Resources for Young Writers
Imagine. Envision. Write. Revise. Submit. Read.from yareview.net (Young Adult Review Network)
The process of writing is quite solitary, but the process of finding an audience for your writing requires reaching out - convincing someone else that what you have written is worth reading. Here are a few tips and resources to help you improve your writing, discover your voice and find an audience.
Ask and Learn
Most authors have websites with email addresses. Many authors, especially those who write for children and teens, respond personally. Ask how they started to publish their writing, where they get their ideas, how to solve a particular problem in your own writing, if they offer writing workshops for young people. In the Washington area, you can find many children's authors on the website for the Children's Book Guild of Washington, D.C., as well as advice for aspiring authors and illustrators.
Submissions to Magazines and Contests
Oodles of Ideas
Programs/Classes for Young Writers
Compiled by Karen Leggett Abouraya and Friends of the Library Montgomery County, Maryland
The process of writing is quite solitary, but the process of finding an audience for your writing requires reaching out - convincing someone else that what you have written is worth reading. Here are a few tips and resources to help you improve your writing, discover your voice and find an audience.
Ask and Learn
Most authors have websites with email addresses. Many authors, especially those who write for children and teens, respond personally. Ask how they started to publish their writing, where they get their ideas, how to solve a particular problem in your own writing, if they offer writing workshops for young people. In the Washington area, you can find many children's authors on the website for the Children's Book Guild of Washington, D.C., as well as advice for aspiring authors and illustrators.
Submissions to Magazines and Contests
- New Moon: Ad-free magazine for girls. Ages 8 and up.
- One Teen Story: Literary magazine for young adult readers of all ages
- Skipping Stones: Ad-free, international, nonprofit magazine. Submissions & contests. Ages 8-16.
- Stone Soup: Magazine for creative kids. Ages 8-13.
- Teen Ink: Magazine, website, and books written by teens since 1989. Ages 13-19.
- YARN: Literary journal by and for young adult readers
- Young DC: The newspaper by and about Washington Metro area teens
Oodles of Ideas
- Friends of the Library Montgomery County Student Board Member: incoming 11th graders.
- Montgomery County Public Library Teens
- Book Festivals: VA Book (Charlottesville), National Book Festival, Baltimore Book Festival, College Park Book Festival
- Young Authors Guide: Contests, magazines, tips.
- Pencil Tips Writing Workshop: Writing tips, resources, strategies, practice activities
- Noodle Tools: Online opportunities for young writers
- StudioPAUSE: Creative workshops in Arlington; founded by Sushmita Mazumdar
- College Writing Guide from the Center for Online Education
- informED 25 Ways to Boost Your Writing Skills
- How to get Better at Writing: The Basics
- Maryland Writers Association (see contests)
Programs/Classes for Young Writers
- Duke University Young Writers’ Programs
- Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY): Preparing students to make significant contributions to our world. All grades. Resources, programs, courses, Imagine Magazine (above)
- Shout Mouse Press is a nonprofit writing and publishing program in Washington, D.C., dedicated to amplifying unheard voices.
- The Writer’s Center: Workshops, classes, poetry journal (Poet Lore)
- Writopia: Creative writing workshops, Washington, D.C. Ages 6-18.
Compiled by Karen Leggett Abouraya and Friends of the Library Montgomery County, Maryland