ONE STORY publishes one great short story at a time. We bring people together through reading, writing, and learning about short fiction.
In Dami Abiodun’s “Monarch,” eleven-year-old Abu spends his winter break in Lagos with his aunt Fauza, a child bride only three years his senior, and her wealthy husband Umani. Tension brews within and outside the home as Fauza proves herself both passionate and headstrong, and unrest over government corruption grows.
In Jack Moore’s “Mothers and Daughters in This Day and Age,” a dying woman’s thoughts reach back in time to a pivotal afternoon in her childhood.
In this four-week reading group with author Jackie Thomas-Kennedy, students will discuss how Jesmyn Ward depicts the reverberations of catastrophe in her novel Salvage the Bones.
Reading Group
Tuesdays, September 17–October 15 (no class 10/1)
6:30-8:30pm ET
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
The next lecture in our 2026 Lecture Series discusses how creating belief systems and other types of mythological worldbuilding can influence character development.
Online Lecture
Saturday, September 19
4–5:15pm ET
Learn tips and techniques for revising in this self-guided class. You’ll get five in-depth revision techniques to sharpen your work. By the end of the course you’ll have new skills, a helpful to-do list, and pages of new material to move your revision in the right direction.
Self-Guided Class
Give One Story at our 2002 rate to the readers in your life.
They’ll get a new story each month. You’ll get year-round gratitude.
Includes a gift card or
a custom ecard
A year of lectures on the craft of fiction from eight One Story authors.
The next lecture in our 2026 Lecture Series takes place Saturday, June 13, from 4-5:15pm ET. Puloma Ghosh will discuss what makes prose beautiful.
Lecture Series
February–November 2026
Read Lauren Groff’s speech at the 2026 Debutante Ball, now live on Lit Hub. Reflecting on the creative slump following a book’s publication, Lauren gives advice to our debut authors on the importance of slowing down.
This self-guided class will help you hone and refine a cohesive collection of your own work. You’ll learn how to assess each story you’ve written, discover thematic connections, order your stories, and more.
In Zahra Azar’s Teen Writing Contest–winning story, “Belonging,” a young Afghan refugee is separated from her family for her own safety and, though she speaks no English, sent to live in a foster home in Los Angeles.
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One Story has been publishing since 2002. We never publish an author twice. Browse our back issues to see who we published when.
One Story provides a free, open-source submission management system to other publishers at no cost.
We have reached our submission cap for spring 2026. Submissions will reopen in the fall. Please read our guidelines before sending us your work.
This self-guided class will answer your questions about how to present your work and yourself to the editors, agents, and selection committees on the other side of the submit button.
Self-Guided Class