Fiction
One Story
One Story publishes exactly one story per issue and pays $500 plus 25 contributor copies. It takes literary fiction of 3,000–8,000 words. The spring 2026 window hit its submission cap; the guidelines say submissions reopen in fall 2026.
🟡 Opens soon Verified 2026-09
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
- $500 plus 25 contributor copiesOf the other 51 records based in the United States that state a flat-fee figure, 45 state less, 2 state more, 4 state exactly this.
- Length
- 3,000–8,000 words
- Who can submit
- Not statedNo nationality restriction stated on the guidelines page.
- Reading period
- The guidelines state the spring 2026 submission cap was reachedand that submissions reopen in fall 2026. Check their Submittable before preparing anything — caps close windows early.
- Response time
- Not statedNo response time recorded. A follow-up after two to three weeks is reasonable; silence past that is a soft no, not a rejection.
- Simultaneous submissions
- You may submit elsewhere at the same timeYes, but please withdraw your submission immediately if your submission is accepted for publication elsewhere. — https://one-story.com/write/submit-a-story/ (read 2026-09-30)
- AI policy
- Not statedThe guideline is silent. BRYME records that 138 of the 304 publications on this desk do restrict AI-assisted work, so silence here is not permission — ask.
- Rights
- StatedFirst Serial North American rights. All rights revert to the author following publication.
- Experience
- Not statedThe guideline sets no experience requirement. BRYME records that as silence, not as a welcome — a first-time writer is not excluded, but nor are they invited.
What this record does not tell you
This publication leaves 4 of the nine questions unanswered. BRYME publishes that gap instead of filling it — a generated answer would look complete and cost you a pitch.
- Who can submit — the guideline leaves this open, so ask before you spend an evening on the pitch rather than assuming a yes.
- Response time — expect to wait blind, and keep other pitches live.
- AI policy — assume disclosure is expected unless the editor says otherwise.
- Experience — look at what kind of writer this publication normally publishes before you pitch; its guideline does not say.
Record last human-checked 2026-09-06. 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
- $500 plus 25 contributor copies
- Word count
- 3,000–8,000 words
- Submission
- Submittable
- International writers
- Yes
- Status
- 🟡 Opens soon
- Last verified
- 2026-09
What this publication wants
This is BRYME's summary of the publication's focus — not a copy of their website. Type of writing: Fiction. Official guideline: One Story guidelines.
Topics, themes and styles they look for
- Literary fiction of 3,000–8,000 words, any style, any subject.
- Stories that leave a reader satisfied and are strong enough to stand alone — the whole issue is your story.
- A cover letter with the word count and a short biographical statement, and the story as a PDF.
Subjects they avoid
- Work previously published online anywhere — blogs, personal sites, online magazines or forums. Work published in print outside North America will be considered.
- A second story before your first has had a response.
- An expectation of feedback: they state plainly that they do not send comments.
Key requirements
- Submittable
- PDF preferred
- Word count in the cover letter
- One story at a time
Who can submit
No nationality restriction stated on the guidelines page.
Rights
First Serial North American rights. All rights revert to the author following publication.
AI policy
Not stated in the guideline
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.
Opens in windows. Currently between reading periods.
How to submit
Submittable
Apply through the official channel below. BRYME only records submission destinations it has verified.
- Official guideline: opens the publication guideline (new tab)
- Submission: Submittable
What the guideline asks you to prepare
- Wait for an open window — the cap closes it early.
- Prepare a 3,000–8,000 word story as a PDF with a cover letter stating the word count.
- Submit through Submittable.
What happens after submission
Expected response: Not stated
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.
Check, question or correct this record
BRYME publishes its working, not just its conclusions. Last human check: 2026-09.