Publication: Narratively
Topic(s): Green spaces, environment, community, culture, memoir, wellbeing, climate, identity, nature writing
Rate: $750+ per article
Deadline: 23 January 2026
Submit Via: Pitch form
Narratively is accepting reported story pitches for a new spring series titled “Stories From the Ground Up — How Green Spaces Shape Our Lives.” This project is produced in collaboration with ScottsMiracle-Gro, North America’s leading lawn and garden company.
This is a premium opportunity for writers who excel at cinematic, deeply human, narrative journalism rooted in lived experience and place.
About the Series
This collection explores the real-life moments, memories, and turning points that unfold in the outdoor spaces people live alongside — backyards, parks, fields, courtyards, lawns, and small patches of green that quietly shape identity, connection, wellbeing, and belonging.
Stories will be published in Spring 2026 on Narratively.com and ScottsMiracle-Gro.com.
The focus is not the lawn or green space itself, but the human story, with nature acting as a catalyst rather than the subject.
What They’re Looking For
Narratively is commissioning true, reported stories that are:
- Narrative-driven and scene-rich
- Rooted in lived experience
- Grounded in a specific outdoor environment
- Emotionally resonant and character-focused
First-person memoir is welcome, but reported stories with strong narrative arcs are especially encouraged.
Story Angles of Interest
Narratively is particularly interested in stories that explore:
Family, Memory & Belonging
How green or outdoor spaces become part of someone’s inner world, shaping childhood, identity, or relationships.
Community, Culture & Expression
How shared outdoor spaces bring communities together, preserve traditions, or become sites of creativity and connection.
Sports, Healing & Wellbeing
Stories of resilience, confidence, recovery, or transformation that unfold on fields, courts, or communal grounds.
Climate, Water & Adaptation
How people adjust as the environments they depend on change — and what those shifts reveal about care, resilience, and home.
Curiosity & Discovery
Quiet, observant narratives that uncover unexpected wonder by paying close attention to the natural world close to home.
Tone & Narrative Depth
Accepted pieces should feel cinematic, intimate, and grounded, with vivid characters and a strong sense of place. Stories can be quiet or expansive, personal or community-centered, but must feel authentic and human.
Narratively welcomes a wide range of approaches, including:
- Personal journeys
- Deeply reported community stories
- Environmental and scientific discovery
- Identity-driven narratives shaped by place
Format & Payment
- Formats: First-person or reported narratives
- Length Options:
- Short reads: up to 1,000 words
- Longform features: 1,000–3,000 words
- Pay: Starts at $750, with higher rates available for ambitious or heavily reported pieces
- Total Commissioned: Approximately 15 stories
Submission Guidelines
- Who Can Apply: Writers with strong narrative and reporting skills
- What to Submit:
- Reported story pitch (reported stories only)
- Deadline:
- Final deadline: Friday, 23 January 2026
- Submissions accepted on a rolling basis over a six-week window
How to Submit
Submit your pitch via Narratively’s Submittable portal:
Sure Media Agency 