subs & pubs

A Complete Masterlist of Publications, Competitions, and Programs for Young Writers Ordered By Deadlines/Alphabetical Order 

[I will try to update this as frequently as possible, but if you see something really outdated or wrong, please comment!!!]

This list is divided into:

I. Contests [organized by DEADLINES STARTING JAN.]

1. Academic AND creative writing
2. Creative writing only
1. Free-Form (poetry, prose in any style about any topic)
2. Specific (themed works, genre works, specific poetry forms, etc)
3. Academic writing only

II. Publications [organized in ALPHABETICAL ORDER]

1. Creative Writing only
1. Student-run and student-friendly
1. For specific audiences 
2. Not student-run, still student-friendly 
2. Academic writing only

III. Summer Programs

IV. Additional Opportunities



One last thing: if there is no mention of a fee in the description, assume there is none.

Contests

Contests that are specific to ONE state or region of the US are NOT INCLUDED. (Look up local or state contests for even more opportunities!!!)

The following contests are open to BOTH creative and academic writing: 

The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards

• Deadlines: varies by region, usually Sep - Dec every year
• Fees: $7 per work, fee waivers available
• Educator needed to sign off on forms 

The New York Times Student Contests

• Deadlines: varies for different contests throughout the year
• Examples of contests include poetry, editorials, reviews, etc 

Write the World Competitions

• Deadlines: monthly

Creative (competitions in poetry, fiction, etc)

Free-Form

Ringling "Storytellers of Tomorrow" Contest

• Deadlines: Jan 
• Literary, genre, and non-fic short stories 

Columbia College Young Authors Competition

• Deadlines: Jan 
• Poetry, fic, creative non-fic 

The Kenyon Review Short Fiction Contest

• Deadlines: Feb 1 (extended to Feb 15)
• Fees: $24 to enter (comes with year-long domestic subscription to The Kenyon Review)
• 1200 word limit

Counterclock Writer's Awards

• Deadlines: Feb 15
• Fees: $5 to enter
• Poetry and fiction 

Gannon University National High School Poetry Contest

• Deadline: Feb 1
• 40 line limit

Northern Writer's Awards

• Deadlines: Feb 
• Winners must attend ceremony in the UK

Hunger Mountain Young Writers Prize

• Deadlines: March 
• All genres

Princeton University Ten-Minute Play Contest

• Juniors only 
• Deadlines: March 

"It's All Write!" Teen Writing Contest 

• *only for Michigan residents 
• Deadlines: March
• Poetry, flash fic, and short story 

Kay Snow Writing Contest

• Deadlines: Jan/April 
• Fic, non-fic, poetry 

The Adroit Prizes for Poetry and Prose

• Deadlines: April 
• Fees: $12/work, fee waivers available 

Poetry Matters "Poetry Month Challenge"

• Deadlines: April 

NFFD Youth Competition

• Deadlines: April 
• short stories/prose up to 300 words 

Ket Young Writers Contest

• Deadlines: May 
• Short story and/or a poem 

Junebug Journal Young Artists Contest

• Deadlines: May 
• all creative forms 

Roadrunner Review High School Writing Contest

• Deadlines: May

Winter Tangerine Awards

• Deadlines: July
• For emerging writers

2021 Wintermute Spec-Fic Contest

• Speculative fiction only (contains elements of sci-fi, fantasy, magical realism, slipstream, horror, etc)
• Deadlines: July 31

1455 Teen Poetry Contest

• Deadlines: July

Ledbury Poetry Festival Competition

• Deadlines: July 
• Fees: first poem free, 1.75 euros for each additional poem
• 40 line limit for poems
• Winners invited to festival in UK

Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award

• Deadlines: July 31
• Unlimited poetry submissions

YoungArts National Arts Competition

• Deadlines: Oct 16
• Fees: $35 per category, fee waivers available
• all creative forms 

Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest

• For high-school women
• Deadlines: Oct

Princeton University Leonard L. Milberg '53 High School Poetry Prize

• Juniors only 
• Deadlines: Nov

"One Teen Story" Teen Writing Contest

• Deadlines: Nov 
• Short stories centered around the teenage experience 

Patricia Grodd Poetry Prize

• Deadlines: Nov 1-30
• Open to high school sophomores and juniors

Bennington Young Writers Awards 

• Deadlines: Nov
• Fic, non-fic, poetry 

Smith College High School Poetry Prize

• Deadlines: Dec
• Poetry max 25 lines

River of Words

• Deadlines: Dec
• Poetry 

Rider University High School Writing Contest 

• Deadlines: Dec
• Personal essay, fic, poetry 

The Kenyon Review Short Nonfiction Contest

• Deadlines: Dec 1-31
• Fees: $24 to enter (comes with year long domestic subscription to The Kenyon Review)
• 1200 word limit

Just Poetry National Quarterly

• Deadlines: Summer Issue - March 31; Fall Issue - June 30; Winter Issue - Sep 30; Spring Issue - Dec 31

Others (on hiatus or currently closed for submissions):

Penn State Lake Effect High School Poetry Competition - on hiatus for 2020/21 school year 
Lake Superior State University Short Story Contest - on hiatus indefinitely

Specific 

Six Word Memoirs

• Deadlines: monthly 

Young Poets Network Writing Challenges

• Deadlines: monthly, bi-monthly
• New challenge every few months with different themes/techniques/activities 

L Ron Hubbard Writer Contest 

• Deadlines: contest has 4 quarters, each of which start on the following dates - Jan 1, April 1, July 30, and Oct 1 
• Sci-fi, fantasy, and dark fantasy fiction 

Outdoors Writers Association of America: Norm Strung Youth Writing Awards

• Deadlines: Jan
• Prose or poetry, must be outdoor-oriented 

Annual Holocaust Art and Writing Contest

• Deadlines: Feb
• Prose or poetry 

Arizona Mystery Writers: Ann Hutchison Memorial Story Contest for Youth

• Deadlines: Feb
• Mystery short fiction 

Bluefire Contest: $1000 for 1000 words

• Deadlines: Feb
• Word count must be EXACTLY 1000

Carl Sandburg Student Poetry Contest

• Deadlines: late Feb 
• Themes based on Carl Sandburg's poetry 

NCTE Achievement Awards in Writing

• Juniors only
• Deadlines: Feb
• Must be nominated by school's English department
• One themed writing response and one freeform sample from student

Manning Trust Student Poetry Competition

• Deadlines: March 
• Must submit poetry through your own state 

Haiku Society of America: The Nicholas A Virgilio Memorial Haiku and Senryu Competition

• Deadlines: March

Never Such Innocence

• Deadlines: March
• Theme: impact of conflict on communities

Parsec Ink

• Deadlines: April 
• Themed entries 

Geek Parternship Society Writing Contest

• Deadlines: May 
• Stories must have elements of sci-fi, fantasy, horror, supernatural, or alternate history elements

Live Canon Poetry Competition

• Deadlines: May 
• Fees: 6.50 euros for one poem, 12 for 2, 16 for 3, 20 for 5, 35 for 10
• NOTE: Link seems to be faulty, not sure why. A quick Internet search should show this contest 

Pulitzer Center Poetry Contest

• Deadlines: May 
• Must select an article from the Pulitzer Center website and use lines from it in your poem; responding to current events 

The Legacy Project

• Deadlines: May 
• Listen to a grandparent's life story and write in response to it

Young Writers Contest - Writing for Peace

• Deadlines: June 
• Fic or poetry written from the perspective of another country/culture
• Non-fic about sociopolitical/environmental/familial challenges faced by cultural groups or personal experience with another culture 

Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Contest

• Deadlines: June 
• Poetry/prose raising awareness about climate change and potential solutions 

Barbara Mandigo Kelly Peace Poetry Awards

• Deadlines: July
• Explore/illuminate positive visions of peace and the human spirit in your poetry (Nuclear Age Peace Foundation)

Fitzgerald Literary Contest

• Deadlines: Dec
• Fic, poetry, multi-genre works responding to a theme 

Society of Classical Poets FoFC Poetry Contest

• Deadlines: Dec
• Fees: $10 (comes with a free subscription to the Society's e-newsletter and a certificate in classical poetry)
• Traditional poetry techniques and rhyme 

Others (on hiatus or currently closed for submissions):

ukiahaiku Festival: on hiatus
The Writing Conference: taking a break for the 2019/20 school year

