Creative Nonfiction that Illuminates

Chicago Story Press was founded in 2020 by Anne Beall and Judi Goshen, members of the storytelling community who saw their stages disappear when the pandemic hit. When a fellow storyteller passed away without having been published, they created the press to ensure that powerful, personal stories would live on. In 2024, Anne Beall took the helm, expanding the mission beyond books to make stories even more accessible. She launched the Chicago Story Press Literary Journal, an online, no-paywall journal dedicated to creative nonfiction. Published pieces are shared widely—through the website, Substack, and the EBSCO literary database. With a focus on visibility and impact, Chicago Story Press is dedicated to amplifying storytellers and making their words last forever. 

At Chicago Story Press, we believe in championing authors. That’s why we offer our literary journal subscription for free, encourage our writers to share their work widely, and ensure that copyright reverts to the authors after publication. 

We founded this press because we love stories and essays. The way they can affect you, stay with you, teach you, and transform you. When we find authors with stories no one else has ever read, we want to be the ones to get them out into the world. And when those authors affect readers and make a strong impression, it makes all our hard work worth it.  

Judi L. Goshen and Anne Beall founded Chicago Story Press. Although Judi has since stepped away, her vision and guidance continue to shape everything we do.