Call for Submissions — Issue No. 5
THE MUSIC EDIT
LURU is all ears for its fifth issue "The Music Edit" and this one is on a whole new wavelength.
After soaking in the quietude of nature in Issue #4, Team LURU is back on the Bengaluru beat, this time hunting for writing that captures the city's music.
01 / The Theme
THE
THEME
As starting points, here are some ideas that could get you thinking about your pitch: how a genre of Bangalorean music, or a period of its music history was shaped by globalisation or technology; being roommates with an aspiring rockstar; the unknown story of a subculture behind a musician/genre you're into, unpacking lyrical geniuses, how caste/gender/religion/ language shapes sound, old music and lost meanings…
These are just springboards and stray thoughts of someone who was up very late last night jamming out to the new Gorillaz album. What we're really looking for, what every editor is looking for—is a story they didn't even know they needed.
02 / Open Calls
OPEN
CALLS
As we gear up for the city's freshest The Music Edit, we welcome non-fiction pitches, complete short fiction, and personal essays. Read on, feel the rhythm, and send us a story you can't wait to share.
01
LONGFORM
NON-FICTION
2,500+ words · Pitches only
We're looking for deeply reported narrative non-fiction that expands how we understand the city and the worlds within it. Stories should be driven by characters, scenes, and narrative movement, rather than abstract argument. We are especially interested in stories that approach familiar subjects from unexpected angles.
We're looking for deeply reported narrative non-fiction that expands how we understand the city and the worlds within it. Stories should be driven by characters, scenes, and narrative movement, rather than abstract argument. We are especially interested in stories that approach familiar subjects from unexpected angles.
What we look for
- Compelling characters
- Immersive scenes built through reporting or reconstruction
- A clear narrative arc
- Writing that is attentive, curious, and grounded in the world
We do not publish
Single-subject interviews, time-bound news reports, academic analysis, opinion pieces, promotional or PR-driven writing. We receive a large volume of submissions and responses usually take about one month.
How to pitch
We accept pitches only for long-form non-fiction. Please do not send completed drafts.
In around 300 words, tell us who or what lies at the centre of the story; what makes the story interesting, unusual, or necessary; the narrative arc (beginning, middle, end); how you plan to report it (interviews, archives, observation, etc.); and why you are the right person to write it.
Subject lineIssue 5 – Non-fiction Pitch: [Headline] IncludeShort bio (2–3 lines)
Links to writing samples
Reporting costs if relevant Send toeditor@lurumagazine.com
Links to writing samples
Reporting costs if relevant Send toeditor@lurumagazine.com
02
SHORT
FICTION
1,000–5,000 words · Complete story
We welcome fiction that experiments with form, language, and perspective. A Bengaluru connection—however emotional or imagined.
We welcome fiction that experiments with form, language, and perspective. A Bengaluru connection—however emotional or imagined.
What we look for
Stories should have some relationship to Bengaluru—however distant or imaginative. Formal experimentation is welcome and encouraged. We do not accept fiction pitches; send the complete story.
Translations
We accept translations, but contributors must obtain all translation rights before submitting. Please note the original language and author in your email.
Subject lineIssue 5 – Fiction: [Title] Send toeditor@lurumagazine.com
03
ON
MY WAY
1,500 words · Readers' Column
This column follows Bangaloreans on journeys around the world.
This column follows Bangaloreans on journeys around the world.
The column
The journey may be large or small, physical, or emotional. It might unfold across continents, across neighbourhoods, or across a single afternoon. What matters is that it brings readers somewhere memorable.
The story need not be set in Bengaluru, but it should connect in some way to the city and this issue's theme. The journey may be physical or deeply interior.
What we look for
A clear voice, a strong sense of place, and a feeling of discovery. Essays that bring readers somewhere memorable. We publish one essay per column per issue.
Please submit the complete essay. We do not accept pitches for these sections. Accepted pieces will go through edits with our editorial team, and we will request a photograph to accompany the column.
Subject lineIssue 5 — On My Way: [Headline] IncludeShort bio (2–3 lines)
Links to writing samples Send toeditor@lurumagazine.com
Links to writing samples Send toeditor@lurumagazine.com
04
EXTRA-
CURRICULAR
1,500 words · Readers' Column
This column explores what Bangaloreans do outside the formal rhythms of work.
This column explores what Bangaloreans do outside the formal rhythms of work.
The column
This might be a hobby, riyaaz, obsession, gathering, or side practice—the things people return to after hours, often where the real work of life takes place.
What we look for
Essays with a clear voice, a strong sense of place, and a feeling of discovery. We publish one essay per column per issue.
Please submit the complete essay. We do not accept pitches for these sections. Accepted pieces will go through edits with our editorial team, and we will request a photograph to accompany the column.
Subject lineIssue 5 — Extracurricular: [Headline] IncludeShort bio (2–3 lines)
Links to writing samples Send toeditor@lurumagazine.com
Links to writing samples Send toeditor@lurumagazine.com
03 / The LURU Jukebox
ADD TO
THE JUKEBOX
Every city has a soundtrack. What's yours?
As we keep our ears trained to the city's music, we want to know what you are listening to. We're building a jukebox for Bengaluru—not of the songs made here, but of the songs that are living their hundredth life here. Which track plays in your head on Cunningham Road at 2 am? Which song makes you think of namma ooru even when you're far away from it? Name the track you'd play if you had to explain Bengaluru to someone who's never been.
Send us a link of the song and tell us why it is Bengaluru, and we'll curate the best into a playlist for the city.
04 / Deadlines
ONE
DATE
15 JUNE 2026
Longform Non-FictionPitches only · ₹8/word
Short FictionComplete story · ₹5,000
On My WayComplete essay · ₹5,000
ExtracurricularComplete essay · ₹5,000
LURU JukeboxSong links
GOT A
STORY WE
NEED TO
HEAR?
STORY WE
NEED TO
HEAR?
We read everything. Responses for non-fiction pitches usually take about one month. All other submissions are read on a rolling basis.
editor@lurumagazine.comAnnual Subscription · 2026
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