The Atavist Magazine is a longform digital publication known for telling immersive, deeply reported nonfiction stories that blend narrative journalism with rich visuals and a cinematic sense of pacing. With a small, focused editorial team, Atavist curates standout stories that are as compelling in substance as they are in style—often covering topics that are surprising, complex, and emotionally resonant. Whether it’s an investigative piece or an intimate human-interest tale, The Atavist’s stories are crafted to pull readers in and keep them hooked.
The Atavist’s work doesn’t just resonate with readers—it shapes the broader culture. Its 2023 story “Crushed,” a deep dive into the world of teen YouTube influencers, helped inspire the Netflix docudrama Bad Influence, which shot to #1 on Netflix’s U.S. TV chart immediately on release. Other features, like “The Trials of White Boy Rick,” have been optioned for film and television, underscoring the magazine’s impact beyond the page. In 2025, the magazine’s profile “Coming to America” won the prestigious National Magazine Award for Profile Writing, awarded by the American Society of Magazine Editors. These accolades highlight the publication’s reputation for telling stories that not only inform but spark larger conversations.
Powered by WordPress, The Atavist takes full advantage of the platform’s flexibility and extensibility to create a storytelling experience that feels seamless and elevated. Each feature is designed with custom layouts, multimedia elements, and smooth, intuitive navigation—proof that WordPress can do more than just manage content. It’s a publishing platform that scales from blog to beautifully immersive magazine, giving editorial teams creative freedom without sacrificing performance or ease of use. The Atavist is a shining example of what’s possible when powerful storytelling meets powerful technology.