Urge student writers to submit to publications and contests. The prospect of getting a story out to a “real” audience, the thrill of seeing your name in print, and the lure of winning a contest are tremendous motivators. Just keeping publication in mind forces the writer to connect with a reader and to set high performance standards.
Publications
- Creative Kids. Quarterly literary magazine that publishes poetry, stories, editorials, plays, and songs. Ages eligible: 8–14. Contact: P.O. Box 8813, Waco, TX 76714; 512-300-2220.
- Stone Soup. Literary magazine of writing and art by children. Published six times a year. Ages eligible: up to 13. Contact: P.O. Box 83, Santa Cruz, CA 95063;<LINK URL="http://www.stonesoup.com/index.html">www.stonesoup.com/index.html</LINK>.
- Word Dance. Quarterly magazine of children's writing. Encourages submissions in specified categories—including narratives about travel and haiku. Ages eligible: K-8th grade. Contact: Playful Productions, Inc., P.O. Box 10804, Wilmington, DE 19850; <LINK URL="http://www.worddance.com">www.worddance.com</LINK>.
- New Moon. Writing by girls and women on the experience of being a girl. Looks for feature articles on such topics as famous girls in history, body awareness, and experiences with sexism. Pays for accepted pieces. Ages eligible: 8–14. Contact: 34 E. Superior St., #200, Duluth, MN 55802; <LINK URL="http://www.newmoon.org">www.newmoon.org</LINK>.
- The Writer's Slate. Published three times a year by the Writing Conference, Inc. Features poetry and prose by students and teachers. Ages eligible: K-12th grade. Contact: Shelly McNerney, 7619 Hemlock St., Overland Park, KS 66204.
- Potato Hill Poetry. Web site that publishes student poems and provides information on youth poetry contests. Ages eligible: 1st–12th grade. Contact:<LINK URL="http://www.potatohill.com/contest.html">www.potatohill.com/contest.html</LINK>.
- Teen Ink. Magazine written exclusively by teenagers, publishing poems and stories, plus reviews of Web sites and colleges and other teen-friendly genres. Ages eligible: 13–19. Contact: P.O. Box 30, Newton, MA 02961; 617-964-6800.
- What If: Canada's Fiction Magazine for Teens. Bimonthly magazine featuring creative writing and articles geared to teens by established Canadian writers and teens from any country. Ages eligible: 12 and up. Contact: 19 Lynwood Pl., Guelph, Ontario N1G 2V9, Canada; <LINK URL="http://www.whatifmagazine.com">www.whatifmagazine.com</LINK>.
Writing Contests
- The America Library of Poetry hosts an annual contest for students in grades 4–12. Contact: P.O. Box 978, Houlton, ME 04730; <LINK URL="http://www.libraryofpoetry.com">www.libraryofpoetry.com</LINK>.
- Creative Communication hosts a “Celebration of Poets,” which has divisions for grades K–3, 4–6, 7–9, and 10–12. Contact: 90 N. 100 E., Logan, UT 84321; 435-713-4411;<LINK URL="http://www.poeticpower.com">www.poeticpower.com</LINK>.
