Write the stories of
people in your city

We are introducing to City Mayors Metro Mensch, a literary section where we publish articles by our readers about people in cities. Mensch is a German word, meaning both man and woman. The best stories will be published and illustrated.

We are inviting you to write about people in your city or in cities you visited. We are looking for surprising and colourful stories and articles about ordinary people who you think add to the character of your city or the cities you visited. You may write about people who made you laugh or angry or simply intrigued you. They can be strangers or people you know. Write about brief encounters, people you fell in love with, or men and women you observed from a distance.

Your stories can be true or fictional but they must be based on real people. But please avoid anything that could be hurtful to any particular group of people. Of course, the stories have to be your own work.

We will publish and illustrate the best stories in Metro Mensch. If required, our team of editors will also offer constructive criticism. We have already published stories by writers in London, Berlin, Madrid, Mexico, India, Strasbourg, Zurich, Sao Paulo and Baghdad.

To allow us to illustrate your story, be as descriptive as possible. Style does not matter but, please write with conviction and passion. Make us smile or shiver, or just be informative.

Don’t worry about making mistakes if English is not your first language. We will correct any mistakes and edit your story if necessary. Your article can be published under your full name or just under your first name.

Stories or articles should be between 1,000 and 2,000 words long. We will acknowledge the receipt of all articles and let you know how we plan to proceed.

You can send us your story by using the form below or by emailing it to us separately. Please note, initially we require your email address and, at least, your first name.

We very much look forward to receiving your writing.