Academic (essay writing, etc)

Profile in Courage Essay Contest

• Deadlines: Jan
• Research essay about an act of political courage in history 

Annual DNA Day Essay Contest

• Deadlines: March
• Examine, question, and reflect on important concepts in genetics 

American Foreign Service Association National High School Essay Contest

• Deadlines: April
• Themed essay about government 

US Institute of Peace National High School Essay Contest

• Deadelines: April 
• Research essay with prompts about diplomacy, peacebuilding, government

We the Students Essay Contest

• Deadlines: April 
• Civil discourse 

World Historian Student Essay Competition

• Deadlines: May 
• Research essay on world history 

Humane Education Network

• Deadlines: May 
• Animal welfare and rights 

Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA) Essay Contest

• Deadlines: June 
• Essay responding to prompts about Jane Austen's works and life 

Goi Peace Foundation International Essay Contest for Young People

• Deadlines: June 
• 2020 theme: writing a letter to yourself from 2030 

National History Day

• Deadlines: varies, but the National Contest is June 14 - 18 
• Months-long research paper responding to historical theme
• Extensive steps to research, drafting, etc

John Locke Institute Essay Competition

• Deadlines: July 
• Seven categories: Philosophy, Politics, Economics, History, Psychology, Theology, and Law (answer one question in one subject category)

National WW2 Museum Essay Contest

• Deadlines: Dec 
• Essay response to prompt (NOT a research essay)

Publications

*NOTE—The following publications are currently accepting submissions centered around COVID-19 and its impact on our lives and communities:
Counterclock Magazine, Blue Marble Review, Siblini Journal, Crashtest Magazine, and Balloons Lit.

The following publications are open to BOTH creative and academic writing: 

AGORA Media

• Open: now—no deadlines 
• Contributors publish 1-2 compositions on a monthly basis
• Accepts research/analysis, any discipline ("Cinematic Arts, Classical Music, Dance, Design Arts, Jazz, Photography, Theater, Visual Arts, Voice, Writing," & more), and a wide range of topics (World, Business, Tech, Arts, Sports, Books, Fashion & Style, etc)

Second Revolution Literary Magazine

• Open: now
• Open to research, journalism, poetry/fic/non-fic, etc
• Encourages secondary voices to submit 

Sienna Solstice

• Open: year-round, cutoff for June publication is May 30
• Antidisciplinary art and science mag
• Poetry/prose, editorials, science research, & many more forms 

Creative Writing Only 

Student-Run/Student Friendly 

Austin International Poetry Festival: diverse-city 

• Open: now
• Selected writers are invited to the Austin Poetry Festival 

Alexandra Quarterly Mad & Moonly

• Open: currently on hold 

Apprentice Writer 

• Open: Sep 1 - March 15 

The Bitter Fruit Review

• Open: now

Blue Marble Review

• Open: now
• Pays contributors 

Body Without Organs 

• Open: year-round

Butcher Papers

• Open: year-round

Capulet Magazine

• For women ages 15-29
• Open: until Nov 15

Cathartic Literary Magazine

• Open: rolling basis
• For youth writing/mental health discussion

Chautauqua Journal

• Open: Feb 1 - April 1; Sep 1 - Nov 1

Cliche Teen

• Open: Jan 10 - May 1; July 1 - Dec 1

Crashtest Magazine

• Open: year-round

The Daphne Review

• Open: on hiatus 

Elan

• Open: currently closed; one Fall and one Spring Issue
• All submissions automatically entered into the Elan Magazine Art and Writing Contest 

Ephimiliar Journal

• Open: on a rolling basis

The Eunoia Review

• Open: year-round 

fingers comma toes

• Open: Oct - Dec; May - July 

Foredge Review

• Open: now

Teen Sequins

• Open: until July 12
• Feature in Gigantic Sequins
• Poetry only 

Girls Right the World

• Open: currently closed 

Glass Kite Anthology

• Open: on hiatus 

Hanging Loose Press

• Open: year-round
• Submissions must be sent by mail 

The Hearth Stories

• Open: now for Winter Issue
• Emphasis on mental health, strength, self-confidence, and stress management
• Response time one week 

