Our Story

A cross between a traditional literary journal and a more dynamic online community, Scribbled was born from a shared, fervent belief that in this increasingly monotonous, tech dependent world, it is more crucial than ever that we reconnect with the creative energy we all have inside us.

Our core ethos is that creative careers should be far more accessible, because we deeply believe in the power of creativity to enact positive change in the world around us. Scribbled was built around this key tenet of accessibility: we are entirely volunteer-run, allowing us to forgo any form of submission fee as we believe that financial hardship should never be a barrier to creating.

Reading, writing, the act of creating – these practices spark joy, renew hope, and connect us with our humanity. They also breed community. If we can encourage even one person to engage in a creative outlet, to find a community, we will have achieved our goal. With the rise of anti-intellectualism and AI, it can be hard to feel optimistic as a creative. This is especially true in the early stages of a creative career, given that so much of our work is done in solitude. Now, more than ever, it’s easy to feel isolated, lonely, and that creative efforts are futile. Scribbled harnesses the power of social media to bring people together, creating a vibrant community which platforms and uplifts writers (and, in the future, artists, designers, and creatives of all kinds!) – often being the first place they’re ever published.

As a writer, life can often be defined by rejection. Rejection from literary agents, from magazines, and from publishing houses with little explanation and sometimes no response at all. Scribbled provides detailed, constructive feedback for every unsuccessful submission, and we have been delighted by the overwhelmingly positive response. Many who receive feedback will then resubmit a second draft which we do publish, and it is a privilege and a joy to have had some small part in their creative journey and witness their writerly progress. 

By platforming new and emerging writers, we hope to make the world of writing more accessible, as well as shine a light on how the spirit of creativity and imagination lives on in humanity, in spite of a zeitgeist which asserts such things have been lost. We humans are tribal beings. Anthropologically, at the very level of our DNA, we thrive when we are surrounded by people. And we truly believe that in this increasingly isolationist world, community-building is one of the most radical things we can do. We have so much power together. Let’s come together, and work towards real, lasting change.

In less than a year, Scribbled has grown from a tentative idea to a vibrant, fast-growing, and fiercely loved literary community. Our team has grown from 1 member to 15, our Instagram has blossomed into a platform visited by hundreds of thousands of people every month, and we have created a space that is joyful, welcoming, and alive with creative energy. Our community is the heart and soul of this project, and we couldn't be more grateful. It is our greatest pleasure and privilege to have published over 200 truly exceptional pieces of writing from creatives of all ages, nationalities, and disciplines, with over 1000 submissions received from more than 100 countries across the globe. 

Creating is a deeply human act. As long as humans have lived, we have created: we have sung songs, daubed paint on walls, carved words into stone. When we create, we connect, and we leave the world a slightly better place than it was the day before. Every day we wake up to submissions from people we would have never known, had it not been for Scribbled. That human connection, forged through creativity, made possible through community, is what we hold onto. We creatives need no longer shout into a void. We can call out for each other and be met not with silence but with vibrant cries of support and celebration.