creative writing websites for teenagers

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6 Great Websites for Teen Writers

By iva-marie palmer.

It’s exciting when your bookworm teen announces his or her plans to be a writer. But teenagers can be a finicky lot: if the adults in their lives are too excited or too supportive of a new goal, suddenly that aspiration is gone. (And having a teen with the writer’s temperament means you’re likely dealing with a moody teenager squared.)

Rather than bombard them with fancy pens and motivational reading, direct them to a comfort zone: the Internet. These sites are great resources and landing spots for future storytellers. Suggest them to your teen writer (or maybe just leave this list lying around somewhere where it’ll be seen).

Figment  — Specially tailored for the teen reader/writer, Figment is a community dedicated to reading and writing stories online. Addictively fun, users can rate stories by whether they made them laugh, blush, cry, or just say “wow.” The site frequently runs contests and features work from well-known authors and editors who sometimes drop in for Figment chats with the site’s community.

Wattpad  — The largest online reading platform, Wattpad is considered the YouTube of writing because it allows authors to share their work with the world. Well-known writers such as Margaret Atwood and Cory Doctorow even post their work here. Teens can find and follow their favorite authors and release their own works as serial novels. Access to an audience in the millions — the site has 25 million members, and that number is always growing — has led to big-name book deals for successful Wattpad authors.

Teen Ink  — Supported by the nonprofit Young Authors Foundation, Teen Ink is the twenty-five-year veteran in the fostering-teen-writers game. The magazine, book series, and website are devoted entirely to writing, art, and photos by teens. It’s also a go-to for teens interested in writing and publishing nonfiction essays and articles as well as poetry.

One Teen Story  — Direct kids here to introduce them to the nonprofit’s monthly magazine. Each issue features one short story about the teen experience, usually from a known young adult author. Teens drawn to the short story form can also submit their work for consideration in an annual issue that features a story written by a teen for teens.

NaNoWriMo  — Short for National Novel Writing Month, NaNoWriMo is an awesome thirty-day adventure for any writer, but teens might be especially inclined to join. In November, would-be novelists the world over attempt to write a 50,000-word (or more, if they can do it) book in thirty days. For teens with pressing homework demands, the Young Writers Program  might be a better fit, as it allows authors to set their own word-count goal to meet before the month is out.

Tumblr  — The blogging platform is of course a wonderful place for self-expression, but it also doubles as a go-to for young literary enthusiasts, bookworms, and those in need of some writing motivation. Some to check out: The Writer’s Helpers  (for advice on everything from grammar to plot); Writing Prompts  (just what it says, provided in fun visual ways by a ninth-grade teacher); and John Green’s Tumblr  (the Tumblr account of YA author John Green, which is just fun and inspiring).

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Teens Meet Outreach

…connecting and beautifying teenagers, 4 great websites for teen writers.

Most great writers today discovered their talents when they were younger, in which case is always at the teen age. Teenagers can be a little picky, which applies to virtually every areas of their lives, making them have a constant change of mind towards one thing. The good news here is that new websites are created daily, and teenagers can have access to loads of them.

There are lots of information on the Internet, with great resources that will be useful for a teen who has plans to become a writer.

If you are a teenager reading this, you can be sure that these websites will not only encourage you to dream bigger, but also boost your confidence in writing better. Here are some of the websites

If you’re yet to join the wattpad community, now may be the time to consider it. Wattpad is the largest online reading platform that will allow you to read from numerous writers all over the world, which includes some of the best writers, and also allow you share your own stories. With over 25 million members on Wattpad, you can get a good number of followers who will read your works and make comments on them. Follow your favorite authors and read more exciting stories, especially in the genre you’ll love to specialize in, and become a better writer. You can release your works in series, to make your followers anticipate a sequel. Click here to sign-up.

2. The Young Writers Society (YWS)

YWS is an online community for young writers ages 13+, managed by members of the community. Here, you get to meet new friends and/or introduce yourself. The community offers a chatroom, forums, a social section, and literary columns which includes poetry, shorts, and story books. It also has a “Green Room” where a new work is sent to and will receive at least two worthy reviews before being posted. With this, you can be sure of getting feedbacks on your work and even become a better writer. Click here to register.

3. Teen Ink

Teen Ink has been known, over two decades, to help nurture teen writers. They offer forums, contests, summer programs, art/photo, and college guide. They also have literary sections, including poetry, fiction, and non-fiction. Hundreds of thousands of teenagers have submitted their works to Teen Ink and over 65,000 has been published, and they pride in having the most thoughtful and creative work generated by teens.

You can sign-up and join this community as soon as you can, and also subscribe to their monthly print magazines. Click here to know more.

4. National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)

NaNoWriMo is an awesome thirty-day adventure for any writer, especially young writers. You get to write a novel in a month, track your progress, get pep talks and support, and meet fellow writers online and in person. Writers all over the world who want to be novelists will attempt to write about 50,000-word book within a month. Now, that might be a little tasking for teenagers with lots of homework to do, but those behind the concept have come up with a new idea. They have now added a Young Writers Program that can help you reach the goal by setting your own word-count that you are certain you’ll be done with by the end of the month.

Although November is usually the time NaNoWriMo is engaged, you can still check out their site in other months. Click here .

I hope this article helps. If you know of any other websites that will be beneficial to teenagers, let us know in the comments.

Let other teenagers know about this!

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21 thoughts on “ 4 Great Websites for Teen Writers ”

Thank you very much. This is wonderful

Like Liked by 1 person

Glad you find it helpful

• Pingback: 4 Great Websites for Teen Writers – Poetic Justice

Reblogging this to my readers at sister site Poetic Justice

Glad you liked it.

Thanks for the insight. I never knew such websites were for real

Like Liked by 2 people

Glad it helped.

• Pingback: Poetry: Painting Life with Words – Auctor

This is good, am I free to join in? I hope I am. God bless u more

Yes, sure. You are welcome to join. See details on this link https://teensmeetonline.com/our-team/join-us/

You guys are light in the darkness I never thought I could ever do something in life, but u inspired me. Thanks a lot, God bless.

I’m super glad TMO has been able to inspire you. Amen and Thank you too.

u’re welcome

Please also check out https://writetheworld.com/ . A community of young writers (ages 13-18), hailing from over 120 countries.

• Pingback: TMOC 6.0: Compiled Note on The Resourceful Teenager – Teens Meet Outreach

Cool post! Thanks for putting this together!

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Out of the Classroom and Into the World: 70-Plus Places to Publish Teenage Writing and Art

By Katherine Schulten

• Nov. 15, 2018

June, 2021: Updated with new opportunities.

When we ask teachers why they bring their classes to our site, we always hear one answer first: Posting in our public forums gives young people an “authentic audience” for their voices and ideas.

We’re honored to serve that role, and this week we’ll be talking about it on a panel at the National Council of Teachers of English conference . As a companion to our talk, on the theme of “Why You Should Publish Student Work — and Where and How to Do It,” we’ve compiled this list of opportunities specifically for teenage writers and visual artists. We hope, with your help, to crowdsource even more.

The list begins with our own offerings and those of our N.C.T.E. panel partner, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards , and goes on to name dozens more that are open to young people in the United States — though many, including ours, also accept work from students around the world.

Please note what we did NOT include: In-person events or competitions; sites that do not seem to be taking submissions now or in the near future; opportunities open only to those from a specific state or region; opportunities open only to members of specific organizations; or competitions that require the use of paid products.

But, of course, we know this list is incomplete. What should we add? Let us know in the comments, or by writing to [email protected], and thank you.

Note: The descriptions below have been taken directly from the sites themselves. Please check the rules and requirements for each to decide if they are right for your students.

Places to Submit Teenage Writing and Visual Art

★ The New York Times Learning Network

Daily writing prompts:

Our Student Opinion question and Picture Prompt offer anyone 13 to 19 years old a place to publicly post writing that is read by our editors and other students around the world. We are not looking for formal work here; instead, we encourage students to use these forums to hone their voices, ideas and opinions; show us their thinking; and participate in civil discussion about issues from politics to pop culture. Each week, we publish a roundup of favorite responses .

