Narrative Magazine | Writers, Fiction, Poetry, Storytelling, Nonfiction, Art

STORY OF THE WEEK

Fingerprints

By Barbara Trachtenberg

She listened for the breaths and the silences, Tomasa’s reactions to her, an unanswered question, their hesitations and unfinished thoughts not taken up.

POEM OF THE WEEK

Shrug

By Sandy Solomon

I saw the tattooed numbers on Minna's husband's arm one night as they sat out on the stoop. When he told us Minna had one too, she turned her arm so we could see but not touch.

NARRATIVE PRIZE

The $5,000 Narrative Prize is awarded annually for the best work published in Narrative by a new or emerging writer.

Please see the Guidelines.

MASTERPIECES

Guy de Maupassant

By Isaac Babel

Her body swayed like the body of a snake rising to music toward the ceiling. She shook her curly head, her rings tinkled, and suddenly she fell into an armchair with ancient Russian carving.

NONFICTION

POETRY

NONFICTION

John Irving at Iowa

By Ron Hansen

Suddenly John was there, in slim blue jeans and a rough white shirt that could have belonged to a Spanish troubadour or a sixteenth-century pirate.

POETRY

Vaquero

By Eduardo Martínez-Leyva

In Spain, folks call their denim jeans—vaqueros. As in, I’m going to slip into my vaqueros. Take my vaqueros to the bar.

CARTOONS

GRAPHIC STORIES

CARTOONS

Cartoon Art Volume 2025-04

By Various Artists

New laughs over fiscal chaos, heavenly discernment, and delayed late-night deliveries.

GRAPHIC STORIES

Let’s Learn English!

By Tracey K. Berglund

A visual exploration of some amusing homophones and homonyms in the English language.

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The Lucky Bastard

By N. Jane Kalu

Only now does Grace understand that for her mum, the 1993 election held so much promise that it caused hope to spread like a disease.

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Roanoke Rapids

By Ashleigh Bryant Phillips

Tchaikovsky can be real sad. And sometimes Tchaikovsky can be scary. But it’s never real scary. Things always turn out in the end.

NARRATIVE 10

Narrative 10

By Chris Bohjalian

When I was in college, the writer in residence at my alma mater suggested, “Be a banker.” I knew I had a lot of work to do.

NARRATIVE 10

Narrative 10

By Allegra Goodman

I just knew I had a calling. As an adult it’s good for me to remember what I knew as a child. Writing is more than a profession.