How to Submit to Human Parts

What we’re looking for, and other useful pointers

Due to an overwhelming number of submissions, we’re currently pausing on accepting new pitches. While we catch up on reviewing our submissions archive, we’ll continue to scour Medium for great self-published stories and reach out to writers whose work fits the description below. The best way to contribute, then? Self-publish your story on Medium, and if it’s a fit for us, trust that we’ll find it. For more on how self-publishing works, head here.

Human Parts is Medium’s home for personal essays and perspectives — from the mundane to the extraordinary to everything in between. More than anything, we strive to inspire our readers to close their browsers and start writing themselves.

We’re most interested in stories that make us want to write: experimental nonfiction that plays with form and voice; brave, intimate storytelling that illuminates the broader human condition; and imaginative writing that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

At the moment, we’re particularly interested in stories about the following topics:

• Creativity: Making things, breaking things, and finding your voice.
• Family: Perspectives on parenting, childhood, and everything in between.
• Identity: On the art of self-definition.
• Love + Sex: Stories about who we connect with, and why.
• Mental Health: Dealing with the mess inside our minds.
• Spirituality: Brief encounters with the divine.

More importantly? Surprise us. We can’t say exactly what we’re looking for until we see it.

What aren’t we looking for? We’re currently focused on first-person essays and experimental forms. In other words: We’re not currently looking for reported features or for you to tell someone else’s story. Also: Please don’t send us traditional self-help. Tell us how you live your life, rather than telling us how we should live ours.

Thanks for your interest in contributing — we’re looking forward to reading your work!