Annual contests:

Our annual contests are places to submit more formal work across genres. Here is what we are offering in the 2020-21 school year, but please visit our Contest Calendar to find details, related lesson plans, and links to the work of the winners for each as they are announced: Special Contest: Coming of Age in 2020 Election 2020: Civil Conversation Challenge Personal Narrative Writing Contest Vocabulary Video Contest Review Contest STEM Writing Contest Editorial Contest Podcast Challenge Summer Reading Contest

★ Scholastic Art & Writing Awards

The nation’s longest-running and most prestigious recognition program for creative teenagers in grades 7 to 12. In 2018, students submitted nearly 350,000 works of visual art and writing to the Scholastic Awards; more than 90,000 works were recognized at the regional level and celebrated in local exhibitions and ceremonies. The top art and writing at the regional level were moved onto the national stage, where more than 2,800 students earned National Medals. National Medalists and their educators were celebrated at the National Ceremony at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Categories include: Critical Essay ; Dramatic Script ; Flash Fiction ; Humor ; Journalism ; Novel Writing ; Personal Essay & Memoir ; Poetry ; Science Fiction & Fantasy ; Short Story ; Writing Portfolio (graduating seniors only) ; Architecture & Industrial Design ; Ceramics & Glass ; Comic Art ; Design ; Digital Art ; Drawing & Illustration ; Editorial Cartoon ; Fashion ; Film & Animation ; Jewelry ; Mixed Media ; Painting ; Photography ; Printmaking ; Sculpture ; Video Game Design ; Art Portfolio (graduating seniors only) and Future New .

★ The Adroit Journal

The journal has its eyes focused ahead, seeking to showcase what its global staff of emerging writers sees as the future of poetry, prose and art. We’re looking for work that’s bizarre, authentic, subtle, outrageous, indefinable, raw, paradoxical. We’ve got our eyes on the horizon.

★ Amazing Kids Magazine

The online publication is known for featuring quality, creative, thoughtful and often thought-provoking written and artistic work written and edited by children and teenagers. Accepts writing, art, photography or videography from young people who are 5 to 18 years old.

★ The Apprentice Writer

The best writing and illustrations from entries we receive each year from secondary schools throughout the United States and abroad. Every September we send copies printed by The Patriot News in Mechanicsburg, Pa., to approximately 3,000 schools. Susquehanna University and the Writers Institute invite high school students to submit fiction, memoir, personal essay, photography and/or poetry.

★ The Daphne Review

Publishes the work of high-school-age writers and artists from around the globe. All forms of original writing and art are accepted as submissions for our biannual journal.

★ elementia

elementia is a literary arts magazine published to represent and uplift young adults. We accept original poetry, fiction, nonfiction, graphic stories, photography and illustrations.

Kalopsia is a literary and arts journal run by students from all over the world who aim to promote art and writing among (seemingly) ordinary people.

An international teen anthology of poetry and art. In print for 20 years, we accept submissions from teenagers from around the world. Each year we publish the best of all entries received.

★ The NAACP’s Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO)

A yearlong achievement program designed to recruit, stimulate, and encourage high academic and cultural achievement among African-American high school students. ACT-SO includes 32 competitions in STEM, humanities, business, and performing, visual and culinary arts. Almost 300,000 young people have participated from the program since its inception.

★ National Young Arts Competition

The National YoungArts Foundation (YoungArts) was established in 1981 to identify and nurture the most accomplished young artists in the visual, literary, design and performing arts, and assist them at critical junctures in their educational and professional development. YoungArts’ signature program is an annual application-based award for emerging artists ages 15 to 18 or in grades 10 to 12 from across the United States in categories that include cinematic arts; classical music; dance; design arts; jazz; photography; theater; visual arts; voice; and writing.

★ Parallax Literary Magazine

Parallax Literary Magazine has been published by the Creative Writing department of Idyllwild Arts Academy since 1997. Idyllwild Arts Academy is a college preparatory boarding high school dedicated to the passion of young artists. Created, designed, and run by students, Parallax has always championed the high school writer by publishing the best of Idyllwild students’ creative writing and visual art. In 2011 Parallax expanded by adding an online component, which accepts submissions from high school students worldwide. The website also showcases student book reviews and writer interviews for the first time.

★ Periphery

A multilingual student-founded magazine for high schoolers living in the outer neighborhoods of cities across America.

★ River of Words: Youth Art and Poetry Inspired by the Natural World

Our free, annual, international youth poetry and art contest — the largest in the world — inspires children ages 5 to 19 to translate their observations into creative expression.

★ Sandpiper

Sandpiper is a journal of literature and art devoted to uplifting the voices of those emerging and underrepresented in the literary scene, including but not limited to those of class, race, ability, gender, sexual orientation, and intersectional identity. However, all submissions are welcome. Sandpiper accepts poetry, prose, art, and photography.

★ Skipping Stones

We are a nonprofit magazine for youth that encourages communication, cooperation, creativity and celebration of cultural and environmental richness. It provides a playful forum for sharing ideas and experiences among youth from different countries and cultures. We are an ad-free, ecologically-aware, literary magazine printed on recycled paper with soy ink. Accepts many kinds of writing, including essays, stories, letters to the editor, riddles and proverbs, as well as drawings, paintings and photos.

A national teen magazine, book series, and website devoted entirely to teenage writing, art, photos, and forums. For over 25 years, Teen Ink has offered teenagers the opportunity to publish their creative work and opinions on issues that affect their lives — everything from love and family to school, current events, and self-esteem. We have no staff writers or artists; we depend completely on submissions from teenagers around the world for our content. Teen Ink has the largest distribution of any publication of its kind.

★ #USvsHate

Students are invited to create public anti-hate messages in any media for their school communities. Our national challenge then amplifies student voices for a nationwide audience. You can submit 5 entries max per class, to each challenge! In 2020-21, our #USvsHate challenge deadlines are December 11 and March 12.

Places to Submit Teenage Writing

Across Genres

★ The Adroit Prizes for Poetry and Prose

The Adroit Prizes are awarded annually to two students of secondary or undergraduate status. We’re fortunate to receive exceptional work from emerging writers in high school and college, and the best of the best will be recognized by the Adroit Prizes.

★ Bennington College Young Writer Awards

Bennington launched the Young Writers Awards to promote excellence in writing at the high school level. Our goal with this competition is to recognize outstanding writing achievement by high school students. Each year, students in the 10th, 11th and 12th grades are invited to enter poetry, fiction or nonfiction.

★ Cathartic Youth Literary Magazine

An open space for youth writing & mental health discussion

★ The Creative Writing Awards

A scholarship program from Penguin Random House, in partnership with We Need Diverse Books, dedicated to furthering the education of students with unique and diverse voices. Open to seniors attending a public high school in the United States, five first-place $10,000 prizes are awarded in the categories of fiction/drama; poetry; personal essay/memoir; and spoken-word poetry, through the Maya Angelou Award. In recognition of the Creative Writing Awards previously being centered in New York City, the competition awards an additional first-place prize to the top entrant from the NYC area. Runners up are also honored.

Ember is a semiannual journal of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction for all age groups. Submissions for and by readers aged 10 to 18 are strongly encouraged.

★ Ephimiliar

Created and edited by teenagers, Ephimiliar focuses on work by unpublished voices and students of all ages. We publish on a rolling basis at the convenience of everyone’s urgent yet sporadic writing processes. We are open to working with writers to edit a submission that we feel is a near-fit because we know that neither party would benefit from that rejection.

★ Hanging Loose Press

Fiction and poetry for a general audience, but has a regular section devoted to writing by talented high school writers.

★ Hypernova Lit

Hypernova Lit is an online journal dedicated to publishing the writing and visual art of teenagers. We seek to cast light on the brilliant work produced by teenagers. We are deeply committed to honesty and fearlessness in the work we publish, with a particular emphasis on teenagers telling their own difficult truths. Out of respect for our writers and artists, we do not censor for language or content.

★ The Foredge Review

A literary magazine for young writers with a focus on those in Asian countries, The Foredge Review aims to support teen interest in writing and reading by providing a platform for receiving recognition. We welcome submissions of poetry, flash fiction, and creative nonfiction from anyone 13-18.