Hope of Young Artists (HOYA) Magazine

• Open: until Dec 20 

The Ideate Review

• Open: until May 15

Inklette Magazine

• Open: April 1 - 30

The Interlochen Review

• Open: currently closed 

Jellyfish Review

• Open: now
• Flash-fic and short non-fic only 

Lunch Ticket: School Lunch

• Open: March 1 - 31; Sep 1 - 30

Minute Magazine

• Open: until June 15
• Theme of examining life under the microscope 

Navigating the Maze

• Open: currently closed 

Oddball Magazine

• Open: now

Parallax

• Open: until April 30

Polyphony Lit  

• Open: until April 30
• All selected submissions are automatically entered into the Claudia Ann Seaman Awards 
• Almost all submissions receive personalized, detailed feedback from several readers and editors 
• *I'm a first reader here! Submit for extensive commentary! You won't regret it, I promise. And if I happen to get your wonderful work :)

Red Queen Literary Magazine

• Open: now

Ricochet Review 

• Open: closed currently

Sandpiper Magazine

• Open: now

The Suoo

• Open: July 30 - Sep 10

Sugar Rascals

• Open: Aug 1 - Sep 1

Teen Ink

• Open: always
• Anyone can post work on the website, submit to journal
• Monthly/weekly contests 

TRACK//FOUR

• POCs only 
• Open: free submissions until July 15
• Fees: $3-10

Truant Lit

• Open: now

Whitefish Review

• Open: Nov 1 - Jan 31; June 1 - Aug 31 

Wintermute Lit 

• Speculative fiction only (sci-fi, fantasy, magical realism, slipstream, horror, etc)
• Open: on a rolling basis
  

For Specific Audiences:

Amazing Kids

• Looking for kid-friendly content (5-12 years old)

Ember

• Semiannual journal
• Submissions for and by readers 10-18 years old encouraged

BALLOONS Lit. Journal

• Open: year-round
• Looking for materials for school-aged readers (12+ years old)
• "Rather than writing anything specifically for BLJ's readers, you should consider if we could find in your submission, however complex and philosophical, the elements that could enlighten and amaze the young minds."

Not Student-Run, Still Student-Friendly

*The following publications are adult-oriented (and naturally, more competitive), but students have been published in them/have the potential for other opportunities by submitting to them.


The Adroit Journal

• Open: will open Aug 1

Birdfeast

• Open: on the first of every month until submissions fill up

Black Warrior Review 

• Open: Dec 1 - March 1; June 1 - Sep 1
• Fees: $3/submission

BOAAT Press

• Open: online issues every 3 months with 15 poets/issue 

B O D Y

• Open: now

Bookends Review

• Open: May 1 - Aug 31; Dec 1 - Jan 31

BOXCAR Poetry Review 

• Open: currently closed

Columbia Journal

• Open: now

Cosmonauts Avenue 

• Open: now

DIAGRAM

• Open: now

DIALOGIST

• Open: now

Ekphrastic Review

• Open: the months of Jan, March, May, July, Sep, Nov (alternate months)
• Ekphrastic - writing inspired by art 

f(r)iction

• Open: year-round
• Fees: $2.50/submission

Frontier Poetry: New Voices

• Open: year-round
• For unpublished and emerging writers 

Half Mystic

• Open: now
• Music-themed magazine 

Into the Void

• Open: Feb 1 - March 7; May 1 - June 7; Aug 1 - Sep 7; Nov 1 - Dec 7
• Fees: limited number of free submissions, after which tip jar submissions are available 

Lip Mag

• Open: now
• Feminist magazine accepting articles, etc

Lost Balloon

• Open: first week of every month excluding breaks (breaks are in June, July, Aug, and Dec)

The Louisville Review: Cornerstone

• Open: year-round
• Submissions from K-12 

Minola Review

• For women and nonbinary writers
• Open: on a rolling basis 

Muzzle Magazine

• Open: Sep 15 - Nov 14; March 1 - May 1

Palette Poetry

• Open: now

[PANK] Future Fridays: Artists 18 and Under

• Open: now

Prometheus Dreaming

• Open: weekly submissions
• Fees: $4.20/submission
• Each day of the week has a different theme/restrictions (ex. Friday - Aspiring Creatives)

