X Announces $1 Million Prize for Best Long-Form Article in 2026
Elon Musk’s X launches a $1 million global writing contest to reward impactful long-form journalism shaping conversations in 2026.
Elon Musk-owned social media platform X has announced a major new initiative aimed at writers and long-form creators, offering a massive $1 million (approximately ₹9.07 crore) prize for the best article published on the platform during its next payout cycle.
The company says the contest is designed to strengthen its commitment to original writing and meaningful journalism on X. Making the announcement through its official creators’ account, the platform stated:
“We’re trying something new: we’re giving $1 million to the Top Article of the next payout period. We’re doubling down on what creators on 𝕏 do best: writing. In 2026, our goal is to recognize high-value, high-impact content that shapes conversation, breaks news and moves culture.”
The platform also invited creators to actively participate in shaping its future direction, adding:
“Creators, writers, journalists, thought leaders: If long-form is your craft, this is your moment to double down on 𝕏. Tell us what you want to see next in 2026.”
The announcement comes at a sensitive time for X and its AI chatbot Grok, which have faced regulatory scrutiny following reports of non-consensual deepfake images generated by the system. Against this backdrop, the company appears keen to reposition itself as a serious space for high-quality, responsible journalism and commentary.
Contest timeline and eligibility
According to X, the Top Article contest began at 2:00 PM Pacific Time on January 16, 2026, and will close at 11:59 PM Pacific Time on January 28, 2026. Only users based in the United States are currently eligible to participate.
To qualify, an article must be original, written by the entrant, and contain a minimum of 1,000 words. The platform will evaluate entries primarily based on impressions generated on the Verified Home Timeline, meaning audience reach and engagement will play a central role in selecting the winner.
Content rules
X has laid down strict content guidelines to maintain quality and safety standards. Submissions must not contain hateful, fraudulent, manipulative, or misleading material. The company has also emphasized that content violating its platform policies will be automatically disqualified.
Among the detailed conditions listed by X:
- A submission must be the entrant’s sole original work.
- A submission cannot contain material that promotes bigotry, racism, hate speech, terrorism, bullying, or harm against any group or individual.
- Must not contain overtly sexual content.
- Cannot defame, misrepresent, or contain disparaging remarks about X, its partners, or other people and companies.
- Must not contain content known to be false, inaccurate, or misleading.
- Must be free of plagiarism.
Importantly, the company warned: “Submissions generated or substantially assisted by automated tools, artificial intelligence, or third parties may be disqualified unless expressly permitted by X.”
Once published, articles cannot be edited. However, participants are allowed to submit multiple entries during the contest window.
Boost to long-form writing on X
The contest coincides with X’s recent expansion of its Articles feature to all Premium users. This allows creators to publish long-form content directly on the platform and earn revenue through its monetization programme.
With a $1 million reward on the line, X is clearly betting that serious writers and journalists will see the platform as more than just a microblogging site — but as a major home for influential long-form storytelling in 2026.