★ NCTE Achievement Awards in Writing

To encourage high school juniors to write and to publicly recognize the best student writers.

★ The Norman Mailer High School Writing Award

Since 2009, the Norman Mailer Center has collaborated with the National Council of Teachers of English to present the Mailer Student and Teacher Writing Awards. Awards are given for fiction, nonfiction writing, and poetry. National winners in each category receive a cash prize presented at an award ceremony. Recognition is also extended to writers whose work earns top scores in early evaluation rounds.

★ Polyphony Lit

A student-run, international literary magazine for high school writers and editors, which invites submissions of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction from high school students worldwide. Our student editors provide feedback to all submissions, including the ones we do not accept for publication. In addition, we offer two other opportunities: The Polyphony Lit Cover Art Contest: High school students from around the world are encouraged to submit visual art for the cover of their annual literary magazine. The Claudia Ann Seaman Awards for Young Writers: Annual awards to high school students in poetry, short fiction, and creative nonfiction. Each year, a distinguished panel of professional published authors choose one winner and two honorable mentions in each genre. The winners are awarded a $200 cash prize. Students from around the world are encouraged to submit.

★ Rider University Annual High School Writing Contest

Accepts essays, fiction and poetry. All finalists will receive a Certificate of Honorable Mention. All winners will be considered for publication in Venture, Rider’s literary magazine.

★ Write the World Competitions

We’re a community of young writers (ages 13 to 18), hailing from over 120 countries. Join our global platform, and explore our ever-changing library of prompts as you establish a regular writing practice and expand your repertoire of styles, all while building your portfolio of polished work. Enter competitions for the chance to receive feedback from authors, writing teachers, and other experts in the field.

Academic Research

★ The Concord Review

The Concord Review, Inc., was founded in March 1987 to recognize and to publish exemplary history essays by high school students in the English-speaking world. With the Fall Issue (#118), 1,196 research papers (average 7,500 words, with endnotes and bibliography) have been published from authors in 45 states and 40 other countries. The Concord Review remains the only quarterly journal in the world to publish the academic history papers of secondary students.

★ The Curieux Academic Journal

The Curieux Academic Journal is an academic journal written entirely by high school students.

★ National History Day

Each year more than half a million students participate in the National History Day Contest. Students choose a historical topic related to the annual theme, and then conduct primary and secondary research. You will look through libraries, archives and museums, conduct oral history interviews, and visit historic sites. After you have analyzed and interpreted your sources, and have drawn a conclusion about the significance of your topic, you will then be able to present your work in one of five ways: as a paper, an exhibit, a performance, a documentary, or a website.

★ The Scribe Review

A quarterly online journal dedicated to publishing the academic English essays of high school students.

★ The Milking Cat

The Milking Cat is dedicated to providing weekly comedic pieces from a variety of aspiring high school comics. With pieces ranging from comics and movies to stories and satires, The Milking Cat is the place to be for young comedians.

Current Events and Culture

INKspire is a place for youth to share their stories and offer perspectives on relevant, contemporary issues. Young people can learn from one another, share their stories, thoughts and ideas while connecting with other youth around the world.

Please see the description at the top of this list.

★ Teen Opinions

Teenopinions.org is a platform for teens and tweens worldwide to share their opinions, ideas, reflections and perspectives with the world. Our mission is to give every teen and tween an opportunity to freely publish their perspectives in a non-competitive environment.

★ Young Post

Young Post is a teen print news and English-teaching product that is part of the South China Morning Post. While we are a Hong Kong product, we do welcome students from around the world in our pages and on our site. We have a Junior Reporters club , in which students learn reporting skills, and pitch and contribute stories. We have local members who have moved overseas for senior school or university who still contribute, but it would be wonderful to hear from more students interested in sharing stories that matter to them with their Asian peers.

★ Youth Voices Live

We are a site for conversations. We invite youth of all ages to voice their thoughts about their passions, to explain things they understand well, to wonder about things they have just begun to understand, and to share discussion posts with other young people using as many different genres and media as they can imagine!

★ American Foreign Service Association National High School Essay Contest

Why Diplomacy and Peacebuilding Matter: In a 1,000- to 1,250-word essay, identify two cases — one you deem successful and one you deem unsuccessful — where the U.S. pursued an integrated approach to build peace in a conflict-affected country.

★ The American Prospect 2020 Essay Contest

High school juniors and seniors may write 1,000 to 1,600 words on one of these two books: “ Saving Capitalism: For the Many, Not the Few ” by Robert B. Reich or “ The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration ” by Isabel Wilkerson High school freshmen and sophomores may write up to 1,200 words on one of these two books: “ Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City ” by Matthew Desmond or “ Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America ” by Barbara Ehrenreich

★ Goi Peace Foundation International Essay Contest for Young People

Guidelines for the 2019 International Essay Contest for Young People will be announced at the end of January 2019.

★ Profile in Courage Essay Contest

Describe and analyze an act of political courage by a US elected official who served during or after 1917.

★ Represent Magazine

A publication by and for youth in foster care, the stories in Represent give inspiration and information, while offering staff insight into those teenagers’ struggles.

★ We the Students Essay Contest

What are the essential qualities of a citizen in your community in 21st-century America? We encourage you to bring emotion, creativity, specific examples (including current events), and well-researched facts into what you write. A good essay will demonstrate how citizenship is not an abstract idea, but is, in fact, action inspired by constitutional principles. We can’t wait to see what citizenship looks like in your community!

★ NaNoWriMo Young Writer’s Program

National Novel Writing Month is a fun, empowering approach to creative writing. The challenge: draft an entire novel in just one month. For 30 wild, exciting, surprising days, you get to lock away your inner editor, let your imagination take over, and just create! Our Young Writers Program supports under-18 writers and K-12 educators as they participate in our flagship event each November, and take part in smaller writing challenges year-round. Summer Writing: Stay cool and creative all summer long by participating in Camp NaNoWriMo’s July session—either online here or over at Camp NaNoWriMo , or offline by using our writer-friendly, print-out-able Summer Writing Program resources. Choose a project you care about, set an ambitious goal, get feedback on your progress, and receive support from an international community of fellow writers.

★ One Teen Story

An award-winning quarterly literary magazine that features the work of today’s best teen writers (ages 13-19).

★ Ringling College Storytellers of Tomorrow Creative Writing Contest

We’re inviting all high-school age students to submit unpublished, original English-language stories of up to 2,000 words in length for the 4th Annual “Storytellers of Tomorrow” Contest. The criteria for earning prizes in this contest is simply overall quality, meaning that well-edited, engaging, and evocative stories have the best chance of winning over the judges.

★ Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Circle Awards

These awards are offered to recognize superior work by student journalists usually as individuals but sometimes as an entire staff working with either print or online media.

★ National Scholastic Press Association Individual Awards

Each year, the National Scholastic Press Association presents the Individual Awards, honoring the best individuals in scholastic journalism. There are six categories. Entries are judged by teams of professionals with experience and expertise in the area of each particular contest. The contests are open to any student on staff of an N.S.P.A. member publication.

★ Quill & Scroll Awards

We encourage, support and recognize individual student initiative and achievement in scholastic journalism, regardless the medium.

★ Dear Poet Project

A multimedia education project that invited young people in grades 5 through 12 to write letters in response to poems written and read by some of the award-winning poets who serve on the Academy of American Poets Board of Chancellors.

★ New York Times Opinion Section Letter to the Editor Contest

A letter-writing competition for high school students that runs from March 31, 2019 to April 8, 2019. We invite you to submit a letter to the editor in response to a Times news article, editorial, column or Op-Ed in the last few days. We will publish a selection of our favorites.

★ YCteen Writing Contest

YCteen is written by a staff of teen writers who work in our New York City newsroom. But writing is a form of conversation, and we want you to join in. We invite you to submit letter to the writer, responding to their story. This is an opportunity to express your opinion or present your own point of view on a story you’ve read.

Playwriting

★ Princeton University Ten-Minute Play Contest

Eligibility for this annual playwriting contest is limited to students in the 11th grade in the U.S. (or international equivalent of the 11th grade).

