Tell us your story
You don't need to be a professional writer.
You don't need to make it sound dramatic.
You just need to tell the truth.
Share what happened in your own words. We'll review it from there.
Why submit to Overheard On Main
When you submit a story here, a few things can happen.
Your story may be preserved in a platform built around real human experience.
It may be reviewed for possible inclusion in the Overheard On Main archive.
And if it is especially strong, it may be considered for future public features such as newsletters, podcasts, books, or media projects.
If a story moves toward public feature, we may ask for a short live verification call first.
Before you submit
Write it the way you would explain it to a smart friend.
Focus on:
- what happened
- who was involved
- the details that made it real
- why it stayed with you
You don't need perfect structure.
You don't need polished prose.
Clarity and honesty matter more than style.
Your story, your comfort level
We want people to feel safe submitting.
You can tell us what you are comfortable with, including whether you would ever want your story considered for public feature or future projects.
Submitting a story doesn't mean it will automatically be published or shared publicly.
If we ever want to move a story toward public feature, that would involve a separate step and direct communication with you first.
What belongs here
Overheard On Main is for true stories based on lived experience.
Here is what we look for:
Real experience
The story should be honest and based on something that actually happened.
Human voice
We care more about specificity, clarity, and lived detail than polished writing.
Strong story signal
It doesn't have to be dramatic, but it should have tension, meaning, surprise, humor, heartbreak, or some reason it stayed with you.
No filler, no fake performance
We're not looking for invented drama, generic writing, or stories designed to imitate a viral post.
AI can assist review, but it cannot replace authorship
We may use AI behind the scenes to help sort and score submissions. The story itself should come from a real person describing a real experience.
Verification may be required for public feature
If a story is being seriously considered for public release, we may ask for a short live call to confirm details before moving forward.
A few quick things
Submitting is free.
Submission doesn't guarantee publication.
Public feature is never automatic.
If your story moves forward, we'll contact you before anything is shared publicly.