One of the most widespread misconceptions about the college essay is that standout essays are those that tell a monumental story.

Scarlett Choi, Emma Gaffney and Carrie Colley won the 2026 Ben Belitt Prize for their exceptional writing.

Heteropessimism” is all the rage — but really, there’s never been a better time to be looking for love. Go on, be a ...

This isn’t the first time C.L. Hoang has chosen to revisit his early years growing up in Vietnam by putting words to page, ...

Virginia Woolf’s quote “No need to hurry. No need to sparkle. No need to be anybody but oneself” is a timeless lesson on self ...

Reading is a solitary activity, not a lonely one. I was a shy kid who loved books in part because they felt like a form of ...

The form known as ekphrasis — or poetry about art — has taken a turn toward the individual. Our columnist asks what it means.

Choosing your response also means not waiting for someone to apologize. The person who wronged you may never acknowledge it.

In 'My Year in Paris with Gertrude Stein,' the narrator, a writer, actually spends one month trying to understand Stein's ...

NPR's Juana Summers talks with Haili Blassingame about her debut, They All Fall in Love at the End, about a young woman ...

One is less expensive, while the other provides more legal protections. Here’s how to decide. Greg Daugherty has worked 25+ years as an editor and writer for major publications and websites. He is ...