For Students

Do you have a story, a poem, a message that only you can share? Do you love to travel places by reading? You’re in the right place.

We’re a free library, open 24/7, here to support your reading and writing dreams. At Narrative you can find compelling, invigorating, and inspiring literature available for free, every day. All you need is an internet connection.

But we’re not just a library; we also offer tools and ideas to help deepen your reading and to hone your writing skills.

Ready to get started writing? Keep these useful tips in mind:

1. Start with what’s in your heart. Speak from your authentic voice, pull your reader into the piece, and seat them beside you. Write something that only you can write, not something you think someone else wants you to write. If you’re stuck, read some of your favorite stories, essays, or poems, and craft a piece in their image.

2. Revise, revise, revise! We believe that great writing comes through vigorous revision, so we encourage you to edit your work. Great writing is rewriting. Genius lies in revision. Comb through your work and interrogate every word, asking if it’s necessary—either narratively or musically—and if it’s in the right spot.

3. Use all the resources at your disposal. We encourage you to ask friends or teachers for feedback and help, and to read your work out loud to them to test it out. Also, be sure to check out all the great resources listed below!

NARRATIVE HIGH SCHOOL WRITING CONTEST

A writing contest open to high school students grades 9–12 in the US and abroad, varying genre from year to year. You have the chance to receive more than $1,000 in winning prizes, mentorship by esteemed Narrative editors and authors, and publication in Narrative, which reaches our global readership of 320,000.

Also note that we are currently gearing up for the Ninth Annual High School Contest, which will open for submissions January 3, 2024. Be sure to subscribe to Narrative so that you receive contest updates—including this year’s writing prompt—straight to your inbox!

EXPLORE OUR LIBRARY BY THEME

Thematic tags, ranging from “Love” to “Justice & Equality” to “The Writing Life,” enable you to explore our Library according to your interests, drawing connective threads among works deep in the Library.

BEST ADVICE, LETTERS & INTERVIEWS

Looking for guidance but not sure where to turn? Check out our Best Advice, Letters to a Young Writer, and Narrative 10 interview series.

WRITERS & MENTORS VIDEOS

From time to time, we all need a bit of inspiration to guide us through the writing process. Look no further. Here you’ll find videos featuring Jericho Brown, Javier Zamora, Carol Edgarian, and some of our High School Contest winners, as well as audio advice from Naomi Shihab Nye.

WRITING VIDEO TUTORIALS

Five short video tutorials, featuring bestselling author and Narrative cofounder/editor Carol Edgarian, that each walk you through a basic aspect of the writing process—from choosing an idea to crafting a scene to revising and submitting—and offer some expert behind-the-scenes advice.

RECOMMENDED READING GUIDE

Curated reading lists of literature, writing advice, and other creative fodder from the Narrative Library, designed to provide you with a “best of” hits list across genre and form.

Happy reading, and happy writing! Remember that you can always contact us at @email with any questions, musings, and ideas.