Personal essays, Other

Chicken Soup for the Soul

Chicken Soup for the Soul pays $250 plus 10 free copies if they publish your true first-person story in a book — not for submitting. Official: writers from anywhere, English. AI and AI-assisted work (including Grammarly) are banned. Current official book topics have deadlines in September–November 2026.

🟡 Limited window Verified 2026-10 Researched by BRYME Editorial Desk.

The docket

The nine things that decide whether a pitch is worth sending. Every answer below is either taken from the publication’s own guideline or computed by BRYME from the 304-publication desk. Where the publication does not say, the docket says so instead of filling the gap in.

Payment: $250 if publishedOf the other 51 records based in the United States that state a flat-fee figure, 39 state less, 12 state more. One month after publication of the book.
Length: Recommended maximum 1,200 words; no official minimum. Longer pieces are rarely read.
Who can submit: Open internationallyThe guideline states no geographic restriction.
Reading period: Re-checked on the official Possible Book Topics page 1 October 2026Random acts of kindness closed 30 September 2026. Nearest open deadline is Humorous stories, extended to 15 October 2026. Then Married/couples, extended to 30 November 2026; Pets 31 January 2027; Positive thinking 28 February 2027; Dogs 31 March 2027; Cats and Holiday stories 30 May 2027. Each book topic carries its own deadline, and a story that fits two topics may be sent to both. The publisher extends deadlines often - the topic page is the authority.
Response time: No rejection letters. If you have not heard 60 days before the book’s on-sale date, they probably passed.
Simultaneous submissions: You may submit elsewhere at the same timeYes, but please let us know either by telling us that it is a simultaneous submission in the comments section of the submission form or, if you have already submitted your story, by e-mailing us at: [email protected]. — https://www.chickensoup.com/story-submissions/faq (read 2026-09-30)
AI policy: AI-assisted work is prohibitedThe guideline forbids AI-generated or AI-assisted writing.
Rights: StatedIf selected you sign their standard permission release. Broader rights language is not copied here because the rest of that agreement is not fully quoted on the public guidelines page.
Experience: Open to unpublished writersWe are always looking for new talent. So whether you are a regular contributor or new to our family, please share your story or poem with us. — https://www.chickensoup.com/story-submissions/possible-book-topics (read 2026-09-30)

Record last human-checked 2026-10-01. Sources listed at the foot of this page. Figures are compared only against other records based in the United States quoted the same way, so a per-word rate is never ranked against a flat fee.

Quick facts

Payment: $250 if published
Word count: Recommended maximum 1,200 words; no official minimum. Longer pieces are rarely read.
Submission: Official website form only
International writers: Yes
Status: 🟡 Limited window
Last verified: 2026-10

🟡 Research only. BRYME has researched this opportunity but has not yet submitted to it. Nothing here should be read as a claim of acceptance, publication or payment.

What this publication wants

This is BRYME's summary of the publication's focus — not a copy of their website. Type of writing: Personal essays, Other. Official guideline: Chicken Soup for the Soul guidelines.

Topics, themes and styles they look for

A true first-person story with a beginning, middle and end, starting in the action.
Heartwarming, funny or extraordinary ordinary-life moments. Not a sermon, essay, eulogy, term paper, politics piece, biography or newspaper-style article about a stranger.
Poems only if they tell a story.
Submit only to a listed official book topic.

Subjects they avoid

AI-generated or AI-assisted work. Official page names Grammarly and says do not use AI at all.
Fiction. Previously published work except a small local publication or your own blog.
Book manuscripts from the public. Title ideas from the public.
Stories that do not match a listed book topic.

Key requirements

Website form only: https://www.chickensoup.com/story-submissions/submit-your-story
True story, first person, usually ≤1,200 words
Match a current official book topic

Who can submit

Official FAQ: they publish English-language stories from people around the world. You do not have to live in the United States.

Rights

If selected you sign their standard permission release. Broader rights language is not copied here because the rest of that agreement is not fully quoted on the public guidelines page.

AI policy

Prohibited

How to write for them

Official requirement: always follow the publication's own guideline exactly.

BRYME's practical advice: write for the publication's audience, use a clear structure, keep paragraphs short, lead with a specific angle, and confirm the word count before submitting. These are practical suggestions — they are not the publication's official rules.

How to pitch

Where a pitch is required, this is the general pattern BRYME recommends — always adapt it to the publication's guideline.

Research the publication and read several recent pieces.
Choose a specific idea that fits their beat and audience.
Write a concise subject line naming your idea.
Introduce yourself in one or two lines (who you are, where you publish).
Explain the proposed piece in a short paragraph — angle, structure, length.
Say why it fits this publication.
Include 2–3 relevant clips or links.
Close professionally and thank them for their time.
Send through the official channel only.

Deadline Last verified 2026-10-01 Official submission page

Open now, but closes on a stated date.

Track this pitch

How to submit

Official website form only

Apply through the official channel below. BRYME only records submission destinations it has verified.

Official guideline: opens the publication guideline (new tab)
Submission: Official website form only

What the guideline asks you to prepare

Pick a topic on https://www.chickensoup.com/story-submissions/possible-book-topics — only use deadlines on that page.
Submit via the official form. Success screen is the only confirmation.
Simultaneous submissions are allowed if you say so in the comments or email webmaster@chickensoupforthesoul.com.

Safety note. Never pay to submit your work. A legitimate publication does not ask writers to pay a fee or provide identity documents to be considered. If you are asked to, do not proceed.

What happens after submission

Expected response: No rejection letters. If you have not heard 60 days before the book’s on-sale date, they probably passed.

If the publication does not state a response time, BRYME records that it is unknown. A follow-up is generally reasonable after a couple of weeks; if there is still no response, treat that as a likely non-acceptance rather than a rejection. Acceptance is normally communicated by the publication. If they accept, they will tell you exactly how to submit the final piece and, for most, how and when payment is made.

OFFICIAL

Read the official guideline

Open the publication's own page and confirm everything on this record before you pitch.

Open → GUIDE

How to write a pitch

A step-by-step structure for a pitch that a busy editor can act on.

Open the guide →

Check, question or correct this record

BRYME publishes its working, not just its conclusions. Last human check: 2026-10.

What do these statuses mean? Every badge on this page explained — open, closed, researched, tested, paid. Report an outdated listing Guideline changed, link dead, or submissions closed? Tell the desk and it gets rechecked. How BRYME verifies The editorial standard behind this record: sources, dates, corrections and limits.