Longreads (Weekly)
Longreads (Weekly)

Longreads (Weekly)

by Automattic (Longreads Team)

Weekly Free / Member

The best stories on the web. Longreads delivers a weekly selection of the finest long-form narrative journalism, essays, and fiction from across the internet.

About Longreads (Weekly)

Longreads is the 'curator's curator'. Its weekly newsletter is famous for its 'Best of' lists, where editors select the single most impactful stories published that week. It's unique for its commitment to 'the story'—whether it's on a personal blog or the front page of a major newspaper. It serves as a vital signal-booster for independent writers and specialized journals that would otherwise be lost in the daily news cycle.

What Makes This Newsletter Unique

Pure Storytelling. They prioritize narrative quality and emotional resonance over the 'utility' of news or productivity.

Who Should Subscribe?

People who love to get lost in a great story and want to discover the best narrative writing on the web every week.

Content Format

A minimalist weekly email with curated story cards, author names, and 'estimated reading time' (often 15+ minutes).

Recent Newsletter Issues

View all archived issues
Feb 6, 2026

Venom in His Veins

"Bill Haast, the Florida man who tried to milk medical miracles from deadly snakes."

Feb 6, 2026

Why the Future of Movies Lives on Letterboxd

"If Rotten Tomatoes has become a tool of Hollywood’s homogenizing marketing machinery, Letterboxd is something else: a cinephilic hive buzzing with authentic enthusiasm and heterogeneous tastes."

Feb 6, 2026

The Top 5 Longreads of the Week

In this edition: Bezos, paper, scissors; feast or famine; one reason to stay here; any way you slice it; the real Winter Olympics, and more.

Pricing & Subscription Options

Premium Newsletter

  • Weekly emails
  • Unsubscribe anytime

Free weekly email + Membership to support independent creators and ad-free site

View Pricing

Leave a Review

0/500 characters

Our Take: Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Unsurpassed curation of narrative writing
  • Excellent support for independent and niche writers
  • Very high-quality, ad-free reading experience

Cons

  • Focus is exclusively on long-form (not for short attention spans)
  • Content can be emotionally heavy (essays/memoirs)

Frequently Asked Questions

Do they pay writers?

Yes, through their membership program, they commission and pay for original long-form essays and fiction.

How often is Longreads (Weekly) published?

Longreads (Weekly) is published weekly.

Who writes Longreads (Weekly)?

Longreads (Weekly) is written by Automattic (Longreads Team). Longreads was founded in 2009 by Mark Armstrong and is now part of Automattic (the people behind WordPress).

About the Author: Automattic (Longreads Team)

A

Automattic (Longreads Team)

Longreads was founded in 2009 by Mark Armstrong and is now part of Automattic (the people behind WordPress). It is the original home of the #longreads hashtag and long-form curation.

Similar Newsletters You Might Like

Ready to Subscribe to Longreads (Weekly)?

Get weekly insights delivered to your inbox

Visit Longreads (Weekly)

Unsubscribe anytime.