Name of Publication/Company: Narratively
Topic(s): Secret lives, hidden worlds, unusual jobs, narrative nonfiction, first-person essays, deep-dive profiles
Rate: ~$500–$1,000 per piece (confirm upon acceptance)
Deadline: Rolling
Name of Editor: Not specified
Submit Via: Submittable – Secret Lives Submissions

Narratively is actively accepting submissions for their “Secret Lives” series — one of their most popular narrative nonfiction verticals. This is a strong high-paying writing opportunity for storytellers who can unlock hidden worlds and turn them into emotionally charged, cinematic reading experiences.

They’re not interested in dry explainers like “this is what it’s like to have this job.” They want story: movement, tension, transformation. Whether you’re writing a first-person essay or a reported profile, your piece must follow a clear narrative arc with a beginning, middle, and end — and someone (you or your subject) needs to change in a meaningful way by the final paragraph.

Your job as a writer here is to take a life that feels distant from the reader and, through sharp scenes and human stakes, make it feel uncomfortably close.

Typical word count: 2,500–5,000 words, with some flexibility. They are currently only accepting full submissions, not pitches.

Some example Secret Lives stories to study for tone, structure, and depth:

• Meet Ladybeard, the Crown Prince of Japan’s Strangest Music Scene
• Porno Power: The Next Generation
• The First Family of Human Cannonballing
• The Deep South’s Dames of Dildos

These are perfect study texts if you’re serious about breaking into narrative nonfiction markets that actually pay.

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What They’re Looking For:

• Longform narrative nonfiction with a clear arc and transformation
• Hidden or unusual lives, subcultures, or jobs most readers never access
• Strong emotional or psychological stakes – something real on the line
• Scene-driven storytelling that feels almost like a movie
• Either reported profiles or first-person essays, but always deeply human

Resources/Guides:

• Full “Secret Lives” archive and other narrative pieces available on Narratively.
• Submission details and guidelines on their Submittable page.

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How To Get This Job:
If you’re a Kenyan writer who wants to land high-paying international writing jobs like this, don’t wing it alone.

Inside Sure Media, we train you how to:

• Develop narrative ideas that editors in New York, London, and beyond actually buy
• Structure longform features (2,500–5,000 words) with clean arcs and serious emotional payoff
• Pitch and position your work so you’re not treated like a “cheap global South writer,” but as a pro on their level

When you join the agency, we also give you an author account so you can publish pieces, build a real portfolio, and use that as leverage when you approach editors at places like Narratively and other high-paying publications.