Advice for Creative Writers in Middle and High School
Well, I made this like three years ago. And especially looking back, there are a lot of things that are wrong with competitive creative writing and the cycle of applying to publications, contests, journals, etc. But I can say that it pushed me to become a better writer (or at least a more prolific one with actual deadlines) and to know myself better. So go for it! But don't make it your main thing :) It takes time to truly develop your voice (don't think I've found mine yet haha) and sometimes you just have to be patient and keep writing.
The most important thing is to read a lot and read widely. Which doesn't mean just skimming. Write down what you like and dislike. Try and develop your taste. Read anything you can get your hands on, the internet is huge so there are tons of great lists. IF you love an author read all of their stuff, and then read what they read.
If you're applying to "things" to publish your writing:
When looking for opportunities, make sure you have an organized format
My recommendation is to:
Treat rejection as a chance to grow, and fuel to return to your work with energy and purpose
I love these lines from Sojourner Ahebee, 2013 National Student Poet:
"Rejection allows us to see that we are capable of the better story, the better poem, the better play. If you are a teen writer who is just beginning to send your work out, I would encourage you to embrace rejection. You have so much time and space to hone in on your craft, to become more sure of your voice. Continue to write, to revise, to submit work and to grow and the rest will fall into place.”
Be patient! Everyone has their own pace and process of growth. It's easy to get discouraged in the moment, but remember that training your resilience and persistence is a lifelong process. Every writer, no matter how many accolades they have, has even more rejections and failures.
Focus more on the process and less on the results. Celebrate yourself for having the courage and bravery to share your work! Submitting to publications and contests is encouragement to engage with an audience and hone your unique voice.
Finally, make sure you're having fun!
Creative writing and poetry is an opportunity to understand yourself better, to engage with issues in your community, to explore and stretch the limits of language. I personally enjoy submitting to contests with certain themes, like climate change or medicine, because they allow me to research and explore and take new stances on issues--which helps me grow no matter the result. I encourage you to find your own niche, and see poetry as an outlet for exploration, growth, and learning
The most important thing is to read a lot and read widely. Which doesn't mean just skimming. Write down what you like and dislike. Try and develop your taste. Read anything you can get your hands on, the internet is huge so there are tons of great lists. IF you love an author read all of their stuff, and then read what they read.
If you're applying to "things" to publish your writing:
When looking for opportunities, make sure you have an organized format
My recommendation is to:
- Create several bookmarks folders with writing contests or publications you're interested in submitting to
- Write due dates on a calendar (I personally prefer paper, but Google Calendar works too)
- Create a spreadsheet to track your submissions! Either on Excel or Google Drive. The spreadsheet should include: name of submission, pieces submitted, date submitted, whether it is a simultaneous submission (meaning the same piece to multiple publications), fees, and status
- The "Status" column includes the specific piece that was accepted and/or the award level in the competition. I use "Nope" for all of my rejections :)
- If certain contests allow you to submit again in the future, you can also mark them on this spreadsheet
Treat rejection as a chance to grow, and fuel to return to your work with energy and purpose
I love these lines from Sojourner Ahebee, 2013 National Student Poet:
"Rejection allows us to see that we are capable of the better story, the better poem, the better play. If you are a teen writer who is just beginning to send your work out, I would encourage you to embrace rejection. You have so much time and space to hone in on your craft, to become more sure of your voice. Continue to write, to revise, to submit work and to grow and the rest will fall into place.”
Be patient! Everyone has their own pace and process of growth. It's easy to get discouraged in the moment, but remember that training your resilience and persistence is a lifelong process. Every writer, no matter how many accolades they have, has even more rejections and failures.
Focus more on the process and less on the results. Celebrate yourself for having the courage and bravery to share your work! Submitting to publications and contests is encouragement to engage with an audience and hone your unique voice.
Finally, make sure you're having fun!
