X to award $1 million to top article in push for long-form writing

Elon Musk's X announced a new $1 million prize for the best article in its upcoming creator payout cycle to promote long-form content on the social media platform.

The billionaire reposted the update from X's official creators account, which said the initiative aims to “recognise high-value, high-impact content that shapes conversation, breaks news, and moves culture.”

The company is “doubling down on what creators on X do best: writing,” putting long articles as a central component of X's growth strategy in 2026. The top article will receive the $1 million award, but further details on selection criteria or timelines were not shared in the post. This comes just months after X rolled out Articles, a feature that allows creators to publish long-form posts beyond the traditional character limit. It also gives formatting options like headings, embedded media, and hyperlinks. The tool was first rolled out to Premium+ subscribers and select creators.

This is in line with Musk's intention to make X an “everything app,” as announced by him when he bought X (then Twitter), a platform that integrates media, payments, and publishing in one.

Since its launch, journalists, analysts, and creators have been using the Articles feature to publish essays, investigations, and news analysis directly within the app. With this feature, X aims to take on blogs, Substack, or LinkedIn for written content, trying to keep engagement inside its own platform.

Musk has repeatedly deemed X a superior alternative to traditional media, arguing that the platform can serve as a real-time, bottom-up newswire driven by users rather than legacy news outlets. He has described X as “the most accurate source of information about the world” and urged users that “you are the media now,” positioning posts, community fact-checks, and creator content as more trustworthy than conventional newsrooms.

Source: EconomicTimes
Related Posts: Row Erupts In Punjab As Centre Moves To Bring Chandigarh Under Article 240 Netanyahu shares article claiming Epstein worked for Israeli intelligence Removing Article 370 was a true tribute to Sardar Patel Modi Govt's Article 370 Explained | What inclusion in Article 240 would mean for Chandigarh Modi Govt's Article 370 Elon Musk's father Errol Musk in India Elon Musk ‘must’ face voter fraud lawsuit over $1 million-a-day giveaway scheme EU Slaps Elon Musk's X With $140 Million Fine