About the Contest

HerStry is pleased to announce the 2025 Eunice Williams Nonfiction Prize with guest judge Negesti Kaudo. HerStry has long been a place for women and nonbinary folks to tell their stories. We are a brave space for brave stories. Now, we’d like to amplify your stories even more with our contest and prize.

There is no theme to adhere to for this contest, simply nonfiction written by you, about you. Give us your best work, the stuff of your heart. Our stories are what make us, tell yours.  THE IMPORTANT STUFF:  

• All essays must be true and about you and previously unpublished.
• Essays must stay under 5,000 words.
• Essays must be submitted in a word document (please no PDFs). Must be in 12pt Times New Roman or Calibri font, double spaced.
• All essays are judged blind, please do not put any identifying information on your document. Essays with identifying information will be discarded without being read.
• Writers are asked to submit a third person bio. Cover letters are fine but, honestly, we don’t care. It’s the quality of the writing we are looking for, not the amount of times you’ve been published.
• While your work is under consideration we ask that you DO NOT submit it elsewhere. Winners will be announced no later than April 4, 2025.

HerStry centers the experiences of women identifying persons. We’re looking for work from bigender/polygender persons, cisgender women, intergender persons/intersex persons, non-binary persons/gender non-conforming persons, transgender women/transfeminine persons, two-spirit. In other words, if you are a cis man, please refrain from submitting.  Prizes:  First - $400  Second - $250  Third - $100  

About Negesti Kaudo, Guest Judge

Negesti Kaudo is an essayist and writer for BuzzFeed Shopping. Her debut collection, Ripe: Essays was published by Mad Creek Books in 2022. She has taught at Columbia College Chicago, CCAD and Vermont College of Fine Arts. Currently, she spends summers teaching at the Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshop. Her free time is spent not-writing (aka thinking about writing), taking care of her puppy, Tormund, and working on a second book at a snail’s pace.

 ***Contest fees go toward contest prize and paying HerStry staff and guest judge***

Whether you are away at camp, starting college for the first time, or a grown adult simply missing the way things used to be, we’ve all felt homesick at one time or another. Tell us your stories of home. You can write about nostalgic summer days, but also about wishing for a home you never had. Or the home you want to make. Home is a complicated subject, let’s dig in.

 ** HerStry is always happy to share stories anonymously—if your story is selected for publication, simply let your editor know you would not like your name shared **

THE RULES: 

• All stories must be true and about you.
• Stories must follow the theme in some way, interpretations can be wide.
• Stories must stay around 3,000 words.
• Documents should be double spaced, 12Pt font with 1 inch margins and in an easy to read font. Submissions not following these guidelines are subject to disqualification. Our editors read a lot of work, please have mercy on our eyes. 
• Submissions must be in .doc or .docx form—we do not accept PDFs.
• Stories are read blind. Please DO NOT put any identifying material on your manuscript. Manuscripts that don’t follow this rule will be automatically disqualified without being read. We realize personal essays may contain your name; a first name is fine.
• Please include a third person bio. Cover letters are fine, but not necessary (we don’t read them, we’re more interested in what you’ve written).
• Please submit only once per theme.
• We do not accept previously published stories.

HerStry centers the experiences of women identifying persons. We’re looking for work from bigender/polygender persons, cisgender women, intergender persons/intersex persons, nonbinary persons/gender non-conforming persons, transgender women/transfeminine persons, two spirit. In other words, if you are a cis man, please refrain from submitting. 

 WANT PERSONALIZED FEEDBACK?

You can now receive helpful feedback by selecting the “personalized critique” option on our submissions page. While getting your work critiqued does not guarantee publication, we can help make it great for your next submissions, whether it’s to us or someone else.

$3 submission fee goes toward keeping HerStry sustainable and paying our staff. All accepted pieces receive $20 payment. 

 DUE SEPTEMBER 1ST

We're steeped in grief. Especially now, in this (post?) COVID world, when so many of us have lost so much. But this isn't a theme about COVID grief (though you can certainly write about that); this is a theme about the grief that is with us now, the grief that was with us long ago, and the grief that grows with us. Don't be afraid to bring us broken, heavy stories. We can handle it.

