Contribute to Fray

Fray takes submissions from anyone with a story to tell. And we believe that everyone does.

There are only three rules:

1. Make it personal. (Use the word "I" or don't write at all.)


2. Be honest. (Only true stories will be accepted.)


3. Keep it under 1000 words. (Please!)

The best submissions balance two goals: personal storytelling and emotional reflection. Don't just tell us a story, tell us why it's important and how it affected you.

Remember that your story will end with a question for others to answer, so make sure you answer it, too. Sometimes it helps to think of the question in advance and treat your story as an especially well-prepared answer.

Finally, remember that {fray} is about personal storytelling. That means you should take us back to a moment that mattered to you and tell us all about it, from beginning to end, as if we were going through it ourselves. Your job is to make a stranger feel what you felt.

And please, no fiction, no poetry. That's not what we do here. This is about real stories from real people.

Unfortunately we cannot reply to all submissions. You'll probably only hear from us if your story has been accepted.

You do not have to design your own story – that's what we do! Design submissions will be considered, but we still have to receive the story submission first, and we retain the right to accept the story sans design. If you're a designer/illustrator who's interested in working with us, feel free to get in touch separately. Be sure to send urls of your work.

Ready? Join the fray »

How to write a Fray Story »

"Don't ever tell a story like it wasn't about you."
–Merrit Malloy




Submission Tips

1. Get familiar with {fray} before submitting. If you haven't read at least one story in each section, don't submit.


2. Please try not to submit stories like those you've already read in {fray}. We generally don't cover the same topics twice.


3. Be sure to introduce yourself! If you have a homepage or writing online somewhere else, include the urls.


4. It's nice to include some ideas for the posting area question.


5. For the last time: no poetry, no fiction. That's not what we do here.


6. Yes, the story does have to be true and about you. And, yes, you have to sign your real name. No anonymous stories.


7. Stories should be around 1000 words. If your submission isn't at least 600 words, you should flesh it out a bit more before submitting.


8. Don't tell your life story – save that for your autobiography. Instead, tell a story about a moment that mattered to you.