IndianBL Stories

Real stories, told by the people who lived them

हर कहानी मायने रखती है

First loves, coming out, family, friendship — true stories from queer India, in Hindi, English and Hinglish. Read them, react, and share the ones that stay with you.

How writers earn

Share your story

Chandni Raat1 min read

Write & earn

Your story can pay you back

Every story is read by an editor before it goes live. Once it's up, readers' likes, comments and shares earn you money — paid to your UPI ID, with IndianBL Scouts' weekly payouts.

Share your story

Step 1: Write it
Under a pen name, in Hindi, English or Hinglish. Save drafts as you go.
Step 2: An editor reads it

Questions

Writing for IndianBL Stories

Something we haven't answered? Write to hello@indianbl.com.

Who can write?

Anyone with an IndianBL account who is 18 or older and lives in India, once the account is 3 days old. You write under a pen name — your email and real name are never shown.

What kind of stories?

True stories from your own life, or ones you have permission to tell: first love, coming out, family, friendship, heartbreak, hope. Nothing sexually explicit, nothing that could identify someone without their consent, and never anyone under 18 in a romantic or sexual situation. An editor reads every story before it goes live.

Every story here began with someone brave enough to write it

Yours could be next — under a pen name, in your own language. An editor reads it, readers respond, and every like, comment and share earns you something.

Share your story

Start writing

IndianBL Stories

Real stories, told by the people who lived them

हर कहानी मायने रखती है

First loves, coming out, family, friendship — true stories from queer India, in Hindi, English and Hinglish. Read them, react, and share the ones that stay with you.

How writers earn

Share your story

Chandni Raat1 min read

Write & earn

Your story can pay you back

Every story is read by an editor before it goes live. Once it's up, readers' likes, comments and shares earn you money — paid to your UPI ID, with IndianBL Scouts' weekly payouts.

Share your story

Step 1: Write it
Under a pen name, in Hindi, English or Hinglish. Save drafts as you go.
Step 2: An editor reads it

Questions

Writing for IndianBL Stories

Something we haven't answered? Write to hello@indianbl.com.

Who can write?

Anyone with an IndianBL account who is 18 or older and lives in India, once the account is 3 days old. You write under a pen name — your email and real name are never shown.

What kind of stories?

True stories from your own life, or ones you have permission to tell: first love, coming out, family, friendship, heartbreak, hope. Nothing sexually explicit, nothing that could identify someone without their consent, and never anyone under 18 in a romantic or sexual situation. An editor reads every story before it goes live.

Every story here began with someone brave enough to write it

Yours could be next — under a pen name, in your own language. An editor reads it, readers respond, and every like, comment and share earns you something.

Didi ne sabse pehle samjha

Jab maine apni badi behen ko bataya, toh unhone mujhe nahi — mere liye poori duniya se lad liya.

Coming outHinglish

₹3 earned for the writer

Gulmohar1 min read

Bhaijaan ki shaadi aur mera plus-one

Kya main shaadi mein apne partner ko le ja sakta hoon? Ghar mein yeh sawaal poochna ek jang jaisa tha.

Coming outHinglish

₹13 earned for the writer

Chai aur Chapters1 min read

Appa's WhatsApp forward

My father sent a forward about 'Western influences' to the family group. My reply surprised us both.

Coming outEnglish

₹39 earned for the writer

Bombay Local1 min read

Jab mere dost ne coming out kiya, maine galti ki

Main khud queer tha, phir bhi apne dost ke saath maine wahi kiya jo duniya mere saath karti thi.

Coming outHinglish

₹6 earned for the writer

पहाड़ी दिल1 min read

माँ के लिए लिखी एक कविता

जो बात मैं ज़बान से नहीं कह पाया, वो मैंने कागज़ पर लिख दी — और माँ ने उसे फ्रेम करवा लिया।

Coming outहिन्दी

₹48 earned for the writer

Sahil from Lucknow1 min read

Coming out at 27, over chai

I rehearsed it for ten years. It took four minutes and one cup of tea.

Coming outEnglish

₹24 earned for the writer

Chai aur Chapters1 min read

Bisexual, not confused

Everyone wanted me to pick a side. It took me a long time to realise I was allowed to be the whole map.

Coming outEnglish

₹35 earned for the writer

मुसाफ़िर1 min read

माँ ने कहा — तुम जैसे हो, वैसे ही ठीक हो

जिस बात को कहने में मुझे दस साल लगे, माँ ने उसे दस सेकंड में समझ लिया।

Coming outहिन्दी

₹33 earned for the writer

Bombay Local1 min read

Coming out to my Gujarati grandmother

She had one question, and it was not the one I expected.

Coming outEnglish

₹16 earned for the writer

We check it's a true story that protects everyone in it, then it goes live.

Step 3: Readers engage, you earn

₹1 a like, ₹3 a comment, ₹5 a share that brings a new member — withdrawable 14 days later.

Per like: ₹1
Per comment: ₹3
Per share: ₹5
Paid every Monday: ₹50+

How much can I earn?

Writers earn ₹1 for a reader's like, ₹3 for their comment and ₹5 when their share brings someone who creates an IndianBL account — once per reader for a like or a comment, and one share counts once. A story can earn up to ₹500. You can earn up to ₹500 a month across all your stories. Your own likes and shares, and those from IndianBL staff or accounts under 3 days old, don't earn.

Why do shares earn the most?

Because a share is how IndianBL finds new readers. A share counts once, and only when someone opens your link and creates an account — within 7 days of you sharing it. Opening your own link, or sharing with people who already have an account, doesn't earn anything.

Is every story's earnings public?

Yes — each story shows what it has earned its writer, so readers know their likes and shares matter. Your balance, your payouts and your payment details stay private.

When can I withdraw?

Earnings are added to your balance overnight and become withdrawable 14 days later — the hold lets us catch fake engagement. Once you have ₹50 available, request a withdrawal to your UPI ID; the IndianBL team pays every Monday. It's the same balance as IndianBL Scouts.

Can I edit or delete my story?

Yes. An edit to a published story goes to an editor first — the live version stays up until it's approved. You can unpublish or delete a story whenever you like; what it earned stays yours.

Are earnings taxable?

Earnings are the writer's income and may be taxable. They aren't wages, and writing for IndianBL Stories isn't employment.

Something went wrong. Who do I talk to?

Write to hello@indianbl.com. We acknowledge complaints within 24 hours and resolve them within 15 days. To report a story or comment, use Report on the story page.

Real stories, told by the people who lived them

Stories

Your story can pay you back

Step 1: Write it

Step 2: An editor reads it

Writing for IndianBL Stories

Every story here began with someone brave enough to write it

Real stories, told by the people who lived them

Stories

Your story can pay you back

Step 1: Write it

Step 2: An editor reads it

Writing for IndianBL Stories

Every story here began with someone brave enough to write it

Step 3: Readers engage, you earn