Creative writing and poetry is an opportunity to understand yourself better, to engage with issues in your community, to explore and stretch the limits of language. I personally enjoy submitting to contests with certain themes, like climate change or medicine, because they allow me to research and explore and take new stances on issues--which helps me grow no matter the result. I encourage you to find your own niche, and see poetry as an outlet for exploration, growth, and learning
Writing Contests
Dear Poet Project: write a letter to a poet for a chance to be published on Poets.org. Sponsored by the Academy of American Poets, for grades 5-12. (Due May 31) - https://poets.org/national-poetry-month/dear-poet-2020
Dovetales Young Writer's Contest: research an unfamiliar culture and write from the point of view of a character. Sponsored by Writing for Peace, for ages 13-19. (Due June 1) https://writingforpeace.org/2020-contest-guidelines/ The Barbara Mandigo Kelly Peace Youth Poetry Awards: write a poem about positive visions of peace and the human spirit. Sponsored by the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, for ages 13-18 & 12 and under. (Due July 1, note $5 submission fee) http://peacecontests.org/index.html Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Contest: create a fiction, nonfiction, poetry, song, or other creative piece to raise awareness of climate change and environmental issues. This years theme is: Climate Hope: Transforming Crisis. Sponsored by Bow Seat Ocean Awareness programs, for ages 11-18. (Due June 15) https://bowseat.org/programs/ocean-awareness-contest/overview/ Foyle Young Poet's Award: be recognized by the Poetry Society of the United Kingdom as a top 100 poet in the world and published in an anthology. Sponsored by Poetry Society UK. (Due July 21) https://foyleyoungpoets.org/ The New York Times Summer Reading Contest: respond to articles and weekly posted content for a chance to be featured on the Learning Network blog. Sponsored by the NYT, for ages under 18. Over a period of 10 weeks (June 12-August 21). https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/21/learning/the-11th-annual-new-york-times-summer-reading-contest.html Crown Education Challenge: submit art, writing, or STEM ideas for a chance to be mentored by leading world experts and to be published in the Harvard Technology Review. Ages 5-18. (Due June 18) https://www.crowneducationchallenge.org/ |
More Writing Contests & Competitions
- Scholastic Art and Writing Awards (multiple genres) (http://artandwriting.org/) *
- YoungArts (multiple genres) (http://www.youngarts.org/apply) *
- Foyle Young Poets Award (https://foyleyoungpoets.org/) *
- Poetry Society of America Student Poetry Award (https://poetrysociety.org/awards/annual-awards/2020-student-poetry-award) *
- Write the World (community, competitions) (https://writetheworld.com/) *
- Adroit Prizes (multiple genres) (https://theadroitjournal.org/adroit-prizes/)
- SPJ/JEA High School Essay Contest (http://jea.org/wp/home/awards-honors/high-school-essay-contest/)
- Creative Communication (https://www.poeticpower.com/)
- The Concord Review (https://tcr.org/)
- Poetry Out Loud (https://www.poetryoutloud.org/)
- Gigantic Sequins Teen Sequin (http://www.giganticsequins.com/teens1.html) *
- Hippocrates Young Poet’s Prize (http://hippocrates-poetry.org/the-hippocrates-prize/2020-hippocrates-prize/rules-for-2020-hippocrates/index.html)
- Princeton University Poetry and Play Contest for High School Students (http://arts.princeton.edu/about/opportunities/high-school-contests/poetry-contest/) *
- Quill and Scroll Contests and Scholarship (https://quillandscroll.org/)
- Youth Journalism International Annual Contest (https://youthjournalism.org/) *
- Signet Essay Contest (https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/signet-essay-contest/)
- River of Words Contest (https://www.stmarys-ca.edu/center-for-environmental-literacy/river-of-words)
- EngineerGirl Writing Contest (https://www.engineergirl.org/128750/EngineerGirl-Writing-Contest)
- 1455 Teen Poetry Contest (https://1455litarts.org/1455s-teen-poetry-contest-sponsored-by-friends-of-handley-regional-library/) *
- Blank Theater Young Playwrights Festival (https://www.theblank.com/young-playwrights-festival/)