** HerStry is always happy to share stories anonymously—if your story is selected for publication, simply let your editor know you would not like your name shared **

THE RULES: 

• All stories must be true and about you.
• Stories must follow the theme in some way, interpretations can be wide.
• Stories must stay around 3,000 words.
• Documents should be double spaced, 12Pt font with 1 inch margins and in an easy to read font. Submissions not following these guidelines are subject to disqualification. Our editors read a lot of work, please have mercy on our eyes. 
• Submissions must be in .doc or .docx form—we do not accept PDFs.
• Stories are read blind. Please DO NOT put any identifying material on your manuscript. Manuscripts that don’t follow this rule will be automatically disqualified without being read. We realize personal essays may contain your name; a first name is fine.
• Please include a third person bio. Cover letters are fine, but not necessary (we don’t read them, we’re more interested in what you’ve written).
• Please submit only once per theme.
• We do not accept previously published stories.

HerStry centers the experiences of women identifying persons. We’re looking for work from bigender/polygender persons, cisgender women, intergender persons/intersex persons, nonbinary persons/gender non-conforming persons, transgender women/transfeminine persons, two spirit. In other words, if you are a cis man, please refrain from submitting. 

 WANT PERSONALIZED FEEDBACK?

You can now receive helpful feedback by selecting the “personalized critique” option on our submissions page. While getting your work critiqued does not guarantee publication, we can help make it great for your next submissions, whether it’s to us or someone else.

$3 submission fee goes toward keeping HerStry sustainable. All accepted pieces receive $20 payment. 

In July we’re thinking about radical forgiveness. For ourselves and for others. How have you found redemption in this world? Come back from the edge after nearly losing it all? How have you made up with someone you thought you could never forgive? Or maybe you are still seeking redemption. Maybe you can’t let the person who hurt you back into your life. Maybe your redemption has actually come in the form of letting go. 

** HerStry is always happy to share stories anonymously—if your story is selected for publication, simply let your editor know you would not like your name shared **

THE RULES: 

• All stories must be true and about you.
• Stories must follow the theme in some way, interpretations can be wide.
• Stories must stay around 3,000 words.
• Documents should be double spaced, 12Pt font with 1 inch margins and in an easy to read font. Submissions not following these guidelines are subject to disqualification. Our editors read a lot of work, please have mercy on our eyes. 
• Submissions must be in .doc or .docx form—we do not accept PDFs.
• Stories are read blind. Please DO NOT put any identifying material on your manuscript. Manuscripts that don’t follow this rule will be automatically disqualified without being read. We realize personal essays may contain your name; a first name is fine.
• Please include a third person bio. Cover letters are fine, but not necessary (we don’t read them, we’re more interested in what you’ve written).
• Please submit only once per theme.
• We do not accept previously published stories.

HerStry centers the experiences of women identifying persons. We’re looking for work from bigender/polygender persons, cisgender women, intergender persons/intersex persons, nonbinary persons/gender non-conforming persons, transgender women/transfeminine persons, two spirit. In other words, if you are a cis man, please refrain from submitting. 

 WANT PERSONALIZED FEEDBACK?

You can now receive helpful feedback by selecting the “personalized critique” option on our submissions page. While getting your work critiqued does not guarantee publication, we can help make it great for your next submissions, whether it’s to us or someone else.

$3 submission fee goes toward keeping HerStry sustainable and paying our staff. All accepted pieces receive $20 payment. 

 DUE JUNE 1ST

June is Pride Month, and we want to share the beautiful (and often tought) moments of coming out. Everyone has a different story and a different path to coming out. Some of us have been hurt while some of us have been embraced in ways we never imagined possible. Don’t be afraid to share the rawness of it all, the hurt as well as the beauty. 

** HerStry is always happy to share stories anonymously—if your story is selected for publication, simply let your editor know you would not like your name shared **

THE RULES: 

• All stories must be true and about you.
• Stories must follow the theme in some way, interpretations can be wide.
• Stories must stay around 3,000 words.
• Documents should be double spaced, 12Pt font with 1 inch margins and in an easy to read font. Submissions not following these guidelines are subject to disqualification. Our editors read a lot of work, please have mercy on our eyes. 
• Submissions must be in .doc or .docx form—we do not accept PDFs.
• Stories are read blind. Please DO NOT put any identifying material on your manuscript. Manuscripts that don’t follow this rule will be automatically disqualified without being read. We realize personal essays may contain your name; a first name is fine.
• Please include a third person bio. Cover letters are fine, but not necessary (we don’t read them, we’re more interested in what you’ve written).
• Please submit only once per theme.
• We do not accept previously published stories.

