Pitch Us
Thank you for your interest in submitting to Narratively. Our 2025 Memoir Prize has just ended. To all those who submitted, thank you! We can’t wait to read your work. You can expect to hear back from us on or around February 26, 2026 via Submittable and/or email (but please give us a minute if you don’t hear back right away — this is a ballpark). And to everyone else, we’re currently looking for full submissions for The Personals and pitches for epic longform true crime stories. Lastly, we’ve teamed up with ScottsMiracle-Gro to produce a new sponsored series called Stories from the Ground Up—How Green Spaces Shape Our Lives, to which you can pitch reported pieces or submit memoir essays.
Please read on to learn more about what we’re looking for, and please read our site to get a sense of the stories we publish before sending us your essays or pitches.
Narratively is devoted to original and untold human stories. The true stories we publish are defined not by topic but by style: immersive, cinematic storytelling that takes readers inside another world, another life, through vivid scenes, colorful details and compelling narrative arcs.
The best way to get a clear sense of what makes a Narratively story is to read several pieces on our site, particularly from our Greatest Hits section. And to learn more about what a good pitch looks like, check out our StoryCraft pieces on Narratively Academy, “The 3 Best Pitches I’ve Ever Received,” which pulls back the curtain on how to get our attention, and, “So, What Is a Narratively Story, Anyway? (Hint: Surprising, Exciting and Delightful, to Start),” in which two Narratively editors break down what defines a feature story for the site, replete with advice on how to do it. Still have questions? Pop over to the How to Pitch Narratively thread and ask us anything!
To read our full guidelines, click below!
Send Us a Story Tip
Not a writer but have a great idea for a story we should know about? Send us an email: hello@narratively.com.
Writing Contests
Everything we do at Narratively is built around the belief that every person has a story to tell. We work with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists and with first-time writers who have never had an article published in their lives. Our writing contests are all about discovering new voices and elevating diverse, authentic human stories.
Winners of each writing contest receive cash prizes, publication on Narratively and more. Read on for details of our recent and current prizes!
2025 Memoir Prize
Again, the 2025 Narratively Memoir Prize has ended. Thank you to everyone who submitted — we can’t wait to read your work. You can expect to hear back from us on or around February 26, 2026 via Submittable and/or email (but please give us a minute if you don’t hear back right away — this is a ballpark).
Narratively x Belletrist True Romance Writing Prize
Submissions for our Narratively x Belletrist True Romance Writing Prize, a very special collaboration with actor Emma Roberts and her team, are now closed. You can learn all about the contest winners here, and read their live essays here.