★ VSA Playwright Discovery Program Competition

Young writers with disabilities and collaborative groups that include students with disabilities, in the U.S. grades 6-12 (or equivalents) or ages 11-18 for non-U.S. students, are invited to explore the disability experience through the art of writing for performance — in the form of plays, screenplays, or music theater. Writers are encouraged to craft short (10 minute) works from their own experiences and observations in the style of realism, through the creation of fictional characters and settings, or writing metaphorically or abstractly about the disability experience.

★ Writopia Lab’s 10th AnnualWorldwide Plays Festival

An annual Off-Broadway festival of one-act plays written by playwrights ages 6 to 18 and produced, designed, directed, and acted by New York theater professionals.

★ Young Playwrights Festival

The Young Playwrights Festival takes place each spring at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center. If your play is selected for the festival, you will work with a creative team composed of National Theater Institute alumni — a director, dramaturg, designer, and actors to develop and stage your script.

★ Youth Plays New Voices One-Act Competition

We welcome submissions of challenging, entertaining plays and musicals that are appropriate for teen and younger actors and/or audiences.

★ Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest

Sponsored by Hollins University, the Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest provides scholarships, prizes, and recognition for the best poems submitted by high-school-aged women.

★ The Patricia Grodd Poetry Prize for Young Writers

Recognizes outstanding young poets and is open to high school sophomores and juniors throughout the world. The contest winner receives a full scholarship to the Kenyon Review Young Writers workshop.

★ Poetry Matters Project Lit Prize

Whether you are a published poet, have never written a poem, or have the writing of a poem on your bucket list, the Poetry Matters Project invites you to take the “ Poetry Month Challenge” where participants challenge their friends, and family to write a poem of no more than 30 lines in 30 days. Entries can be posted at You can send your entry as an audio recording, document file, mp3, or video file.

★ Princeton University High School Poetry Prize

The Leonard L. Milberg ’53 High School Poetry Prize recognizes outstanding work by student writers in the 11th grade in the U.S. or abroad.

Science Writing

★ curiousSCIENCEwriters

An innovative, extracurricular program that trains creative high school communicators to bring complex science to the general public through the power of story. Science and technology are advancing exponentially, yet fewer than 7 percent of American adults are scientifically literate. With growing medical, environmental and social issues facing us all, it is essential that the next generation of communicators be prepared to help people make sense of emerging science that affects their personal health and well-being, as well as that of the world around them.

★ EarthPlex

EarthPlex is the climate platform for teens founded by a fourteen-year-old. Any teenager can submit a post about climate change or read quality content about the environment, ways we can protect it, the impact of corporations, and more. Our mission is to give those under eighteen a voice in the battle against climate change.

★ EngineerGirl Writing Contest

Every year, the EngineerGirl website sponsors a contest dealing with engineering and its impact on our world. The topic and detailed instructions for the contest are posted in the fall with a deadline for submissions early the following year. Winners are announced in the spring.

THINK is an annual science research and innovation competition for high school students. Rather than requiring students to have completed a research project before applying, THINK instead caters to students who have done extensive research on the background of a potential research project and are looking for additional guidance in the early stages of their project. The program is organized by a group of undergraduates at MIT.

Places to Submit Teenage Visual Arts

★ Congressional Art Competition

Each spring, the Congressional Institute sponsors a nationwide high school visual art competition to recognize and encourage artistic talent in the nation and in each congressional district. Since the Artistic Discovery competition began in 1982, more than 650,000 high school students have participated. Students submit entries to their representative’s office, and panels of district artists select the winning entries. Winners are recognized both in their district and at an annual awards ceremony in Washington. The winning works are displayed for one year at the U.S. Capitol.

★ Doodle 4 Google

Calling all K-12 students — bring your creativity to life in a Doodle of the Google logo, using any medium you choose for the chance to be a Doodle 4 Google winner. The National Winner’s artwork will be featured on the Google home page.

★ The Gutenberg Award

The Gutenberg Award recognizes exceptional achievement in the field of graphic arts. Awards are available for printed items, websites, and photographs. Entries may be submitted by graphic arts students at any educational level including those in university, college, community-college, postsecondary technical school, high school vocational, high school technology education, and junior high/middle school technology education programs. There are three different Gutenberg competitions: print, website, and photography.

★ N.S.H.S.S. Visual Arts Competition

High school students may submit visual art and photography, painting, drawing, ceramics, glass, sculpture, mixed media, printmaking, weaving, digital and 35mm photography.

Film, Video and GIFs

★ All American High School Film Festival

The All American High School Film Festival is the largest student film festival in the world. Our festival offers an unparalleled experience designed specifically to promote and empower the future of film. Each October, thousands of student filmmakers join us in New York City for an action-packed weekend of resources and entertainment, including our Teen Indie Awards Show, where we hand out over $400,000 in prizes and scholarships.

★ American Youth Film Festival

The American Youth Film Festival is an opportunity for the youth to showcase their movie making skills. Categories include animation; comedy; commercials; documentary; feature; music video; public service announcements; science fiction; and short.

★ Boulder International Film Festival

The Boulder International Film Festival is currently accepting entries of short films made by teenagers (ages 12-18) for the Boulder International Film Festival Youth Pavilion. Winners must be present at Teen Opening Night the evening of March 1.

★ Breakthrough Junior Challenge

Make a three-minute video explaining a big idea in physics, life sciences, mathematics or the science of the Covid-19 pandemic.

★ CineYouth Festival

Cinema/Chicago’s CineYouth Film Festival is designed to encourage youth filmmakers in their creative endeavors. CineYouth provides opportunities for young filmmakers to articulate themselves artistically, and have their voice heard. Held annually in Chicago, CineYouth is a three-day festival celebrating and fostering the creativity of filmmakers 22 years old and younger by screening officially selected work and encouraging their creative endeavors by presenting a filmmaking workshop, discussions and panels.

★ GIF IT UP

GIF IT UP is an annual international gif-making campaign that encourages people to create new, fun, and unique gif artworks from digitized cultural heritage materials. Entrants are invited to search, discover, adapt, and reuse public domain and openly licensed video clips, images, art, documents, or other materials found in D.P.L.A . or international partner libraries Europeana, Trove, and DigitalNZ.

★ Heartland High School Film Competition

The High School Film Competition encourages tomorrow’s filmmakers to create films that inspire filmmakers and audiences through the transformative power of the art form. Students may submit short films under 15 minutes in length that are documentary or narrative; live-action or animated.

★ Live Más Scholarship

The Live Más Scholarship is not based on your grades or how well you play sports. No essays, no test scores, no right or wrong answers. We’re looking for the next generation of innovators, creators and dreamers who want to make a difference in the world.Submit a video (2 minutes or less in length) that tells us the story of your life’s passion. It could be a short film, animation or just a simple testimonial. This is not about how well you can make a film – we just want you to show us your passion and explain why you should be considered for a Live Más Scholarship.

★ Nashville Film Festival

An international competition for narrative, nonfiction and animated films under 40 minutes in length created by filmmakers aged 18 and under.

★ Newport Beach Film Festival

Celebrates the cinematic works, visions, and perspectives of young people from around the world. Through the exhibition of youth-created media, the festival seeks to create a forum for young filmmakers and encourage freedom of expression through cinema. The free event features a screening of short films created by filmmakers 18 years and younger.

★ Seattle International Film Festival

Filmmakers who are age 18 and under can send work to FutureWave Shorts.

★ World of 7 Billion Student Video Contest

Create a short video – up to 60 seconds – about human population growth that highlights one of the following global challenges: Preserving Biodiversity, Sustainable Resource Use, Protecting Human Rights.

Photography

★ High School Physics Photo Contest

The A.A.P.T. High School Physics Photo Contest is an international competition for high school students. For many years this contest has provided teachers and students an opportunity to learn about the physics behind natural and contrived situations by creating visual and written illustrations of various physical concepts. Students compete in an international arena with more than 1,000 of their peers for recognition and prizes.

★ Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Wildlife Photographer of the Year uses photography to challenge perceptions about the natural world, helping to promote sustainability and the conservation of wildlife. We celebrate biodiversity, evolution and the origins of life, and aim to inspire a greater understanding of nature. We champion ethical wildlife photography. This means we advocate faithful representations of the natural world that are free from excessive digital manipulation, accompanied by honest captions and that display total respect for animals and their environments.

