We’re excited to announce our seasonal series for 2025-2026.

 

In Story not Sorry, we’re seeking your best essays and short fiction built around the theme Finding Meaning in Times of Strife. You may interpret that theme as broadly as you want.

The submission window is open until 11/15/2025 via our submission manager.

Works selected for publication will be rendered into a professional, broadcast-quality audio, and the author will be invited onto the podcast for an interview with Alyssa and Ben (or guest hosts if circumstances demand). In addition to first audio rights, we will ask for first digital, print, and anthology rights.  If selected for inclusion in a print anthology, a payment of $100 will be made to the writer. Truly exceptional works may be approached separately for film, tv, or other rights (this is not part of the publication agreement).

Submissions should be:

• Submitted in .docx or .pdf format only
• Between 2,000-5,000 words
• Your best writing, fully revised, proofread, and publication-ready.
• Clearly on-theme
• In modern manuscript format.
• Not previously published in any format
• Written in English (works in translation by the author are acceptable if unpublished in any language and the submitter is the sole rights holder)
• Not in any way conceived of, generated by, edited by, proofread by, revised by, or in any other way touched by artificial intelligence–works must be the sole, entire creation of the author.

Please include a third-person biography of no more than 150 words listing anything you think we should know about you (not your submission). It is totally fine if you have not been published before.  Bestselling authors are also welcome.  We’re looking for great writing–and that can come from anyone.