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[I will try to update this as frequently as possible, but if you see something really outdated or wrong, please comment!!!]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.]- Academic AND creative writing
- Creative writing only
- Free-Form (poetry, prose in any style about any topic)
- Specific (themed works, genre works, specific poetry forms, etc)
- Academic writing only
- Creative Writing only
- Student-run and student-friendly
- For specific audiences
- Not student-run, still student-friendly
- Academic writing only
IV. Summer Programs
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:
- Deadlines: varies by region, usually Sep - Dec every year
- Fees: $7 per work, fee waivers available
- Educator needed to sign off on forms
- Deadlines: varies for different contests throughout the year
- Examples of contests include poetry, editorials, reviews, etc
Creative (competitions in poetry, fiction, etc)
Free-Form
Ringling "Storytellers of Tomorrow" Contest
- Deadlines: Jan
- Literary, genre, and non-fic short stories
- Deadline: Feb
Northern Writer's Awards
Hunger Mountain Young Writers Prize
- Deadlines: Feb
- Winners must attend ceremony in the UK
Hunger Mountain Young Writers Prize
- Deadlines: March
Princeton University Ten-Minute Play Contest
"It's All Write!" Teen Writing Contest
- Juniors only
- Deadlines: March
"It's All Write!" Teen Writing Contest
- *only for Michigan residents
- Deadlines: March
- Poetry, flash fic, and short story
- 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
- Deadlines: April
- short stories/prose up to 300 words
- Deadlines: May
- all creative forms
Winter Tangerine Awards
1455 Teen Poetry Contest
Ledbury Poetry Festival Competition
Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award
- Deadlines: July
- For emerging writers
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
- Deadlines: Oct 16
- Fees: $35 per category, fee waivers available
- all creative forms
Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest
- For high-school women
- Deadlines: Oct
- Deadlines: Nov
- Short stories centered around the teenage experience
Patricia Grodd Poetry Prize
- Deadlines: Nov 1-30
- Deadlines: Nov
- Fic, non-fic, poetry
River of Words
- Deadlines: Dec
- Poetry
Rider University High School Writing Contest
- Deadlines: Dec
- Personal essay, fic, poetry
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
Six Word Memoirs
Young Poets Network Writing Challenges
Annual Holocaust Art and Writing Contest
Arizona Mystery Writers: Ann Hutchison Memorial Story Contest for Youth
Carl Sandburg Student Poetry Contest
NCTE Achievement Awards in Writing
Manning Trust Student Poetry Competition
Haiku Society of America: The Nicholas A Virgilio Memorial Haiku and Senryu Competition
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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Deadlines: March
- Must submit poetry through your own state
Haiku Society of America: The Nicholas A Virgilio Memorial Haiku and Senryu Competition
- Deadlines: March
- Deadlines: April
- Themed entries
- Deadlines: May
- Stories must have elements of sci-fi, fantasy, horror, supernatural, or alternate history elements
- 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
Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Contest
2020 Wintermute Young Writers Spec-Fic Awards
Barbara Mandigo Kelly Peace Poetry Awards
Fitzgerald Literary Contest
- 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
- Speculative fiction only (sci-fi, fantasy, magical realism, slipstream, horror, etc)
- Fees: $3 submission fee
- Deadlines: July
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 hiatusThe 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
- 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
- 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
- Open: year-round
The Daphne Review
- Open: on hiatus
- 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
- Open: now
- Open: currently closed
- Open: on hiatus
- 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
- Open: April 1 - 30
- 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
- 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:
- Looking for kid-friendly content (5-12 years old)
- Semiannual journal
- Submissions for and by readers 10-18 years old encouraged
- 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
- Open: year-round
- Fees: $2.50/submission
- Open: year-round
- For unpublished and emerging writers
- Open: now
- Music-themed magazine
- 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
- Open: now
- Feminist magazine accepting articles, etc
- Open: first week of every month excluding breaks (breaks are in June, July, Aug, and Dec)
- Open: year-round
- Submissions from K-12
- For women and nonbinary writers
- Open: on a rolling basis
- Open: Sep 15 - Nov 14; March 1 - May 1
- Open: now
- Open: now
- Open: weekly submissions
- Fees: $4.20/submission
- Each day of the week has a different theme/restrictions (ex. Friday - Aspiring Creatives)
- Open: on a rolling basis
- Open: to the beginning of Oct (Fall Issue) and the beginning of March (Spring Issue)
- Open: July 15 - Sep 1; Dec 1 - Jan 15
- Open: Sep 1 - Feb 15
- For women and femme-presenting writers
- Open: year-round
- Fees: $2-5/submission, $25 for feedback
- 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
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.
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!
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
Summer Programs
Adroit Mentorship Program
Highly selective program where young writers are paired up with either prose or poetry mentors.
Iowa Young Writers Studio
Highly regarded young writers summer workshop. Two-week program at the University of Iowa.
Kenyon Young Writers Workshop
Highly-regarded summer workshop. Two-week program at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio.
Kelly Writers House Workshop
10 day workshop for rising juniors and seniors at the Kelly Writers House in the University of Pennsylvania. Range of genres including screenwriting, experimental writing, comics writing, etc along traditional ones like poetry and fiction.
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
thanks for making this list! i'd also suggest checking out the Columbia College Chicago Writing Contest (high school),the UPenn Kelly Writers Workshop, and Waxwing Mag!
ReplyDeleteI even entered the Columbia College contest and managed to forget to list it, lol. Thank you so much for commenting! I am adding these all now
DeleteIYWS is amazing!!
ReplyDeleteI've heard it is!! :)
Deletealso, would u be willing to add the aurora review to this list?? that would be so cool, and we're open to subs the first half of every month! theaurorareview.org
ReplyDeleteSure, no problem
Deletethank you so much! if you're willing to, i would add agoramedia.co to the list. AGORA Media is an international, youth-led 501c3 media organisation that publishes pieces regardless of medium! We are particularly keen on publishing prose and editorial pieces, and writers are guaranteed feedback from a highly-accomplished team of writers.
ReplyDeleteOf course!
DeleteI just checked out the website, it looks extremely professional and polished. Will definitely add to the list!