I’m thrilled to announce two changes to Midstory.
Since the spring, Midstory has published 10 original personal essays by midlife women, after receiving hundreds of submissions. Midstory has published writing from established writers, as well as brand new voices. I want to continue celebrating new midlife voices.
It has been a privilege to read every essay, and I wish I could respond individually to each writer brave enough to want to share their story. As Midstory grows, I hope to be able to publish more essays each month.
Here are a few of my favorites from the past few months:
In order to help me — and yes it’s only me! — more efficiently handle this volume of submissions, writers will now submit their writing to a submissions manager, Subfolio. This should help me better organize submissions, communicate with writers, and expedite the acceptance process.
The second change to Midstory is that, for the remainder of the year, I will be accepting personal essay submissions based on these monthly themes:
August: “Ex” (see below)
September: “Reinvention”
October: “Grief and Loss”
November: “Mid-term”
December: “Bodies”
For the first week of each month, I will accept submissions from paid subscribers of Midstory. For the remainder of the month, both free and paid subscribers can submit their essays.
Each month I will publish one essay from paid subscribers, and the rest of the essays (2-3) will chosen from both free and paid subscribers.
I am interested in the stories midlife women actually live: the complicated, the contradictory, the unfinished business of your life right now.
I consider “midlife” to be a mindset, not a chronological age; you might be 35 or 75.
No AI-generated content (please don’t)
Include a short, third-person bio
900-2,500 words
Original and previously unpublished (including on Substack)
Writing that is specific, filled with vivid details, and emotionally honest
Payment upon publication: $30 (via Venmo, Paypal, or bank account)
Tell a story that includes an “ex.”
“Ex” is a tiny prefix that might carry an enormous amount of weight in your life.
An “ex” could be the person you used to love (ex-partner or friend), the town you used to live in (ex-hometown), the job you used to have, the student you used to mentor, the person you used to be, the body you used to inhabit. It could also just be an “x,” the letter itself — as in an unknown variable, a place on a map, the kiss at the end of a letter.
For paid subscribers, starting today:
For free subscribers, starting August 7th:
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