Write a Portrait

The Living Index is a growing collection of short, written portraits of the people who make a place feel like home.

If someone has stayed with you, write them down.

What makes a portrait

Write about one real person you’ve come to know, even a little. You don’t need their whole life story. You need one true glimpse of who they are.

Start with how you know them, or how you keep crossing paths.
Show a detail only someone paying attention would notice.
Say what you’ve learned about them — or about your own place — because of them.
Write with care.

Example portrait

Read our example portrait if you would like more information on writing and style here

How to tag your portrait

Tags let readers wander the archive. Pick the one that fits best, and we may adjust it when we publish.

Artist — makers, musicians, performers, anyone who creates.
Grandparent — elders and the people who carry a neighborhood’s memory.
Stranger — the familiar faces you’ve never quite met.
Travel — people encountered on the move, away from home.

Submit your portrait

Take your time. You can write your portrait directly in the form below.

Your name

Use your first name and last initial.

Your email

So we can reach you if your portrait needs a small edit.

Who is this about?

How old are they?

City

Only the city is shown. We place an approximate pin and never publish an exact address.

Tag

My tag isn’t listed — I’ll write my own.

Your portrait

Under 1,000 words.

Attach an image (optional)

Paste a direct link to the image file (it should end in .jpg, .png, etc.). Page links like Flickr or Google Drive often won’t display.

I’ve written this about a real person, with respect, and kept it under 1,000 words.

This is an original story and I give The Living Index authority to publish, unpublish, or edit my story.

What happens next

Every submission comes to us first. We read each one, make sure it’s under 1,000 words and written with care, and reach out if it needs a small edit. When it’s ready, we publish it, and you’ll see it appear as a pin on the map and a new entry in the archive.