2026 Narratively Memoir Prize

From Friday, October 16, through Sunday, December 6, 2026, Narratively is accepting entries for our 2026 Memoir Prize. We’re on the hunt for revealing and emotional first-person nonfiction narratives from unique and overlooked points of view. Entries will be judged on a rolling basis in four rounds: the first three by experienced Narratively readers and staff, and the final by our incredible and generous guest judge, critically acclaimed writer Alexander Chee. (New this year: Want to write your entry with structure and support? Our 2026 Narratively Personal Essay Sprint is a go-at-your-own-pace writing intensive with 10 guided steps, live firesides with acclaimed writers and a community cheering you on. Your Prize entry is included. Join anytime through November 29.)

Alexander Chee is the author of the novels Edinburgh and the national bestseller The Queen of the Night. His essay collection How to Write an Autobiographical Novel was named one of the 100 best books of nonfiction of the 21st century by Kirkus Reviews. Chee is a recipient of the NEA Fellowship in Fiction, the Whiting Award, a Guggenheim Fellowship and The USA Artists’ Fellowship, and his essays and stories have appeared in Harpers' Magazine, The Sewanee Review, and The Yale Review, among others. He teaches creative writing at Dartmouth College and lives in Vermont.  

We’ll award the top writer a $3,000 cash prize, as well as publication on Narratively.com — plus, a virtual awards ceremony to celebrate.

Competition Info:

• Prize period opens: 9 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on October 16, 2026. 
• Prize period closes: 11:59 p.m. EDT on December 6, 2026. We will not accept entries once the prize period closes.
• Final decision announced: On or around February 26, 2027. Entrants will be notified via Submittable and/or email.
• Entry fee: US$20, nonrefundable and due at time of entry; free entry for paid subscribers to Narratively.com (head here to subscribe!) or sister site Narratively Academy (become one here!). If you’re already a paid subscriber to either or both, first of all, thank you for supporting indie journalism! Second of all, head here to access the subscriber-only link for Narratively.com and here for Narratively Academy. 
• Eligibility: Open to folks 18 years of age or older on or before 9 a.m. EDT on October 16, 2026, and who are not employed by, related to or sharing living quarters with Narratively staff or our guest judges. This competition is open to anyone, including past and current Narratively contributors. Current and former Narratively editors are ineligible.

What should my entry look like?

As with all Narratively stories, submissions should be composed of vivid, active scenes, unique characters and an engaging narrative arc. We have a few rules to follow, but encourage maximum creativity within these guidelines. The best way to get a sense of what we’re looking for is to read the stories on the list of examples we love below. 

Here are a few examples of first-person Narratively pieces we love:

• I Was the World’s Most Cancer Mom
• The Adventures of a Pakistani in Texas
• My Bizarre Reign as New York’s King of “Virgin Russian Hair”
• I Was Taught to Hate My Lesbian Neighbors. They Took Me In Anyway.
• Diary of a Bachelor Who Suddenly Became a Solo Dad to a Teenage Girl
• My Secret Life Tracking Down Debtors
• How I Wrote Myself into a Real-life Romantic Comedy — That Turned into a Survivalist Thriller
• My Coming Out Story, Starring a Priest, an Animal Sacrifice and Ricky Martin

Why do we charge a fee? 

Your entry fee will allow us to compensate the people who are helping us effectively and fairly evaluate every single prize submission — from our freelance readers to our prize editors, copy editors, fact-checkers, visual editors and producers. 

Submission Guidelines:

• Ready-to-publish pieces only — no pitches accepted
• Word count: 2,000 to 5,000
• Nonfiction, written in the first person and in English (translations permitted)
• Original and previously unpublished as a written work
• Simultaneous submissions are permitted, but must notify Narratively if entry is accepted elsewhere.
• Multiple submissions from a single author are permitted, but each must be submitted and paid for individually (with one entry per paid subscriber).
• Adaptations from other media (podcasts, scripts, etc.) are permitted with disclosure.
• Any citations should be in endnote form and listed at the end of the submission.
• Please remove your name and contact information from your submission.
• Narratively prefers common fonts such as Times New Roman and Arial, at 10-12-point size, double spaced, for ease of reading. Please do not include images or graphics.

Take a look at our FAQ page here. 

Please review our complete Official Rules & Submissions Guidelines here.

Not yet ready to submit? Our Personal Essay Sprint can help you get there, with guided steps, live firesides and a community of writers working toward the same deadline. Explore the Sprint here. Plus, subscribe to Narratively Academy here to receive helpful reminders about deadlines, prize updates and announcements, and news about future prizes on a variety of topics.

Having trouble logging into Submittable? Click here for help.

Best of luck!

P.S. Just ICYMI above, if you're a paying subscriber to Narratively.com, head here to access the subscriber-only link; and for Narratively Academy, head here.