This American Life About This American Life is a public radio show broadcast on more than 500 stations to about 1.8 million listeners. It is produced by Chicago Public Media, distributed by Public Radio International, and has won all of the major broadcasting awards. It is also often the most popular podcast in the country, with around 700,000 people downloading each week. There’s a theme to each episode, and a variety of stories on that theme. It’s mostly true stories of everyday people, though not always. There’s lots more to the show, but it’s sort of hard to describe. Important: Query first. The editors may not respond to all submissions. After waiting a reasonable amount of time, assume your submission will not be accepted. Country of Publication & Year Established United States Established in 1995 Publication Medium & Frequency Audio Publication Audio PublicationPublished 52 x per year AI Policy Unknown AI policy Nonfiction Open Query first.Audience:Open to a broad Audience, including: All nationalities, Americans.Lengths: Essay: No specific word count limits known. Narrative Nonfiction: No specific word count limits known.Styles:Open to all/most Styles, including: Humorous, Literary, Mainstream, Personal.Topics: Open to all/most Topics including... Memoir. Society/Culture. Other: May vary.Payment:Unknown payment Unknown payment.Submissions:Method: Email. Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.Simultaneous submissions: Unknown.Media: Text. Always check guidelines for details and restrictions. If you aren't familiar with these terms, see our glossary. Go to publication's website Report: Submission/Response Correction/Update New Cover ArtSocial:Facebook FacebookX (Twitter) @thisamerlife For the Editor(s): Request Interview Duosuma Submission Manager Link to Duotrope This American Life Submission Statistics The statistics in this section are compiled from submission reports sent to us through our submission tracker. They are not provided by the publication's editors/staff or by Duotrope's admins. Information in this section is updated a few times per day. Learn more about the statistics. Filter: Category: Group by submission Accuracy: We have not received any complete reports within the past 12 months. Pending 1 response is pending (31 days waiting). This only includes pending reports from people who have been active on Duotrope within the past 30 days Other Information The editors may not respond to all submissions. After waiting a reasonable amount of time, assume your submission will not be accepted. Work submitted here was also submitted to...This section is available to subscribers only. Sign up and start your free trial today!Members accepted here also had work accepted by...This section is available to subscribers only. Become a member and start your free trial today! Your Submissions This section is available to subscribers only. Join today! Before SubmittingWe cannot guarantee that the information on this page is correct. It is not unusual for publications to evolve or close without notice. We do our best to keep up, but it isn't always possible. Duotrope listings do not imply endorsement or recommendation of the project being listed. Before submitting, you should use your own judgment to determine whether the project meets your standards.Always read the full guidelines provided by the publisher.Try to read at least one previous publication to get a better idea of what the editor would like to see.Unless the publisher's guidelines state otherwise, always use industry standard manuscript formatting.Be professional, patient, and persistent. DatesLast Updated: 22 May 2026We check their guidelines for changes every four weeks, and we audit the listing twice a year. Cookie Consent: This site uses secure first-party cookies for essential, preference-setting, and statistical purposes. We do not use any marketing, advertising, or third-party cookies. Read our full cookie policy. Accept All Cookies Allow Essential Cookies Only