SUBMISSIONS & CONTRIBUTOR POLICY

Last updated: January 15, 2026

The Third Boundary exists to document how people experience encounters with the unexplained. This policy explains how submissions are handled, edited, and potentially used.

By submitting an encounter or story to The Third Boundary—whether through a form or by email—you agree to the terms below.

What You May Submit

You may submit:

  • personal encounter accounts

  • remembered experiences

  • childhood memories

  • field observations

  • related media (images, audio, documents)

Submissions should be truthful as remembered and submitted in good faith. You do not need to explain, justify, or prove what you experienced.

Ownership of Your Experience

You retain ownership of your personal experience and the story you submit.

Submitting content to The Third Boundary does not transfer ownership of your experience.

Editorial Rights Granted

By submitting content, you grant The Third Boundary a non-exclusive, perpetual, royalty-free right to:

  • review and evaluate submissions

  • edit for clarity, length, and readability

  • remove or alter identifying details

  • publish the submission on the website

  • archive submissions, whether published or not

Editing will not be done to sensationalize or distort the experience, but to preserve clarity and emotional truth.

Anonymity & Privacy

We respect contributor privacy.

Unless otherwise agreed:

  • names will not be published

  • exact locations may be generalized

  • identifying details may be altered or removed

You may request anonymity at the time of submission.

Adaptations & Future Use 

Submitted encounters may inspire or be adapted into:

  • Campfire Stories

  • editorial features

  • literary or fictionalized adaptations

  • books or publications affiliated with The Third Boundary

These adaptations:

  • are interpretive, not verbatim

  • may alter names, locations, timelines, or details

  • are intended to preserve emotional and experiential truth

  • will not be presented as direct testimony

Adaptations may be written in a narrative or fictionalized form and published independently of the original submission.

Attribution

By default:

  • submissions are published anonymously or with a first name or initials only

If attribution is desired, it must be explicitly requested and approved.

No Guarantee of Publication

Submission does not guarantee:

  • publication

  • response

  • feedback

We reserve the right to decline submissions for any reason, including but not limited to:

  • fabricated content

  • harmful speculation

  • violations of community standards

  • submissions outside the scope of the project

Compensation

Submissions are voluntary.

No compensation is provided unless explicitly agreed to in writing in advance.

Withdrawal of Consent

If you wish to withdraw a submission before publication, contact us as soon as possible.

If a submission has already been published or adapted:

  • we will make reasonable efforts to remove or anonymize the original submission

  • adapted or derivative works may remain published, as they are distinct editorial or literary works

Community Standards

The Third Boundary is committed to respectful treatment of contributors and readers.

We do not tolerate:

  • ridicule of personal experiences

  • harassment

  • exploitation of trauma

  • aggressive belief enforcement or debunking

Moderation decisions are made to protect contributors and the integrity of the site.

Contact

Questions about submissions or this policy may be directed to:
[email protected]