Announcing the Storyteller Badge: Recognizing More Powerful Stories

Every day, women around the world share stories of resilience, transformation, courage, and hope on World Pulse. For years, we've been able to recognize only a few of these exceptional narratives as Featured Storytellers. But women’s stories are powerful, and many more deserve to be celebrated!

That's where the Storyteller badge comes in.

The Storyteller Badge

World Pulse is thrilled to announce that we have released a new badge! The Storyteller badge is a new tier of recognition within the World Pulse Awards that celebrates personal narratives that move us, inspire us, and show us new ways forward. The badge soft-launched in September, and we've already awarded more than 150 members who have shared stories that resonate deeply with our community.

What makes a story worthy of the Storyteller badge?

We're looking for first-person narratives—your story in your words. Stories that are solutions-oriented, even when tackling difficult subjects. Stories that help people feel connected to you and the issues you're writing about. These are authentic voices sharing real experiences, focused on specific moments or turning points that illuminate your truth.

Where will Storyteller badge recipients be featured?

When a representative of the World Pulse storytelling team awards you with a Storyteller badge, your narrative will be spotlighted in our Latest Voices section on each member’s My Pulse feed. That means you’ll get visibility across our community, reaching more World Pulse members who can respond with encouragement and connection.

This badge says: We see you. Your personal story matters. Keep sharing.

How is the Storyteller badge different from the Vocal Contributor and Featured Storyteller?

The Storyteller badge is part of a larger recognition system within World Pulse Awards that honors different types of contributions:

The Vocal Contributor Badge celebrates anyone consistently raising her voice on World Pulse. When you share 10 posts—whether they're stories, updates, calls to action, or reflections on issues you care about—you earn this badge. Every 10 posts after that increases your badge count.

The Storyteller Badge highlights first-person narratives and gives them visibility in our Latest Voices section. Members can receive this badge multiple times — once for each story highlighted.

The Featured Storyteller Badge is awarded to members who have received our highest recognition for their contribution. These stories are narratives that have been selected for publication on the World Pulse platform and on the World Pulse organization site. They appear prominently on the World Pulse Features section in member’s My Pulse feed and are promoted through World Pulse and/or partner channels. Each Featured Storyteller receives professional editing support, plus a $100-$300 US honorarium. Because these stories are given monetary awards and dedicated editing support, we are limited to selecting only 3 to 4 Featured Storytellers per month, often as part of Campaigns.

What types of stories earn a member a Storyteller badge?

Wondering what we look for in stories? We've put together detailed guidance to help you craft compelling narratives that resonate. Check out our tips for sharing your story and learn more about how Story Awards are selected.

Stories that earn the Storyteller badge are personal, solutions-oriented, and authentic. They embody the values and culture of our community guidelines and deserve wider reach, even if they don't fit the usual word count or every Featured Story guideline. What matters most is your bravery. That bravery makes your story worthy to be spotlighted.

Your Story Deserves Recognition

The Storyteller badge exists because we believe in the power of your voice.

So keep sharing. Keep raising your voice. Keep telling us what you've learned, what you've survived, what you're building, and what you dream is possible.

Because on World Pulse, your voice matters, and your story has power.

Ready to share your story? Head to World Pulse and click "Share a Story." Your community is waiting to hear from you.

Want to improve your storytelling skills? Check out our Digital Storytelling training in the Digital Empowerment Training Suite. Learn more about the criteria for Story Awards here, and read through previously published Featured Storyteller work for inspiration.