Rising Phoenix Review

• Open: on a rolling basis

The Round

• Open: to the beginning of Oct (Fall Issue) and the beginning of March (Spring Issue)

Salt Hill Journal

• Open: July 15 - Sep 1; Dec 1 - Jan 15

Sierra Nevada Review

• Open: Sep 1 - Feb 15 

SWWIM

• For women and femme-presenting writers 
• Open: year-round
• Fees: $2-5/submission, $25 for feedback 

Typishly

• Open: weekly submissions
• Fees: $4.97/submission
• 24-hour brief, personalized response 
• Each day of the week has a different prompt/restriction (ex. Emerging Writer Mondays)

Waxwing

• Open: closed currently; cap of 300 submissions/month
• Published tri-annually in Feb, June and Oct 

Academic Writing Only 

The Concord Review

• Open: now
• Fees: $70+ (includes year-long e-subscription or print subscription to the Review)
• Academic essays about any historical topics

Curieux Academic Journal

• Open: on a rolling basis 

Ogma Post

• Open: now
• Student articles about culture, politics, science, current events, etc 

Summer Programs 

Adroit Mentorship Program

Young writers are paired up with prose, poetry, or spoken word mentors



Iowa Young Writers Studio

Two-week program at the University of  Iowa



Kenyon Young Writers Workshop

Two-week program at Kenyon College



Kelly Writers House Workshop

10 day workshop for rising juniors and seniors at the Kelly Writers House in the University of Pennsylvania



The Incandescent Summer Studio

"Pair emerging young writers (ages 11-14~) with highly qualified, experienced writers throughout the youth literary community"



Polyphony Lit Summer Scholars Program

Eight-week online program for high schoolers to work as a literary editor, with online content and live lectures



University of St Andrews

Summer course in creative writing at the prestigious University of St. Andrews in Scotland. Learn from established Scottish writers and in small groups led by tutors




Other excellent programs are offered by:

Bard College
Emerson College
Interlochen Center for the Arts
Juniper Institute (UMass Amherst)
Sewanee
Yale Writers' Workshop
Sarah Lawrence Writer's Village
Carnegie Mellon
& many more

Additional Opportunities for Writers 

Become an Editor for Polyphony Lit!

Polyphony Lit is an international literary magazine read and edited by high school students across the world. If you want to read and critique prose and poetry, sign up to become a First Reader (you will either submit a trial assignment, or pay to complete a training course).

*I am currently a first reader here and I'm mad that I didn't know about this sooner! Not only can you really work on your editing/writing skills, but you can also be blown away by amazing teen writing, and learn how to effectively communicate your own opinion/suggestions without seeming too meek or too harsh.



Pitch Wars

Amazing, free opportunity: "a mentoring program where published/agented authors, editors, or industry interns choose one writer each, read their entire manuscript, and offer suggestions on how to make the manuscript shine for an agent showcase." 



National Novel Writing Month 

Every November, young writers everywhere gather together on NaNoWriMo to hash out a 50,000+ word novel by the end of the month. Fantastic writing exercises, dozens of resources, and writing motivators/tips and tricks on this site. Join the community now for StayHomeWriMo!

NaNoWriMo also holds contests/opportunities like Pitchapalooza, where you can get to learn what makes a great book pitch/get the opportunity to 'win' an introduction to an agent.



Davidson Fellow

Davidson Fellows Scholarships are awarded to people under 18 who have completed a significant piece of work in their lifetime. Literature is an application category, and you can enter with two nominators, and a portfolio consisting of works in several different genres, to try and win a huge scholarship.



Ask a Question to Adroit

If you're a young writer, you probably have a lot of questions. Ask one to the Adroit Journal and an established author might just answer you.



Her Culture

Check out this popular blog/magazine about women and apply to one of their opening positions. They are looking for writers, editors, and social media managers.



Writopia Play Festival

Writopia Lab's Plays Festival is an annual Off-Broadway festival of plays written by young writers (ages 6-18) and performed by New York theater professionals. It's now in its eleventh season and accessible to many writers. There is a new theme every year.



Virginia B Ball Writing Competition

Winner of this competition receives a full scholarship to attend the Interlochen Center of the Arts with a major in creative writing.


Other:

Winter Tangerine internship
Counterclock Arts Collective
& more