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

STORY OF THE WEEK

Surrender

By Jennifer Christman

More than sorrow, his pitiable forlornness filled her with an unshakeable sense of worthlessness. No failure! No worthlessness! Not today.

POEM OF THE WEEK

A Few Delicate Needles

By Rolf Jacobsen

It’s so delicate, the light. And there’s so little of it. The dark is huge. Just delicate needles, the light, in an endless night.

WINTER STORY CONTEST

We’re looking for short stories, essays, memoirs, photo essays, graphic stories, and excerpts from long fiction and nonfiction.

Please see the Guidelines.

RECENT AWARDS

Read the works of some of the remarkable Narrative poets and writers whose recent works have received notable distinctions.

NONFICTION

POETRY

NONFICTION

Tilting at Windmills

By Dean Rader

There was a structure off on its own that I would pass from a distance. I could not see it well, but from what I could tell, it was the ugliest sculpture in the history of art.

POETRY

Hard-Boiled Mystery

By David Grubin

This father who found pleasure in hardboiled dicks, half-clad dames, and misogynist jokes, which my mother shrugged off because she was the boss and he knew it.

POETRY

The Poetics of Place

By Various Authors

Places we have been can evoke rich memories—of a loved one, a period of pain or learning, a whole lifetime. In these poems, the writers evoke the connection between place and heart.

NARRATIVE OUTLOUD

CARTOONS

NARRATIVE FIRSTS

NARRATIVE OUTLOUD

Mooncakes

By Helen Gu

What’s forbidden packed onto her tongue like lotus paste: a body waiting for the darling blade, the washed-down moonlight gnawing at her stomach.

CARTOONS

Cartoon Art Volume 2025-12

By Various Artists

Prattling On, Educated Guess, Whale Watching, Cup of Tea, and Talking About Religion. New toons to keep you warm this winter.

NARRATIVE FIRSTS

Narrative Firsts

By Various Authors

Publishing first-time authors, and introducing their work to readers across the globe, is one of our greatest pleasures. Enjoy some of the authors whose first works have appeared in Narrative.