Target Audience: K-12 Educators, Parents
Estimated reading time: 2 minutes, 33 seconds. Contains 512 words
A Backstory
Every year, I field requests from parents about opportunities for a writing audience beyond the classroom or school environment. As a teacher of gifted / talented students in the area of language arts, I’m not surprised by these inquiries.
Still, I’ve always found myself at a loss when recommending resources. I’ve never explored what’s available to young and talented authors, and that’s a disservice to the children I work with. So, in the spirit of recognizing and encouraging school-aged writers (whether or not they’ve been identified for enrichment programs), I’ve compiled this list of publications and contests available to students across grade levels. I plan to share it with students, families, and fellow teachers. Hopefully, it will be a helpful resource that complements the amazing work Melanie Meehan did on this subject several years ago.
Periodicals that Publish Student Work
| Resource | Grades / Ages | Notes | Submission Date(s) |
| Hutch Magazine | Grades 1-8 | Hutch is a nonprofit literary magazine presented by Peter H. Reynolds | Ongoing (two prompts per year) |
| Magic Dragon | Ages 12 and under | Accepts a variety of genres | Ongoing, published quarterly |
| Stone Soup | Ages 8-18 | Requires account setup (free) Some submissions are free, others require a fee | Ongoing |
| KidSpirit | Ages 11-17 | Each volume is dedicated to questions at “the heart of life” | Ongoing |
| Germ Magazine | Grades 9-12 and beyond | Provides a place for writers to voice experiences about topics large and small | Ongoing |
Contests for Students
Before I begin, a word about contests: I’m conflicted about them. Like Melanie, I love the motivation they often inspire, but hesitate when I think of both the constraints and pressure they may put on young writers. At the end of the day, however, it’s still a resource worth sharing. Below is just a small sampling of contests that students may enter.
| Resource | Age Range | Compensation (US$) / Prize | Notes | Submission Date(s) |
| Skipping Stones | Ages 7-18 | Free copy of journal | $6 entry fee. Several categories to enter. | Early May |
| Scholastic Scope Contests | Grades 4-12 | Book / notebook / journal | Run in conjunction with the Scholastic Scope magazine | Ongoing / monthly |
| John Estey Student Writing Competition | Elementary, Middle, High School | 3 winners in each category:$500 (Elementary)$1,000 (Middle)$2,000 (High) | Students submit on an annual theme | Intent to submit: May Entry deadline: June |
| Bow Seat: Creative Action for Conservation | Ages 11-14, 15-18 | Range from $50 (Honorable Mention) to $1000 (Gold Award) | Multiple genres accepted, entrants require an adult sponsor | Early June |
| Write the World | Ages 13-17 | $100 for winner, $50 each for runner-up and Best Peer Review, publication | Organization often recruits guest judges from an area of expertise | New prompts monthly |
| Stone Soup Monthly Flash Contests | Ages 18 and under | Publication on website and social media | Run the first Saturday of each month | One week from contest posting |
Go Deeper
Below are websites that list a range of competitions and opportunities for students. They’re worth a look, though it’s possible to find links that are no longer active:
Institute of Competition Sciences
International Alliance for Youth Writing Centers
One Final Thing
I’m not sure why it has taken me so long into my teaching to compile a list like this one. After all, I support many of the ways children pursue their passions: skating or sport teams, music lessons, and clubs, just to name a few. Publications and writing contests are a natural outlet for students who want to get their voices heard by a wider audience.
Have I missed a resource that you rely on or love? Let us know in the comments!
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