We’re hungry for great stories. Whether it’s a brilliant essay in a major magazine or a gorgeous fable in an unknown rag, we can’t wait to read it. Outstanding stories will find their way into our showcase and may be celebrated in a future issue of Story Matters.

Here’s what we look for in a story that matters:

1. A beginning, a middle and an end. Do connected ideas move us through a narrative structure?
2. A relatable character or characters. We’re looking for humanity—even in unexpected places.
3. A lesson. How has the story changed us? What did we learn?