HerStry centers the experiences of women identifying persons. We’re looking for work from bigender/polygender persons, cisgender women, intergender persons/intersex persons, nonbinary persons/gender non-conforming persons, transgender women/transfeminine persons, two spirit. In other words, if you are a cis man, please refrain from submitting. 

 WANT PERSONALIZED FEEDBACK?

You can now receive helpful feedback by selecting the “personalized critique” option on our submissions page. While getting your work critiqued does not guarantee publication, we can help make it great for your next submissions, whether it’s to us or someone else.

$3 submission fee goes toward keeping HerStry sustainable and paying our staff. All accepted pieces receive $20 payment. 

 DUE MAY 1ST

Mothers have a lot to say about mothering. Trust us, we know. We’re dedicating the mnth of May to telling those motherhood stories. Don’t sugarcoat it. We want the messy parts of mom life. The up all-night, covered-in-poop, haven’t-showered-in-two-weeks parts. And we want the parts you love, too. First words, proud parent moments, the thing you never imagined. Or maybe you don’t want to be a mom or aren’t able. WE want those stories too. The struggles that have come with it, or the freedom. 

** HerStry is always happy to share stories anonymously—if your story is selected for publication, simply let your editor know you would not like your name shared **

THE RULES: 

• All stories must be true and about you.
• Stories must follow the theme in some way, interpretations can be wide.
• Stories must stay around 3,000 words.
• Documents should be double spaced, 12Pt font with 1 inch margins and in an easy to read font. Submissions not following these guidelines are subject to disqualification. Our editors read a lot of work, please have mercy on our eyes. 
• Submissions must be in .doc or .docx form—we do not accept PDFs.
• Stories are read blind. Please DO NOT put any identifying material on your manuscript. Manuscripts that don’t follow this rule will be automatically disqualified without being read. We realize personal essays may contain your name; a first name is fine.
• Please include a third person bio. Cover letters are fine, but not necessary (we don’t read them, we’re more interested in what you’ve written).
• Please submit only once per theme.
• We do not accept previously published stories.

HerStry centers the experiences of women identifying persons. We’re looking for work from bigender/polygender persons, cisgender women, intergender persons/intersex persons, nonbinary persons/gender non-conforming persons, transgender women/transfeminine persons, two spirit. In other words, if you are a cis man, please refrain from submitting. 

 WANT PERSONALIZED FEEDBACK?

You can now receive helpful feedback by selecting the “personalized critique” option on our submissions page. While getting your work critiqued does not guarantee publication, we can help make it great for your next submissions, whether it’s to us or someone else.

$3 submission fee goes toward keeping HerStry sustainable and paying our staff. All accepted pieces receive $20 payment. 

 DUE APRIL 1ST

We don’t define faith by the religion you are associated with, but by how you live your life. Maybe your story is about religion, but maybe your story is about a time you had faith in yourself, in those around you, in the human condition in general. However you define your faith, whatever you call your faith, we want your story. 

** HerStry is always happy to share stories anonymously—if your story is selected for publication, simply let your editor know you would not like your name shared **

THE RULES: 

• All stories must be true and about you.
• Stories must follow the theme in some way, interpretations can be wide.
• Stories must stay around 3,000 words.
• Documents should be double spaced, 12Pt font with 1 inch margins and in an easy to read font. Submissions not following these guidelines are subject to disqualification. Our editors read a lot of work, please have mercy on our eyes. 
• Submissions must be in .doc or .docx form—we do not accept PDFs.
• Stories are read blind. Please DO NOT put any identifying material on your manuscript. Manuscripts that don’t follow this rule will be automatically disqualified without being read. We realize personal essays may contain your name; a first name is fine.
• Please include a third person bio. Cover letters are fine, but not necessary (we don’t read them, we’re more interested in what you’ve written).
• Please submit only once per theme.
• We do not accept previously published stories.

