
 mailto:peggy@opencirclecompany.com