- Rattle Young Poet's Anthology (https://www.rattle.com/children/rypa/)
- Leyla Beban Young Authors Foundation's Bluefire 1,000-word Contest (https://www.bluefire.org/)
- San Francisco Bay Area Teen Writing Awards (https://www.writopialab.org/programs?catid=0&id=1411)
- Critical Pass Junior Poet (http://aisdaas.blogspot.com/2020/02/junior-poets-contest-critical-pass.html)
- National Poetry Quarterly (http://justpoetry.org)
- Willamette Writer's Kay Snow Writing Contest (https://willamettewriters.org/kay-snow-writing-contest/)
- National Council of Teachers of English Achievement Awards (https://ncte.org/awards/achievement-awards-in-writing/)
- Princeton University Poetry and Play Contest for High School Students (https://arts.princeton.edu/about/opportunities/high-school-contests/)
- HSA Haiku Contest (https://www.hsa-haiku.org/virgilioawards/Virgilio-contest-guidelines.htm)
- Poets.org Dear Poet Contest (https://poets.org/national-poetry-month/dear-poet-2022)
- Bennington College Young Writers Awards (https://www.bennington.edu/events/young-writers-awards)
- Ringling College Storytellers of Tomorrow Creative Writing Contest (https://www.ringling.edu/writingcontest-storytellers/)
- VSA Playwright Discovery Program Competition (http://education.kennedy-center.org/education/vsa/programs/playwright_discovery.cfm)
- Writopia Lab’s Annual Worldwide Plays Festival (https://www.writopialab.org/programs/specialty-programs/worldwide-plays-festival)
Writing & Art Publications
Note: These are not all vetted, just some I have heard of, so please do your own research as well
- Glass: A journal of Poetry
- Interlochen Review
- Teen Ink
- Eunoia Review
- Polyphony High School
- Rising Phoenix Review
- DIALOGIST
- TRACK // FOUR
- Her Culture
- Changing Womxn Collective
- Canvas Literary Journal
- Hanging Loose Magazine
- The Incandescent Review
- The Lindenwood Review
- Milk Candy Review
- Aurora Journal
- Diode Poetry Journal
- Body Without Organs
- Lumiere Review
- After Dinner Conversation
- Adroit Journal
- West Trestle Review
- Exposition Review
- Counterclock Journal
- DIALOGIST
- Storm Cellar Quarterly
- Blue Marble Review
- The Offing
- Moledro Magazine
- Daphne Review
- Apprentice Writer
- The Maze
- Parallax Literary Magazine
- Sandpiper
- Hypernova Lit
Summer Camps
- Kenyon Review Young Writer's Workshop (https://kenyonreview.org/workshops/young-writers/)
- Iowa Young Writer's Studio (https://iyws.clas.uiowa.edu/)
- California State Summer School for the Arts (https://www.csssa.ca.gov/academic-programs/writing/creative-writing-requirements/)
- Telluride Association Sophomore Seminar (TASS) (https://www.tellurideassociation.org/our-programs/high-school-students/sophomore-seminar-tass/) *
- Telluride Association Summer Program (TASP) (https://www.tellurideassociation.org/our-programs/high-school-students/summer-program-juniors-tasp/)
- Interlochen Creative Writing Summer Program (https://camp.interlochen.org/creative-writing-summer-programs)
- New England Young Writer's Conference (http://sites.middlebury.edu/neywc/)
- Adroit Journal Summer Mentorship Program (online) (http://www.theadroitjournal.org/mentorship)
Bonus: Online Reading and Tools
Online Journalism (personal favorites):
Creative writing (personal favorites):
Newsletters:
Online writing tools:
Books about writing:
- The New Yorker
- The New York Times
- The Atlantic
- Medium
- Smithsonian Magazine
- Scientific American
- The Guardian
- BBC
- McSweeney’s (humor)
- Aeon
Creative writing (personal favorites):
- Poetry Foundation
- poets.org
- Kenyon Review
- Asian American Writer's Workshop: The Margins
- Lightbox Poetry
- Probably too many more to list here!
Newsletters:
- poets.org
- The Guardian
- Pocket.co
- Austin Kleon
Online writing tools:
- The Most Dangerous Writing App (https://www.squibler.io/dangerous-writing-prompt-app)
- Note-taking with Evernote App (https://evernote.com/)
- Bibliography Creator: (https://www.citationmachine.net/)
Books about writing:
- The Triggering Town by Richard Hugo
- Bird by Bird by Anne Lammott
- Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke
- The Writing Life by Annie Dillard
- Not a book but an essay on literature: https://newrepublic.com/article/78238/mario-vargas-llosa-literature