Pitch Us
Thank you for your interest in pitching Narratively. We have received an overwhelming amount of pitches recently, so we’re pausing submissions for a bit while we get caught up. If you’ve submitted, thank you! We absolutely plan to get back to you still, and will do so in the upcoming weeks. (Thank you for your patience!) Also: We do plan to open up for submissions again shortly in some capacity, so make sure you’re signed up for our email list to learn about our next open submission period.
If you would like to get your stories ready in the meantime, please read on to get a taste of what we’re all about and what we’re generally looking for.
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, “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 recent prizes (and above for our current prize!).
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. Stay tuned to learn about the winners in the coming months, and thank you for submitting!
2024 Memoir Prize
The 2024 Narratively Memoir Prize has closed. Congratulations to our two finalists: Matt Miller and Michelle DuBarry; and the grand prize winner, Lisa Williamson Rosenberg. You can read Lisa’s essay here and look for the other winning essays on the site soon!
2023 Memoir Prize
Congratulations to our two 2023 Memoir Prize finalists, Wylene Branton Wood and Rachel Parsons, and to our grand prize winner, Christopher Blackwell. You can read more about them here, and check out Rachel’s story, “Does My Love for a Straight Man Change My Queer Identity?” here; Wylene’s story, “The Paradox of a Fair-Skinned Black Girl in the Segregated South,” here; and Christopher’s grand prize-winning essay, “Chaos and Noise: One Man's Harrowing Stint in Solitary Confinement,” here.
2023 Profile Prize
Congratulations to Lisa Heyamoto for winning our inaugural Profile Prize! We’re so proud to publish Lisa’s incredible story, “The Greatest Game Ever Played Behind Barbed Wire.” Be sure to check out our other finalists too: Andy Rieber’s “The Man Who Pierced the Iron Curtain in a Flying Go-Kart – and Left Civilization Forever” and Nyssa Chow’s “21 Days of Staring Down Death: Diary of a Hunger Strike.”
2022 Memoir Prize
Congratulations to Laura Green-Russell for winning our Spring 2022 Memoir Prize! Laura earned US$3,000 for her incredible memoir piece, “Murder to Middle School,” excerpted from what will be a full-length memoir about her upbringing. We’re thrilled to congratulate our finalists as well, whose work was also published on Narratively’s site:
Anna Grundström, “Living with a Skinhead, While Living in My Brown Skin”
Mai Serhan, “I Have Never Been to the Place Where I am From, But I Will Imagine It For Us”