Author Instructions
Thank you for writing an IfYoureReadingThis letter! By putting forth these open letters, we hope to improve student mental health and decrease suicide rates on campus. How? By creating community, fostering peer support, promoting radical empathy, and reminding each other that none of us are alone. Below are the step-by-step instructions for becoming an IfYoureReadingThis author.
Step 1: Write your letter.
Letters can be written about any topic or in any format you’d like. They should offer some kind of support, comfort, or guidance for peers at your university. They may also advocate for the change you hope to see on campus.
You don’t need to share your own experience with mental health – simply write an open message of support to your friends and peers! We’ve provided prompts down below if you need something to help get the creative juices flowing.
All letters should start with an “If you’re reading this” opening line. They are usually about 1 page in length.
Step 2: Submit your letter.
Either via our Submit website page or email it directly to your campus’s chapter president.
Step 3: Photo time.
If you are on campus, schedule with your on campus photographer (and receive a free headshot!).
If you are not on campus, send in 3+ photo options via email. They do not have to be professional headshots, but they certainly can be. Photos should be the largest size/highest quality available and be uncropped and without filters. (Our photographers will handle getting them website-ready.) Here are examples of self-submitted photos: 1, 2, 3, 4.
Step 4: Celebrate your impact!
Follow us on social media to see your letter featured and share your letter with your own community!
Bonus: Represent your new status as a member of the IYRT Authors Guild with our author-exclusive shirt/sweatshirt.
Thank you for helping us improve mental health on campus. Your words have the power to make a profound difference in someone’s life, and we’re so excited to share them with our community.
Need help thinking of a topic?
No problem; we got you
Letter Prompts
The IYRT original: Too often, when we lose community members and loved ones to suicide, we lament about the things we wish we would have said if we had known that they were struggling with their mental health. Imagine that you’re told a friend is struggling with their mental health, and you are given the opportunity to talk to them about it. What would you say?
What piece of advice would you give to your younger self regarding mental health?
What is the best advice you’ve ever received about mental wellness?
What do you use to cope with life’s challenges? Is there a habit, practice, or hobby that changed the game for you regarding your own mental health? How can others get started and try it too?
Who keeps you grounded when life takes a toll on your mental health? Write an open thank you letter to them.
What has your journey with mental health been like thus far? What do you hope others take away from your journey?
What was your first experience with mental health (whether you understood it at the time or not)?
How have people around you supported you during hard times?
Is there an event or situation that completely changed your outlook on mental health/wellness? What happened, and how did it change you for the better? What can others learn from your experience?
What moments in your mental health journey make you feel proud? Take a moment to reflect on the challenges you’ve faced and the strength you’ve shown. Share the wins (big or small) that have brought you to where you are today.
What quote or saying/mantra do you say to yourself that calms, centers, or helps you cope with hard times? Where does it come from? What does it mean to you, and how does it help?
Is there a song, poem, movie, book, podcast, food, piece of art, or place that gets you through tough times? How does it better your mental health?