Secret
ByIn Cay Kim’s “Secret,” a Korean girl, with the help of her grandmother, enters a national singing competition show and finds herself steeped in a rivalrous phenomenon that is tied to both her country’s identity and its history.
ONE STORY publishes one great short story at a time. We bring people together through reading, writing, and learning about short fiction.
In Cay Kim’s “Secret,” a Korean girl, with the help of her grandmother, enters a national singing competition show and finds herself steeped in a rivalrous phenomenon that is tied to both her country’s identity and its history.
In Maria Kuznetsova’s “Hold Me Looser, Tiny Dancer,” a mother hoping to earn an extra payday uses an inexplicable science-fictional contraption to offer other mothers in her neighborhood a chance to revisit their long-gone pasts, begging the question: What will we do to make ourselves feel loved again?
Join us on a site-specific writing class! With writer Lisa Ko, you’ll get a glimpse into New York City’s evolution through the twentieth century at the NYC Panorama and the remnants of the 1939/40 and 1964/65 World’s Fairs. Gather inspiration from a guided tour, a craft lecture a generative writing exercise, and a reading of student work.
Queens Museum, NY
Saturday, May 16
12:30–3:15pm
In this four-week reading group with author Yohanca Delgado, students will discuss Daphne du Maurier’s iconic gothic novel Rebecca and the craft elements that fuel its mystery.
Tuesdays, June 9–30
Read Lauren Groff’s speech at the 2026 Debutante Ball, now live on Lit Hub. Reflecting on the creative slump following a book’s publication, Lauren gives advice to our debut authors on the importance of slowing down.
A year of lectures on the craft of fiction from eight One Story authors.
The next lecture in our 2026 Lecture Series takes place Saturday, May 16, from 4-5:15pm ET. Jenn Alandy Trahan will discuss how iconic films create a strong sense of place.
Lecture Series
February–November 2026
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The next lecture in our 2026 Lecture Series discusses how iconic films construct their strong sense of place.
Online Lecture
Saturday, May 16
4–5:15pm ET
Learn tips and techniques for revising in this self-guided class. You’ll get five in-depth revision techniques to sharpen your work. By the end of the course you’ll have new skills, a helpful to-do list, and pages of new material to move your revision in the right direction.
Self-Guided Class
One Story arrives in your mailbox in an envelope like a letter from a friend. Each chapbook-sized story introduces you to a new author. No ads, no images—just a great read.
One great short story
in the mail every month
What do you do when your best friend is about to leave for college and it feels like the world is ending? Take a road trip together to a place called The End of the World, of course!
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One Story has been publishing since 2002. We never publish an author twice. Browse our back issues to see who we published when.
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Led by Lena Valencia, this group will meet online once a month to silently read a chosen story from One Story’s archives together, followed by a visit from the author or editor of the issue and a group discussion.
Reading Group
January–June 2026
They will re-open in the spring. Please read our guidelines before sending us your work.