A Day in the Life: Write About Your Experience. Get Paid.
A Day in the Life: Disability writing opportunity. Difference North East is run by disabled people. This project was shaped by our members.
Every month, thousands of people search things like “is fibromyalgia a disability?” or “is ME a disability?” Most of what they find was written by someone who has never lived with either. We want to change that.
A Day in the Life is a new series of blog posts written by Difference North East members, about what it actually looks like to live with imparments, to understand experinces that people still get wrong.
Not: having fibromyalgia means I am often in pain. More like: the GP told me I looked well, which is what they always say.
Each post is rooted in the Social Model of disability. That means the focus is not on your condition in isolation. It is on the barriers – the things that are harder than they should be, and the ways the world is not built
for you.
The series launches alongside Disability History Month in November 2026.
What we are looking for
We are looking for 5 to 10 members to each write one blog post.
We are particularly interested in the following conditions because they come up frequently in public searches:
Fibromyalgia
ME/CFS
Autism
ADHD
Dyslexia
Tourette’s
Depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and other mental health conditions
This is not the full list. If you live with something else and think it fits, tell us in your expression of interest. If people Google your condition/imparment and “is it a disability,” we want to hear from you.
A Day in the Life Disability Writing Opportunity: What is involved
You write one blog post. No fixed length, no fixed format. You do not need to be a writer. You need to have something specific to say. The workshop and editorial support are there to help you say it well.
How the process works
Step 1: Submit an expression of interest using the form below. We ask for your name, the condition you would write about, and one specific moment that captures what you want to write about. One or two sentences is enough at this
stage, this is not an audition.
Step 2: We confirm your place and agree a timeline with you.
Step 3: This summer we are running an optional two-hour online life writing
workshop with a disabled facilitator. It is there if you want it. If you cannot make it or would rather not attend, that is fine.
Step 4: You write your blog post. Our team will work with you on Social Model framing and on making the post findable online. The findability part means
structuring the post so it appears when people search for your condition. It does not change what you say.
Step 5: You see and approve all edits before anything goes live. Your story stays yours.
Step 6: Your post is published. You receive £75.
We know capacity varies. If you need a different timeline or a way of working that fits around your imparment, tell us. We will work around that.
About the payment
The £75 is an involvement payment, not a salary or employment income.
Involvement payments have different rules from earnings when it comes to benefits. Depending on which benefits you receive, you may be able to take
the payment without it affecting your claim. If you would rather not receive cash, we can arrange a shopping voucher for the same amount.
If you are unsure how the payment affects your situation, contact us before you apply. We will go through it with you.
Publishing your post
Your post can appear under your first name, a pseudonym, or initials, whatever works for you. We need your full name when you apply so we can contact you and process your payment. That stays with us.
Who can take part
This is open to members of Difference North East, who are writing about their own real-life experience. If you are not yet a member Join!
Expression of interest form
What happens next
We will be in touch ASAP! We will confirm whether you have a place and talk through next steps. If we cannot include you in this round, we will let you know and keep your details for future projects if you are happy for us to.
Questions before you apply?
Email info@differencenortheast.org.uk
FAQ
Do I need to be a writer?
No. The workshop and our editorial support are there to help you say what you want to say. What you need is something specific to write about.
Can I use a pseudonym?
Yes. Your post can appear under a first name, a pseudonym, or initials. We ask for your full name when you apply so we can contact you and process your payment, but it stays with us and does not have to appear on your post.
Will my post be changed without my approval?
No. You see and approve all edits before anything goes live.
What is the Social Model of disability?
The Social Model says disabled people are not disabled by their impairments. They are disabled by the barriers society puts in the way, inaccessible buildings, hostile systems, low expectations. The posts in this series focus on those barriers, not on diagnoses in isolation. We will talk through what this means for your piece as part of the process.
What if my condition/impairment/disability is not on the list?
Tell us in your expression of interest. The list reflects current search trends but it is not fixed. If your impairment is one people frequently question or misunderstand, get in touch.
Will the £75 affect my benefits?
It depends on which benefits you receive. Read our involvement payments and reimbursement guide for the detail, or contact us before you apply and we will go through your situation with you. If a cash payment does not work for you, we can arrange a voucher instead.
When do I get paid?
£75 is paid on publication of your post.
What is Disability History Month?
Disability History Month runs each November in the UK. It marks the history of the disability rights movement and promotes the Social Model.