By Aimee Serafin
In a world where you can be anything, why not try to be published. There are plenty of contests available for kids, many for writers under the age of 14. Writing is a great way for kids to express their emotions and viewpoints to the world around them. Whether it is a short story, a comic, or a poem, encourage your young writer to share his/her skills for the better good. But keep filtered in that thought the reality of getting published may take time and multiple tries. Remind your children that some well-known writers, like JK Rowlings, Madeleine L’Engle, Dr. Seuss, all experienced the publishing blues before being recognized for their worthy contributions to society.
Augusta Family Magazine
Ages: 18 and under
Augusta Family magazine encourages young students in the area to reach out to the editor with original poetry, 23 lines maximum, for a chance to be featured in our student poetry section of the magazine. Send inquiries/submissions to: aimee.serafin@augustafamilymagazine.com.
Roald Dahl’s Imaginormous Challenges
Ages: 5 – 12
100 words or less, pure imagination. Five winners. Open submission throughout the year.
Kid’s Write!
Ages: 4 – 18
No more than 1000 words. Fiction. Sibling teams allowed. Submission is open until May 1, 2021.
PBS Writers Contest
Ages: K – grade 5
Word counts vary by age. Submissions open until March 31, 2021.
Betty Award
Ages: 8 – 12
Cash prizes. $15/entry. Submission is open until May 1, 2021.
National Youth Foundation
Ages: K – grade 8
Cash prize. Entries must include the theme of Anti-bullying. Submissions until July 15, 2021.
Dandelion Press
Ages: 18 and under
Writers create a fictional story based on Dandelion’s illustration featured online. Maximum 1000 words. New images are posted quarterly.
Write the World — Songwriting Competition
For older students, this site seeks musicians and vocal artists to submit lyrics for a competition starting 2/21/21 and ending 2/16/21.
Photo by Katerina Holmes on Pexels