HerStry centers the experiences of women identifying persons. We’re looking for work from bigender/polygender persons, cisgender women, intergender persons/intersex persons, nonbinary persons/gender non-conforming persons, transgender women/transfeminine persons, two spirit. In other words, if you are a cis man, please refrain from submitting. 

 WANT PERSONALIZED FEEDBACK?

You can now receive helpful feedback by selecting the “personalized critique” option on our submissions page. While getting your work critiqued does not guarantee publication, we can help make it great for your next submissions, whether it’s to us or someone else.

$3 submission fee goes toward keeping HerStry sustainable and paying our staff. All accepted pieces receive $20 payment. 

 DUE MARCH 1ST

What doesn’t mix? You and your family? You and an exlover? You and your dream job? There are so many people and things that don’t mix in this world. Don’t jive the way they are supposed to. What is your story about not mixing with something or someone? Was there a moment you finally found a balance, or did you always float just above and below one another, suspended in different worlds? 

** HerStry is always happy to share stories anonymously—if your story is selected for publication, simply let your editor know you would not like your name shared **

THE RULES: 

• All stories must be true and about you.
• Stories must follow the theme in some way, interpretations can be wide.
• Stories must stay around 3,000 words.
• Documents should be double spaced, 12Pt font with 1 inch margins and in an easy to read font. Submissions not following these guidelines are subject to disqualification. Our editors read a lot of work, please have mercy on our eyes. 
• Submissions must be in .doc or .docx form—we do not accept PDFs.
• Stories are read blind. Please DO NOT put any identifying material on your manuscript. Manuscripts that don’t follow this rule will be automatically disqualified without being read. We realize personal essays may contain your name; a first name is fine.
• Please include a third person bio. Cover letters are fine, but not necessary (we don’t read them, we’re more interested in what you’ve written).
• Please submit only once per theme.
• We do not accept previously published stories.

HerStry centers the experiences of women identifying persons. We’re looking for work from bigender/polygender persons, cisgender women, intergender persons/intersex persons, nonbinary persons/gender non-conforming persons, transgender women/transfeminine persons, two spirit. In other words, if you are a cis man, please refrain from submitting. 

 WANT PERSONALIZED FEEDBACK?

You can now receive helpful feedback by selecting the “personalized critique” option on our submissions page. While getting your work critiqued does not guarantee publication, we can help make it great for your next submissions, whether it’s to us or someone else.

$3 submission fee goes toward keeping HerStry sustainable and paying our staff. All accepted pieces receive $20 payment. 

 DUE FEBRUARY 1ST

It didn’t go quite as planned. Maybe it was failed meal or a botched vacation or a first date that didn’t work out the way you thought it would. Whatever happened, we want to hear all about it. 

** HerStry is always happy to share stories anonymously—if your story is selected for publication, simply let your editor know you would not like your name shared **

THE RULES: 

• All stories must be true and about you.
• Stories must follow the theme in some way, interpretations can be wide.
• Stories must stay around 3,000 words.
• Documents should be double spaced, 12Pt font with 1 inch margins and in an easy to read font. Submissions not following these guidelines are subject to disqualification. Our editors read a lot of work, please have mercy on our eyes. 
• Submissions must be in .doc or .docx form—we do not accept PDFs.
• Stories are read blind. Please DO NOT put any identifying material on your manuscript. Manuscripts that don’t follow this rule will be automatically disqualified without being read. We realize personal essays may contain your name; a first name is fine.
• Please include a third person bio. Cover letters are fine, but not necessary (we don’t read them, we’re more interested in what you’ve written).
• Please submit only once per theme.
• We do not accept previously published stories.

HerStry centers the experiences of women identifying persons. We’re looking for work from bigender/polygender persons, cisgender women, intergender persons/intersex persons, nonbinary persons/gender non-conforming persons, transgender women/transfeminine persons, two spirit. In other words, if you are a cis man, please refrain from submitting. 

 WANT PERSONALIZED FEEDBACK?

You can now receive helpful feedback by selecting the “personalized critique” option on our submissions page. While getting your work critiqued does not guarantee publication, we can help make it great for your next submissions, whether it’s to us or someone else.