★ Rocky Mountain School of Photography High School Photo Contest

Rocky Mountain School of Photography trains students of all ages to become passionate image-makers through practical, hands-on learning environments for all skill levels. The R.M.S.P. High School Photo Contest is an annual opportunity for students aged 14-18 to submit their best images for the chance to win a new camera and other prizes. The contest opens Dec. 1 and closes Feb. 28.

★ SONY World Photography Awards Youth Competition

We are looking for the next generation of talented photographers! The Youth competition, for everyone aged 12-19, recognizes that a love for photography often starts at a young age. The competition helps young photographers grow and flourish into the next stages of their careers. Judges are looking for good composition, creativity and clear photography. The 2019 theme is “Diversity”: In one single image show the judges an example of diversity. To be understood in its widest sense, the image of diversity could concern people, culture or environment and could be of a local or global concern. All techniques and styles are welcomed, and judges will particularly reward creativity.

Do you have an opportunity to add? Let us know by posting a comment or writing to us at [email protected].

• Resources for Teen Writers

Resources for Teen and Tween Writers

Writing workshops and classes

• Alpha : The Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Workshop for Young Writers.
• Between the Lines , from the International Writers Program. Apply for their two paid-for summer programs to be held at the University of Iowa.
• Clarion West Writers Workshop:  Summer Workshops for Students.
• Gotham Writers Workshop : Teen classes.
• GrubStreet YAWP (Young Adult Writers Program) : Saturday Sessions & Summer Program.
• Poetry Foundation : Check their schedule for teen events .
• Polyphony  ​Lit : Their creative writing program "is designed for teen writers at all levels of experience." The course catalog is available online.
• Society of Young Inklings: " dedicated to empowering youth writers, ages 8-18." They offer various contests and mentorship programs .
• Teen Author Bootcamp : Holds an annual conference  and provides free webinars .
• The Writers Circle : Summer Teen Writing Workshops, Mini-Camps for rising 1st-7th graders.
• The Writing Barn : Searchable for "Youth Programming".
• The Writing Studio : Almost Authors Summer Workshops, grades 3-12.
• Writopia Lab : Offers "a wide range of programs for learning, leadership, activism, and growth" including  workshops and camps  and other events .
• 826NYC : Virtual weekly programs, grades 1 though 8.

Interviews with editors who publish teens

• Under The Madness Magazine , interview with Alexandria Peary, Editor-in-Chief
• *Updated*  One Teen Story , interview with Patrick Ryan, Editor-in-Chief
• Original  One Teen Story , interview with Patrick Ryan, Editor-in-Chief
• ​ Pongo Teen Poetry , interview with Ann Teplick, Pongo volunteer
• The WEIGHT Journal , interview with Matthew E. Henry, Editor-in-Chief

Magazines that publish young writers

• Adroit Journal : Publishes fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, art, and interviews & reviews, but check the specfic  guidelines for each category.   They offer a summer mentorship program (with applications due in March.) Teens can also  ask writing-related questions that are considered for their  Dear Writer blog .
• And Gallons is open to creators from ages 13 to 22. They published their first online issue in Summer 2023, with their second issue submissions closing in August 2023. Check their guidelines for future openings.
• The Alcott Youth Magazine is a "global magazine propelling young voices." Their  contributors are "primarily young women from ages thirteen to twenty-two," and they publish a range of material including articles, essays, short stories, illustrations, cartoons, and photographs. See their guidelines for further details.
• antinarrative . "made by and for youth creatives of color,  antinarrative  is a collaborative arts zine for those willing to challenge the conventional limits on ​genre, medium, and format with their work." Submissions "open to bipoc youth creatives ages 13-23." Check their  guidelines for further information.
• Apprentice Writer  is published annually  by the Writers Institute at Susquehanna University.  They feature "the best writing and illustrations from entries we receive each year from secondary schools throughout the United States and abroad.” Typical submission dates are mid-September through mid-March. Material accepted includes fiction, nonfiction, poetry, photography. Check their  submission guidelines for more information.
• Balloons Lit Journal  publishes 1-2 issues a year of poetry, fiction and art/photography for readers 12+. Payment is a contributor copy. Submission guidelines are online. 
• The Blissful Pursuit publishes work from students ages 8-22. See their website for themes and deadlines.
• Blue Marble Review accepts poetry, nonfiction, fiction, and art year-round from 13-22 year olds. Paying market; check their submission guidelines for details.
• Bridge: The Bluffton University Literary Journal publishes 14-24 year olds. Their fall submissions are open through November 15, 2023. Their submission guidelines include helpful tips for getting accepted.
• Cast of Wonders  produces podcasts of young adult speculative short fiction. It's a p aying market that usually opens to young writers during June. Check their schedule for details.
• The Concord Review features history-related essays from high school students. “We need the best history papers we can find, and we welcome a chance to consider your best work.” Accepts work on a rolling basis for quarterly publication. Submission guidelines are available online .
• ​ Crashtest  is an online magazine run by students in Greenville, South Carolina that publishes the writings of other high schoolers (grades 9-12) twice a year. You can submit year-round by email, but response times may be longer during the summer months.  They publish poetry, short stories, and creative nonfiction. Please see the website for complete details about sending them your work. ​
• The Daphne Review . " We want to encourage the rising artists of tomorrow, so we have cultivated a publication that serves as a creative outlet for students to voice their ideas, opinions, and talents." Check their guidelines for information about submitting prose, poetry, and art.
• The Echo . A literary magazine for teens by teens.
• Egg Squared . A new nonprofit zine for teens  focused on the arts, including visual, literary and musical components. Check the  website for their debut issue and submission guidelines .
• Élan  accepts "original fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, screenwriting, plays, and all kinds of art from students ages fourteen to eighteen in high school in locations internationally." Pays a contributor copy. Check the submission guidelines for more details.
• elementia is a literary arts magazine published by the Johnson County Library in Kansas to "represent and uplift young adults." They publish  original poetry, fiction, nonfiction, graphic stories, photography and illustrations, and are accepting submissions for issue xxi through January 1, 2024. The theme is The Unspoken: "We live in a world fueled by communication and collaboration, yet there are so many thoughts we never share, conversations we struggle to start and ideas that are suppressed." See their website for more details.
• Ember: A Journal of Luminous Things . This is a paying market o pen to authors and poets  age 10 and up. Sample poems and stories they've previously published can be accessed online. They provide feedback on submissions.
• fingers comma toes  is an online journal for children and young adults. They offer themed issues and an annual competition .
• ​ Germ is a "magazine for girls—high school and beyond—that celebrates beginnings, futures, and all the amazing and agonizing moments in-between." They publish a range of fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and visual art.
• Kalopsia is a "literary and arts journal run by high school and college students from all over the world who aim to promote art and writing among (seemingly) ordinary people. The journal is dedicated to uplifting the voices of talented writers and artists, regardless of age or credentials. . . .  Editors provide detailed and personalized feedback on every single writing submission." See their guidelines for more information about submitting prose, poetry, and visual art.
• Levitate is a literary and art magazine published each spring by the Chicago High School for the Arts. Submissions typically open November 1 and close at the end of February. Check their guidelines for further details.
• The Louisville Review publishes poetry from kids in kindergarten through seniors in high school in their Cornerstone section. From the website: "We seek writing that looks for fresh ways to recreate scenes and feelings. Honest emotion and original imagery are more important to a poem than rhyming and big topics--such as life, moralizing, and other abstractions." They pay in copies and the guidelines  are online. (Adults: They publish poetry and prose people over eighteen, too.)
• Magic Dragon is a quarterly magazine that's been publishing writing and art from kids 12 years old and younger since 2005. See their guidelines for details.
• The Milking Cat is an online teen comedy magazine that publishes comedic pieces .
• The New York Times Learning Network  offers student opinion questions  during the school year for  anyone 13 to 19 years old to submit answers to; they choose some for publication. " We are not looking for formal work here; instead, we encourage students to use these forums to hone their voices, ideas and opinions; show us their thinking; and participate in civil discussion about issues from politics to pop culture."
• Paper Lanterns . Founded in 2020, this paying  literary journal "for all things to do with Teen and Young Adult Literature"  accepts short stories, flash fiction, poetry, nonfiction, art and photography from writers 13 and older. " Submissions can be on any topic.  Our only criteria is that your submission is written for a teen and young adult audience." They also have internships for Ireland-based candidates. 
• ​ Pencil Tips : Includes a list of magazines and contests that accept student work for consideration.
• Press Pause Press says, " We love publishing young artists! Every volume includes at least one writer or artist under 18 . . . Any genre, any word count, anything goes, long as you’re under 18. Please note: All contributors 18 and under will need to have a guardian sign a permission form. Let us know in your cover letter if you are under 18."
• Polyphony Lit : "I nvites submissions of poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction from high school students (or equivalent) worldwide. Our student editors provide feedback to all submissions, including the ones we do not accept for publication." The guidelines are available online. You can also apply to join their editorial staff .
• Scribere : "An online litery journal, for youth (11-18) by youth." Submission guidelines online. "If we don't accept your piece, we'll give you feedback and invite you to revise and resubmit!"
• Skipping Stones   is a 30+ year old magazine for ages 7-17 which accepts writing from young people (and adults). See their guidelines for more information. 
• ​ ​ Stone Soup  magazine is published every two months, and has been in print for the last forty years. Stories, poems, book reviews, and illustrations are contributed by writers and artists ages eight to thirteen. Guidelines, as well as highlights from past issues, are available online .
• Teen Ink  is a literary magazine and website that features poetry (including song lyrics, sonnets and haikus), fiction, book reviews, hot topics in nonfiction, and art/photos. The site also provides two forums for teens -- a regular one for chatting and a writers' workshop for sharing creative work. Teens also provide reviews about colleges and summer programs. Sign-up is required for submissions (which they accept year-round) and participants must be 13 to 19 years old. To learn more, check their  submission guidelines .
• "Teen Voices" at Women's eNews publishes " reported pieces and first-person narratives produced by females, 13-19 years old. Articles are typically 600-800 words long and writers will be required to work with our editor before the articles are published. Teen journalists that are published in Teen Voices receive payment for their work." Check their guidelines online.
• Under the Madness is a new magazine "for teen writers—by teen writers. Under the Madness brings together student editors from across New Hampshire under the mentorship of the state poet laureate to focus on the experiences of teens from around the world." (You don't need to be from New Hampshire to submit .) They publish poetry, short fiction, and creative nonfiction from 13-19 year old writers.
• ​ The Weight is a literary blog " for high school students who may similarly find themselves in need of a creative outlet, about the pandemic or anything else. Everyone has something heavy to get off their chest." They publish a wide range of creative writing; their detailed submission guidelines are online. Check my blog for writing advice from editor-in-chief Matthew E. Henry.

