Quick Summary
- Original work only—no plagiarism or uncredited AI-generated writing.
- Protect privacy—remove/alter identifying details; obtain consent if needed.
- Rights—you keep copyright; you grant us a non-exclusive license to publish.
- Transparency—disclose any AI assistance used for ideation or edits.
Not legal advice: These policies guide submissions to Prose For Patients and may be updated..
Copyright Policy
Ownership
- You retain full copyright to your work.
- By submitting, you grant Prose For Patients a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to publish, distribute, and promote your work in digital and (if selected) print formats.
Prior & Simultaneous Submissions
- We accept simultaneous submissions. Notify us immediately if your piece is accepted elsewhere.
- Tell us if the work has appeared publicly before (blogs, forums, social posts, or prior publication).
Reuse After Publication
- You may republish your piece after our first publication. We appreciate a line such as: “First published by Prose For Patients.”
Takedowns & Corrections
- Contact us for corrections or takedown requests (e.g., privacy concerns). We’ll review promptly.
AI & Plagiarism Policy
Originality Requirements Required
- Submit your original writing. Plagiarism (including close paraphrase) is prohibited.
- Do not submit text primarily generated by AI tools.
Permitted AI Assistance (With Disclosure)
- Light-touch support (e.g., brainstorming prompts, grammar suggestions) is allowed only if the final voice, structure, and ideas are yours.
- Disclose any AI assistance briefly in your submission form (e.g., “Used grammar suggestions”).
What’s Not Allowed
- Submitting AI-generated drafts as your own.
- Using AI to mimic another author’s style or to fabricate patient stories.
- Unattributed quotes or ideas from any source.
Verification & Consequences
- We may use plagiarism/AI-detection checks and request revisions or process notes.
- Violations may result in rejection, retraction, and/or future submission bans.
Privacy, Consent & Clinical Confidentiality
- De-identify all patient information: change names, ages, dates, room numbers, locations, and any specific details that could reveal identity.
- Consent: If a story could reasonably identify a person, obtain written permission or avoid submitting it.
- Composites: If combining experiences into a composite, say so in an author’s note upon acceptance.
- No clinical advice: Do not include medical guidance or instructions.
- Professional obligations: If you are bound by privacy rules (e.g., HIPAA), follow them—it’s your responsibility.
When in doubt, err on the side of protecting privacy or revise to remove identifying details.
Quotations, Sources & Attribution
- Use quotation marks for all direct quotes and credit the source.
- Paraphrases must be substantially transformed and attributed when the idea is not your own.
- Lyrics, long excerpts, or third-party images may require permission—avoid unless you have rights.
Editorial Process & Updates
- Our editors may suggest revisions for clarity, privacy, and style before publication.
- Policy updates may occur; the version on this page at time of acceptance applies.
Last updated: September 8, 2025
Questions?
Email editor@proseforpatients.org.