Shadow Memories
ByIn Jeneé Skinner’s “Shadow Memories,” a daughter recounts her harrowing journey away from an impossible parent, and the challenges of trying to make her way back.
Decomposer in Chief
ByIn Lindsey Godfrey Eccles’s “Decomposer in Chief,” Tanaka, a hapless mycologist, has been summoned by the Secret Service to deal with a mysterious development: the President, apparently, has been replaced by a fungal entity that looks exactly like him.
Write with One Story
Join One Story authors and editors for five days of writing prompts. Each day, an author or editor will provide a guided writing prompt or lesson designed to help you get new words on the page.
Asynchronous Class
For all levels
January 23 – 28
Subscribe to One Story
One Story arrives in your mailbox in an envelope like a letter from a friend. Each chapbook-sized story introduces you to a new author. No ads, no images, just a great read.
One great short story
in the mail every month
$10 for six months
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One Story is a 501(c)(3) devoted to celebrating the art form of the short story. Donor support keeps words on the page and stories in the mail.
Join our league
of extraordinary
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First Thoughts: A Generative Fiction Workshop with Lena Valencia
This six-week workshop will help you create drafts and build works in progress.
Online (Zoom)
Thursdays, 7 – 9 PM ET
January 30 – March 6
Apply to our Summer Conference
Over the course of five days, writers will participate in workshops, attend craft lectures and panel discussions, give readings, and build community with one another.
Apply by February 3
Conference: July 28 – Aug 1
Poets House, Manhattan
Make One Story Your Story
Patron Circle members support One Story on an annual basis and receive perks along with gratitude. These annual gifts allow One Story to plan and thrive.
Member Perks:
Archive Acess
Class Discounts
Give One Story
One Story makes a great gift for the readers in your life. They get one story a month. You get year-round gratitude. Gifts start with a special gift package.
Gift Pack Includes:
Gift Card +
First Issue
Building Your Collection with Patrick Ryan
This class designed by Patrick Ryan, editor in chief of One Story, will help you prepare your own book-length manuscript of short stories with an eye toward sending it out into the world.
Self-Guided
Photoelectric
ByWhat do you do when a dear friend is suffering, and you can’t help them? Elane Kim plumbs the depths of that question in “Photoelectric,” one of the winning stories of our Teen Writing Contest.
Revise with Hannah Tinti
Learn tips and tricks for revision at your own pace in this self-guided class. Get five in-depth revision techniques to understand, deepen, and polish your work.
Self-Guided
Hit Submit: Sending Your Work to Lit Mags, Agents, and Residencies
This class answers frequently asked questions about how to present your work to those on the other side of the submit button.
Self-Guided
Check Out Our Back Issues
One Story has published over 320 authors in over 20 years. Take a moment and scroll through our archives. You might be surprised by who you find there.
One Story Submissions Are Closed
We are busy reading submissions. We will reopen in Spring of 2025.
For Publishers: Submission Manager
One Story provides a free, open-source submission management system to other publishers at no cost.
One Story by the Numbers
In 23 years we’ve distributed over 2,000,000 short stories, taught writing to more than 6,500 students, and published nearly 400 writers in One Story and One Teen Story.