Writing contests

• Bennington College Young Writer Awards. Annual contest with no entry fee open to 9th through 12th grade writers of fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. Open to submissions from September 1st through November 1st. See the contest  website for further details.
• Celebrating Black Writers: Voices Calling for Activism and Social Justice.  CLOSED. High school and college categories. " All students currently enrolled in secondary/high school or college, including community college, are encouraged to participate by writing and submitting their own essays, prose, or fiction. Writings should represent various themes raised by Black writers—poets, novelists, literary activists, public intellectuals, civil rights leaders, and historians—who have advocated for social justice." See the contest website for the winners.
• Hippocrates Young Poets Prize for Poetry and Medicine . A n annual international award for an unpublished  poem on a medical subject  for 14-18 year olds. No entry fee. See their website for submission details .
• Literacy in Place Writing Contest.   Telling Our Stories: Rural Pasts, Presents, and Futures. "For this contest, we invite fictional and nonfictional accounts of rural living that represent the many and diverse ways of being and living rural." Authors must be in grades 9-12 in the US. Submissions typically open from July 1 through  December 1. Complete guidelines available here .
• Manningham Trust Student Poetry Contest ( National Federation Of State Poetry Societies, Inc.)  Poetry contest which typically ends at the beginning of March. Entrants: US students in Grade 6-8 (Junior Division) and Grades 9-12 (Senior Division). Cash prizes.  Detailed rules are available on the NFSPS website .
• N onesuch Humor Contest (The Mark Twain House) . Submit original humorous essays and stories up to 7000 words. Typically runs  mid-February through early July. Entrants:  Separate categories for adults and young writers. Cash prizes. Entry fee. For more information and complete guidelines, visit the  Mark Twain House contest website .
• Profiles in Courage Essay Contest. Open to US high school students. Deadline is typically mid-January. See  Contest Topic and Information  and  Helpful Tips for Writing Your Essay  for more information.
• The Roadrunner Review Contests . Two categories: university students and high school students. Deadlines typically in May. See The Roadrunner Review website for more details.
• Scholastic Art & Writing Awards  from the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers in 20+ art and writing categories.  Enter your zip code to find regional awards . Typically runs from September through December. (Arizona, Georgia and international deadlines are in January). 
• Scholastic Book Clubs.  Various contests ages pre-K through grade 8. Check the Scholastic  site for current contest details . 
• 1000 Words for $1000 Story Contest (The Leyla Beban Young Authors Foundation).  Contest for s hort fiction that must be *exactly* 1000 words. T ypically runs from November 1st through February 1st. Entrants:  Students in grades 6-12. Cash prizes for  grades 6-8 and grades 9-12. V isit the Bluefire  contest page  for complete information. ​
• A Voice for Animals essay contest has categories for 14-15 year olds and 16-18 year olds. Typically runs during May. " The contest is supported by a partnership between the  Animal Welfare Institute  and the Humane Education Network with additional support from the  Palo Alto Humane Society ." Check the Humane Education Network site for guidelines and details.
• YoungArts : Artists ages 15–18, or grades 10–12, in the U.S. can apply in one of ten disciplines (which includes visual arts and writing). See their calendar for ongoing information.

Teen writing communities

Craft books for teens and young writers

• Catch Your Breath: Writing Poignant Poetry by Laura Purdie Salas (ages 9+)
• Courageous Creativity: Advice and Encouragement for the Creative Life by Sara Zarr
• Dear Ally, How Do You Write a Book? by Ally Carter
• Go Teen Writers: How to Turn Your First Draft Into a Finished Manuscript  by Stephanie Morrill and Jill Williamson ​
• Jabberwalking by Juan Felipe Herrera. Poetry (Ages 10+)
• Picture Yourself Writing Poetry: Using Photos to Inspire Writin g by Laura Purdie Salas (for ages 8+)
• Seize the Story: A Handbook for Teens Who Like to Write  by Victoria Hanley
• Spilling Ink: A Young Writer's Handbook  by Ellen Potter and Anne Mazer
• Telling Tales: Writing Captivating Short Stories by Rebecca Langston-George (for ages 9+). Not just for short stories -- this guide covers the basics of fiction and would be useful for young novelists as well. ​
• What's Your Story? A Young Person's Guide to Writing Fiction  by Marion Dane Bauer ​
• Writing Magic: Creating Stories that Fly  by Gail Carson Levine
• Writing Radar: Using Your Journal to Snoop Out and Craft Great Stories by Jack Gantos (for ages 9+)

Resources for writers of all ages (adults -- that includes you!)

