The Reason Behind The Writing Competition

Since 2015, the American Association of Suicidology, in collaboration with the QPR Institute, has invited individuals with suicide-centered lived experience to share personal essays that reflect on their experiences with suicidal thoughts, suicide attempt(s), healing, hope, and the meaning they have found through their journey. These essays recognize that lived experience is a powerful form of expertise and that, when shared responsibly, personal stories can educate others, reduce stigma, strengthen human connection, encourage help-seeking, and inspire life-saving conversations.

The competition honors authentic narratives that move beyond recounting a suicidal crisis to offer reflection, insight, and understanding. By elevating diverse lived experience voices, we seek to deepen public understanding of suicide, foster compassion, promote hope, and contribute to more informed, person-centered suicide prevention efforts. Every story has the potential to remind someone they are not alone, that support is available, and that hope is possible.

Voices of Hope

Hear directly from this year's winners as they share the inspiration behind their essays, the importance of responsibly sharing lived experience, and their message of hope for others.

Submission Guidelines

Eligibility

The Paul G. Quinnett Lived Experience Writing Competition is open to individuals with suicide-centered lived experience, specifically those with lived experience of suicidal ideation and/or suicide attempt(s). Essays should be original personal narratives that reflect the impact of these experiences and are shared from a place of reflection and perspective. The strongest submissions demonstrate thoughtful insight and contribute to hope, understanding, and suicide prevention through responsible lived experience storytelling.

Previous participants are welcome to submit a new essay or resubmit a previously submitted entry. Previous first-, second-, and third-place winners are not eligible to submit new or previously submitted entries.

The Paul G. Quinnett Lived Experience Writing Competition is committed to elevating diverse voices and perspectives. We welcome submissions from individuals of all backgrounds and strongly encourage participation from communities whose voices have historically been underrepresented in conversations about mental health and suicide prevention, including people with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and those who have experienced harm within mental health systems.

In the spirit of Dr. Paul G. Quinnett's lifelong commitment to suicide prevention, this competition celebrates stories that remind us that hope can be shared, conversations can save lives, and lived experience has the power to create meaningful change.

Awards & Recognition

The top three submissions will be recognized annually.

Each winner will receive a cash award, a commemorative plaque, and recognition through the American Association of Suicidology (AAS) and the QPR Institute, including publication on both organizations' websites, social media platforms, newsletters, and other promotional and educational materials.

Winning essays will be featured on the AAS and QPR Institute websites and displayed during the AAS Annual Conference.

Winners will be honored during the AAS Annual Conference Awards Ceremony, where they will be invited to join AAS and QPR Institute leadership on stage to accept their award and share brief acceptance remarks.

To help celebrate and amplify their stories, winners may also be invited to participate in a short video interview or provide a brief recorded message for use on the AAS and QPR Institute websites, social media channels, and other educational or promotional platforms.

Attendance at the AAS Annual Conference is highly encouraged and strongly preferred to fully participate in the recognition experience. If attending, winners will receive conference registration and one night's hotel accommodations.

Funding for the competition supports prize awards, recognition activities, and administrative costs associated with the competition.

Judging Process

Submissions are reviewed through a double-blind evaluation process. Neither entrants nor judges are informed of participant identities during the review process. Each submission is independently evaluated by at least two volunteer judges who are randomly assigned.

The judging panel includes professional writers, writing instructors, suicide prevention professionals, members and leaders of the professional lived experience community, and past winners of the Paul G. Quinnett Lived Experience Writing Competition. Together, judges bring expertise in writing, suicide prevention, and responsibly shared suicide-centered lived experience to ensure a thoughtful, fair, and well-rounded evaluation of each submission.

Evaluation Criteria

Submissions are evaluated using a published judging rubric that considers the following:

• Quality of writing, including organization, clarity, and overall readability.
• Authenticity and reflection, demonstrating thoughtful insight and responsible sharing of suicide-centered lived experience.
• Contribution to suicide prevention by fostering understanding, reducing stigma, encouraging help-seeking, and promoting hope through meaningful storytelling.
• Overall impact, including the essay's ability to educate, inspire, and contribute to a broader understanding of suicide-centered lived experience.

Waiver & Confidentiality

Authors retain ownership and copyright of their original work. If selected as a finalist or winner, authors grant the American Association of Suicidology (AAS) and the QPR Institute permission to reproduce, publish, and distribute their essay, in whole or in part, for educational, promotional, and recognition purposes, as outlined in the Publication and Recognition Consent.

To preserve the integrity of the judging process, all submissions are reviewed through a double-blind process. Identifying information, including the names of individuals and organizations, is removed prior to review whenever possible. Authors are encouraged to carefully consider the inclusion of identifying details, as winning submissions may be published on the AAS and QPR Institute websites and shared through other educational, promotional, and conference materials.

To learn more about the Paul G. Quinnett Lived Experience Writing Competition and the American Association of Suicidology (AAS), visit the AAS Writing Competition page.