FAQ: Narratively’s Profile Prize

Can I profile a group of people or does it have to be just one person?

Either one! We’re definitely interested in profiles of groups of people doing fascinating things, in addition to profiles of individuals.

Does it have to be a living person?

Nope! It can be a person who is alive, recently departed or historical. If you profile a group, it can be active, dormant or disassembled.

Can I profile myself?

No, this is a reporting prize, but keep an eye out for our Spring 2023 Memoir Prize! 

Can I profile someone I know or am related to? 

Yes, as long as you disclose your relationship. But if the piece is more about you, you should submit to our Spring 2023 Memoir Prize — stay tuned! 

Do I have to be a professional reporter to enter?

Absolutely not! At Narratively, we’re proud to collaborate with some of the most accomplished reporters working, and with first-time writers who just have a great story to tell.

If I submit the first chapter or another part of my memoir for the Narratively Prize and it wins or is a finalist, will I be able to publish that work later in my book? 

Yes. You retain print publication rights, so you are able to pursue and publish a book version of your story now or in the future.

Can I submit the same story to both your Profile Prize and one of your open calls for pitches? 

No. At this time, entrants must choose one category in Submittable under which to enter their work. However, if you already submitted a memoir through one of Narratively’s non-Prize open calls for pitches and have not yet gotten a response or any feedback from Narratively, you may email [email protected] and ask to withdraw your pitch so that you can enter it for the Profile Prize. 

Can my story still be considered for publication with Narratively even if it doesn’t win the Prize? 

Yes. Once our judging window is complete and winners have been announced, we will reach out to some of the non-winning entrants whose work we see promise in, with offers of paid assignments to work on their story with our editors through Narratively’s normal editorial process. However, entrants are under no obligation to accept the offer. 

My story includes photos that are integral to the writing. Will your submission system accept images? If not, may I send you my submission via some other channel?

Submittable will not accept standalone images. If you’d like to include images, you can insert them where you like them in the document (which will also help us to see why a particular image is relevant to a particular section of text). The inclusion of images will not help or hinder your submission. 

Is there a full copy of the Contributor Agreement that I can review that might provide some clarity?

Yes, there is. You can request our Contributor Agreement in its entirety by emailing [email protected]. 

Should I delete my byline after the title? What about headers and footers?

Yes. As stated in our Official Rules & Submission Guidelines, please keep your name (even a pen name) off of your manuscript. We prefer to read submissions without identifying information to avoid bias.

Do I delete my author’s bio info at the end of each story?

Yes. We prefer to read submissions without identifying information to avoid bias.

Are self-published works accepted?

Yes, they are. As stated in our Official Rules & Submission Guidelines, Narratively will not accept Submissions previously published by another publication, in any medium or on any platform, but we consider self-published works to be excluded from this, as you are not an external party to yourself.

Do you accept manuscripts that exceed your 7,000-word limit?

No, 7,000 words is a hard limit for this particular Prize. 

Still have questions? Email us at [email protected]. Also, sign up for our Prizes newsletter to receive helpful reminders about deadlines, Prize updates and announcements, and news about future prizes on a variety of topics.