• A Black Belt's Guide to Writing  by Yvonne Ventresca
• Click, Click, See: Revisioning the Verse Novel as a Genre  by Cordelia Jensen
• Craft in the Real World: Rethinking Fiction Writing and Workshopping   by Matthew Salesses
• Eight Essential Rules for Punctuating Dialogue  by Author Learning Center
• The First Five Pages: A Writer's Guide to Staying Out of the Rejection Pile by Noah Lukeman
• Five Steps to Writing a Killer Elevator Pitch for Your Book  by Jenni Nash
• How to Find the Right Critique Group or Partner for You by Jane Friedman
• How to Get a Book Published   by Yvonne Ventresca ​
• How to Write a Killer One Sentence Pitch (or Logline) for Novels and Memoirs by Nathan Bransford
• How We Do It: Black Writers on Craft, Practice, and Skill   edited by Jericho Brown.
• List of Novels in Verse by Sarah Tregay
• NaNo Prep for getting ready to write a novel  from NaNoWriMo
• NaPoWriMo 's archives of poetry prompts from National Poetry Writing Month
• Never Say You Can't Survive by Charlie Jane Anders
• “Now What?” Revision resource from NaNoWriMo
• Passive vs. Active Voice – Difference, Examples & Worksheet by Candace Olson
• A Poetry Handbook by Mary Oliver
• Productivity for Writers . A collection of blog posts by Yvonne Ventresca.
• Refuse to Be Done: How to Write and Rewrite a Novel in Three Drafts by Matt Bell
• The Reluctant Revisor’s Guide to Revision  by Maria E. Andreu
• Shrunken Manuscript  (revision technique) by Darcy Pattison
• ​ Three Simple Ways to Build Suspense   by Yvonne Ventresca
• Three Tips for Writing a Novel in Verse by Lisa Fipps
• ​ Tips for Critiquing Other Writers' Work  by Melissa Donovan
• Verse Novels: A String Of Emotional Moments by Joy McCullough and Padma Venkatraman
• Word Choices: Weak Words by Vicky Burkholder 
• Writer Beware : From the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, this site contains valuable information for writers of all genres about avoiding common writing scams.
• Writing Books For Children and Teenagers   by Cynthia Leitich Smith ​
• Writing Irresistible Kidlit: The Ultimate Guide to Crafting Fiction for Young Adult and Middle Grade Readers  by Mary Kole
• Writing the Intimate Character: Create Unique, Compelling Characters Through Mastery of Point of View  by Jordan Rosenfeld

Industry organizations

• The Association of Authors' Representatives  (AAR): An organization for literary agents. The site includes a searchable agent database.
• The Authors Guild : A professional association for published writers. The site contains free content for nonmembers, including contests and publishing news.
• The Highlights Foundation . Offers virtual and in-person programming plus retreat space.
• National Coalition Against Censorship : Dedicated to censorship issues.
• Rebecca Dykes Writers: A  resource for writers who wish to write stories about violence against women and girls for young readers.
• Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators : An international organization for published and pre-published writers and illustrators of children's books. Includes helpful links and resources listed online .
• We Need Diverse Books : "A  grassroots organization of children’s book lovers that advocates essential changes in the publishing industry to produce and promote literature that reflects and honors the lives of all young people."

​ #TeenWritersproject

#TeenWritersProject is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that provides a collaborative and engaging, safe space for teens to write, be published, and get paid.

• The #TWP Quarterly
• Teen Journal
• Submit Your Work

Teen Writing Resources

Teen writing resources.

These are sites I have found or been directed to. I have worked with some, but not all, and I always recommend that you do further research and check references before contacting each resource.

TEEN RECOMMENDED READING

Why we write.

“Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life” by Anne Lamott “The Writing Life” by Annie Dillard “Becoming a Writer” by Dorothea Brand “If You Want to Write” by Brenda Ueland

Learning to Write

“Seize the Story: A Handbook for Teens Who Like to Write” by Victoria Hanley “On Writing” by Stephen King “Lessons from a Lifetime of Writing: A Novelist Looks at His Craft” by David Morrell “From Where You Dream: The Process of Writing Fiction” by Robert Olen Butler “Steering the Craft: A Twenty-First-Century Guide to Sailing the Sea of Story” by Ursula K. Le Guin “Joy Writing” by Kenn Amdahl

Grammar and Style

“On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction” by William Zinsser “The Elements of Style” by Strunk and White “Grammatically Correct: The Essential Guide to Spelling, Style, Usage, Grammar, and Punctuation” by Anne Stillman “The Wordwatcher’s Guide to Good Writing and Grammar” by Morton S. Freeman “The Synonym Finder” by J.I. Rodale

Teen Publishing

Sigma’s Bookshelf

Book publishing company exclusively for teen authors. Nonprofit organization covers most costs.

Social storytelling site with 70 million viewers where you can get feedback, possibly get discovered by an agent/editor, possibly get published by Wattpad, and build an audience whether you decide to traditionally or self-publish.

The Concord Review The Concord Review publishes exemplary essays by high school students studying history and encourages submissions. It awards several monetary prizes each year.

Teen Link: WordSmiths The New York Public Library has created a page that allows teens to submit their poetry and have it published for a month on the web. Visit this site for something to read and, while you’re here, explore the NYPL’s suggestions for published authors.

Young People’s Press Online Get your non-fiction writing published on the web! This site based in Canada accepts personal essays, news stories, pieces on youth culture and issues, pop culture commentary, and reviews from youth ages 14-24, with a focus on North American teens.

Merlyn’s Pen Merlyn’s Pen is an online resource and print magazine of outstanding writing by teens.

Teen Ink Magazine Features fiction, non-fiction, art, photos, poetry, articles about teen issues and more, all written by teen authors. The website complements the monthly print magazine.

First Writers: This site aims to provide you with all the information you need as you progress in your writing career. This site does not publish, but it does help you find a publisher.

Writing Practice

The Online Writing Center : Here’s a link to an article on how to structure an academic paper. You’ll refer back to it several times.

About Teens : This website gives teens a forum to post their short stories, opinion pieces, jokes, and photos.

NaNoWriMo : National Novel Writing Month happens every November. It’s a fun, seat-of-your-pants writing event where the challenge is to complete an entire novel in just 30 days.

Pomegranate Words : This site offers free lessons in poetry and fiction, critiquing services, opportunities for teen writers, and other resources for writers of all ages.

Grammar Girl : Your friendly guide to the world of grammar, punctuation, usage, and fun developments in the English language.

The 10 Most Common Grammatical Errors: A helpful list of common errors to watch out for when writing.

Language Is A Virus: This site provides writing prompts to practice timed creative writing.

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Creative Writing for Teenagers

Explore, experiment, and find your writing voice..

Develop your skills and discover your potential as a writer.

We’ll focus on what makes stories work, how to create memorable characters and immersive settings that draw your reader in, and how to edit and revise your work.

This six-week online course is aimed at 13-17 year olds. Guided by an experienced tutor, you’ll work as part of a small group in a fun, safe online classroom. You tutor will offer detailed, practical feedback and advice on the writing process.

Please note, all students need a parent or guardian’s permission to join the course.

Rupert Wallis

Rupert is a YA and children’s author. He has published three novels with Simon & Schuster . He mentors novel-writers and has taught BA writing students and supervised MA final projects at Falmouth University. He is a Teaching Associate on the Master of Studies in Creative Writing at Cambridge University.

How it works

We give you the theory in the form of videos, podcasts, written lectures and reading extracts. In the case of our live workshops, this includes a live online seminar.

You put it into practice by completing the writing assignments.

You share your work with the small group of fellow writers and the teaching team.

Your tutor and fellow learners read your work and give professional-style feedback on your submission. Giving feedback notes helps to build your skills as an editor - a critical part of the writing process.

You reflect on the exercises with the group and share what you’ve learned.

You use what you learned from the feedback and discussions to review your work and improve it.

Things to know

Our online course is suitable for 13-17 year olds (please note, all students will need a parent or guardian’s permission to join the course).

During this course you will:

• Explore where ideas come from, and how to find inspiration
• Get better at plot, characters, setting and dialogue
• Complete quizzes and try out practical writing assignments
• Join other young writers to share and discuss ideas, and find out what makes stories work
• Understand the writing process: read, write, revise, edit
• Start reading like a writer
• Quiz a professional fiction writer about anything
• Start to understand your strengths and weaknesses as a writer In the final week, you’ll work on a short story or the opening pages of a novel, which you will submit for feedback from your tutor at the end of the course.

Each course is divided into sessions. These sessions are released one by one (weekly or fortnightly, depending on the course). 

There’s no need to log on at a set time. You can work through the learning materials whenever suits you, day or night, wherever you are in the world. Just complete the assignments and join forum discussions by the session deadline. 

Our teaching method is based on the science of active learning: you read/listen/watch, try out, share and reflect. It’s a social experience – you become part of a small group, feeding back on each other’s writing to build a supportive bunch of readers you trust. Find out more here .

Session 1: Inspiration and ideas – Where do stories come from? We’ll look at how to tap into creative inspiration and get ideas from your head and onto the page. You’ll experiment with different ways to start coming up with ideas for stories.