$3 submission fee goes toward keeping HerStry sustainable and paying our staff. All accepted pieces receive $20 payment. 

 DUE JANUARY 1ST

If we’re being honest with ourselves, the story really would have gone like this…

There are always things we wish for, things we hopped for or regrets we have about certain moments in our lives. With ourselves and with people we love. In January we’re looking for your stories about what you would have done if you were being honest with yourself. What you wish you had done or what you regret never having done. What is a truth about yourself that you’ve never yet shared? We are looking for your raw honest words, even if they are harsh, even if they paint you in a bad light. Even if they hurt. 

** HerStry is always happy to share stories anonymously—if your story is selected for publication, simply let your editor know you would not like your name shared **

THE RULES: 

• All stories must be true and about you.
• Stories must follow the theme in some way, interpretations can be wide.
• Stories must stay around 3,000 words.
• Documents should be double spaced, 12Pt font with 1 inch margins and in an easy to read font. Submissions not following these guidelines are subject to disqualification. Our editors read a lot of work, please have mercy on our eyes. 
• Submissions must be in .doc or .docx form—we do not accept PDFs.
• Stories are read blind. Please DO NOT put any identifying material on your manuscript. Manuscripts that don’t follow this rule will be automatically disqualified without being read. We realize personal essays may contain your name; a first name is fine.
• Please include a third person bio. Cover letters are fine, but not necessary (we don’t read them, we’re more interested in what you’ve written).
• Please submit only once per theme.
• We do not accept previously published stories.

HerStry centers the experiences of women identifying persons. We’re looking for work from bigender/polygender persons, cisgender women, intergender persons/intersex persons, nonbinary persons/gender non-conforming persons, transgender women/transfeminine persons, two spirit. In other words, if you are a cis man, please refrain from submitting. 

 WANT PERSONALIZED FEEDBACK?

You can now receive helpful feedback by selecting the “personalized critique” option on our submissions page. While getting your work critiqued does not guarantee publication, we can help make it great for your next submissions, whether it’s to us or someone else.

$3 submission fee goes toward keeping HerStry sustainable and paying our staff. All accepted pieces receive $20 payment. 

 DUE DECEMBER 1ST

HerStry centers the experiences of women identifying persons. We’re looking for work from bigender/polygender persons, cisgender women, intergender persons/intersex persons, non-binary persons/gender non-conforming persons, transgender women/transfeminine persons, two-spirit. In other words,  if you are a cis man, please refrain from submitting.

We nominate for the Pushcart Prize and Best of  Net.

A few things we don’t want to see: 

• Tear down pieces
• Racist material or hate speech
• Explicitly sexual material (In other words, please don’t send us porn)
• Overly violent material 

HerStry does not accept previously published pieces. 

HerStry publishes personal essays every Wednesday. Personal essays are a way for our writers to tell the stories they want to tell. There are no rules. No themes. As long as the story is true and about you, we want to read it. Nothing is off limits (well, some things are off limits, see above). 

We pay $10 for every published personal essay. Because of that, we have a $3 submission fee to help cover costs and to pay our wonderful editors. We have a free submission period one weekend a month. Please be advised that we have a limited number of free submissions and once they are gone they are gone. 

The Rules: 

•  Stories must be true and about you
•  Stories must be between 500 - 3,000 words
• Stories should be double spaced, with 12pt font, Times New Roman or Calibri (get out of here Comic Sans!)
• Stories are read blind. Please DO NOT put any identifying material on your manuscript. Manuscripts that don’t follow this rule will be automatically disqualified without being read. 
• Stories must be submitted as word documents  of some sort. PDFs will not be considered
• Stories must be submitted with a short bio and photo of the author
• No poetry, please

***  In order to let as many people submit as possible please only submit one story at a time. Do not submit again until you hear from us. Duplicate submissions will be deleted without being read. ****

WANT PERSONALIZED FEEDBACK? 

You can now receive helpful feedback by selecting the “Personalized Critique” option on our submissions page. While getting your work critiqued does not guarantee publication, we can help you make it great for your next submission, whether it's to us or someone else. Click the button below to get started.