Session 2: Creating characters – We’ll look at how to come up with ideas for characters, why it’s important to know who your characters are inside and out, and how dialogue and movement can make your characters stand out.

Session 3: Your story world – We’ll look at the role setting and atmosphere play in your story and techniques for bringing your story world to life.

Session 4: Point of view – Whose story am I writing? We’ll look at different types of point of view and what they bring to a story, and how to work out who should tell your story.

Session 5: Shaping a story – This session is all about how to plan and shape a story. We’ll look at how to craft satisfying beginnings, middles and ends, and where to start a novel or short story idea.

Session 6: Write your own story – In this final session, you’ll bring everything you’ve learned over the past few weeks together to work on a longer piece of up to 1000 words. You can either revisit one of your ideas from the previous sessions or start something new based on what you’ve learned. Your tutor will provide feedback on your work.

Join our alumni

After your course, you can join our online alumni where you’ll meet our growing network of past students. The alumni is a friendly group of writers who support each other as they continue to explore and develop their writing.

Within our online alumni area you can:

• Rejoin your classmates on a private forum and access an archived version of your course materials and forum posts
• Meet alumni from other courses and groups and share your work for feedback on our alumni critiquing forum
• Join in on discussions about reading, writing, editing and ideas on our general discussion forum. This is also where we share news and useful info
• Retain access to our resources area, which has interesting and informative links
• Chat with other people online using the alumni area live chatroom. We also host live chats with guests here

Commission a report on your work

If you’d like to receive a personalised, detailed report on your final piece of writing from your course tutor, this is available at an extra cost. You’ll receive detailed written feedback assessing your ideas and writing, plus advice on what steps to take next.

Taking things further

If you’d like to continue on to another Professional Writing Academy course, we’ll give you a discount.  Please get in touch  for more details.

Meet your course team

Young Talent Developer

More about Rupert Wallis

Anna Youngs

Anna Youngs has been teaching for 27 years. She is an experienced UK Primary School teacher, yoga teacher and therapist.

More about Anna Youngs

Fiona Dixon

Online Academy Manager

Start your journey

£ 325

Earlybird price

£ 293

(Including taxes)

It has, without a doubt, been hard work, but I feel I’ve learned so much and have really enjoyed writing. The content was brilliant, a really great course.

Creative Writing For Teenagers Student

Find out about our payment plans and get in touch.

More about Creative Writing for Teenagers

Write Advice: YA author Rupert Wallis’ top tips for teenage writers

Creative Writing for Teenagers tutor Rupert Wallis speaks to our Summer School students about writing routines and how to pursue ‘being a writer’.

Write Advice: Rupert Wallis on how to recognise a good story

Rupert Wallis explains his writing routine and how to recognise a good story.

Write Advice: Rupert Wallis on point of view, structure and self-publishing

Rupert Wallis talks about point of view, structure and whether to self-publish.

More courses

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Write your first 10,000 words and find your writing tribe.

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Common Sense Selections for Movies

50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12

• Best TV Lists
• Best TV Shows on Netflix, Disney+, and More
• Common Sense Selections for TV
• Video Reviews of TV Shows

Best Kids' Shows on Disney+

Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix

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8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books

50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12

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Common Sense Selections for Games

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Nintendo Switch Games for Family Fun

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Common Sense Selections for Podcasts

Parents' Guide to Podcasts

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"Best of" Lists

Get age-appropriate ideas and inspiration for every interest:

• Best Movies for Kids
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• Best Apps for Kids
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Writing Apps and Websites

From online grammar checkers to creative prompts for kids, these writing apps and websites have everything your kid needs to use and improve their writing skills. Whether you have a preschooler just learning to form letters or an older kid who's learning the finer points of constructing stories and self-expression through writing, you'll find excellent learning tools to help your kid become a strong writer. This list is a great resource to help young storytellers find their voice and become effective communicators. And for more digital tools to help get those creative ideas flowing, check out our Script-Writing Apps and Websites .

This Is My Story (And I'm Sticking To It)

Build (and hear) simple stories by filling in the blanks.

Writing Wizard for Kids

Fantastic, customizable tracing practice with fun rewards.

My StoryMaker

Safe, simple way to write and illustrate original tales.

Fun, free way to be creative; writing help may cost more.

Dyslexia Keyboard

Assistive features make this writing tool worth every penny.

Text editing, word prediction not cheap, but less than most.

SimpleMind+ Intuitive Mind Mapping

Mind mapper organizes ideas into colorful notes & diagrams.

Oribi Writer

Features help kids spell, write, and edit; pricey.

Rainbow Sentences

Easy app to encourage writing and recording sentences.

StoryBuilder

Very cool app asks questions, creates stories from answers.

Kids capture their days through words, photos, and more.

Write About This

Fun images and prompts spark creativity, get kids writing.

Scholastic Kids Press

Kid reporters (and readers) get schooled in journalism.

Story Starter~Creative Writing

Offers creative writing inspiration with some iffy content.

Interactive story-creation tool is fun but complicated

Writing Challenge

Motivating story starter helps teen writers get creative.

Creative Writer - Fun! Easy! Write! - Ideas for Writing and Texting - Flow of Words, Poetry and Lyrics

Find the right words, learn vocabulary, but prepare to pay.

NaNoWriMo Young Writers Program

Delightful crash course warmly guides budding novelists.

Teen writers express themselves on supportive social site.

Power Poetry

Online community empowers teen poets; use privacy settings.

Other great lists from our editors

• Journal Apps, Online Diaries, and Digital Scrapbooks
• Poetry Books for Kids
• Script-Writing Apps and Websites
• How to Raise a Reader
• Tools to Help Kids Stay Focused During Distance Learning
• 6 Skills Every Kid Should Know Before Kindergarten

There are so many amazing resources for writers that are available for free or minimal costs. On this page, you’ll find some of our favorite books, websites, and podcasts. Most of these are targeted toward an adult audience, so we encourage you to read backcover copy and reviews to discern if they’re right for you!

(We do have some affiliate links on this page. That just means if you happen to buy something listed here, the store might send us a percentage of the sale at zero cost to you.)

Stephanie’s Favorites:

• 2k to 10k by Rachel Aaron
• Save the Cat! Writes a Novel   by Jessica Brody
• Save the Cat! Writes a YA Novel by Jessica Brody
• Fierce on the Page by Sage Cohen
• The Productive Writer  by Sage Cohen
• A Million Little Ways by Emily P. Freeman
• Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
• On Writing by Stephen King
• Steal Like An Artist by Austin Kleon
• Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
• Writing the Breakout Novel and Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook by Donald Maass
• Creating Character Arcs by K. M. Weiland
• Storyworld First: Creating a Unique Fantasy World for Your Novel by Jill Williamson

Jill’s Favorites:

• Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King
• Writing Fiction for Dummies by Randy Ingermanson and Peter Economy
• Save the Cat by Blake Snyder
• Stein on Writing by Sol Stein

Books About Grammar:

• Punctuation 101: A Fiction Writer’s Guide to Getting it Right by Jill Williamson
• The Chicago Manual of Style
• The Elements of Style by Strunk and White
• Write Well: A Grammar Guide by Rachelle Rea Cobb

Books Written For Teen Writers:

(Including our own!)

• Go Teen Writers: Write Your Novel   by Stephanie Morrill, Jill Williamson, and Shannon Dittemore
• Go Teen Writers: Edit Your Novel   by Stephanie Morrill and Jill Williamson
• Writing Magic   by Gail Carson Levine
• Spilling Ink by Ellen Potter and Anne Mazer
• You: The Story by Ruta Sepetys

Helpful Websites and Podcasts:

• HelpingWritersBecomeAuthors.com (also a great podcast!)
• Writing Excuses podcast
• TheCreativePenn.com and The Creative Penn podcast, especially for self-publishing
• QueryShark.blogspot.com
• ManuscriptWishlist.com , a site where editors and agents can share what kind of submissions they’re interested in. (You can also search Twitter for #MSWL)
• Writer Beware , a great resource to doublecheck if an agent or publisher is legit
• Money Saving Guide For Authors and Writers (Thanks, Anna, for sending us this one!)