Writing Contests for Teens

If you are raising teenagers or if you know of teens who love to write, here are two writing contests specifically for teens.

I found the link to the One Teen Story Fiction Contest posted on the Catholic Writers of St. Louis blog.  Teens between the ages of 14 and 19 can enter. The editors are "interested in great fiction of any genre--literary, fantasy, sci-fi, love stories, and horror. What’s in a great short story? Interesting characters, a unique voice, and of course, a beginning, middle and end." The winning story will be chosen by best-selling novelist Gayle Forman, author of If I Stay and Where She Went, and published in the May 2013 issue of One Teen Story. Contest winners will receive $500, 25 copies of the magazine featuring their work, and a 28” x 20” poster of the cover featuring their story. Click here for details. Deadline is May 31

The second contest for teens comes from Teenreads.com. Inspired by the "Another" series written by Daniel and Dina Nayeri, the judges are looking for stories which "reinvent a classic story or character, making it modern and, most importantly, making it your own!" Entries should be no more than 1,200 words. Contest is open to writers 12 years and older, and the prizes are quite nice. Click here for details. Deadline is June 15.

Note for Older Writers: In addition to the link to the One Teen Story Fiction Contest, you can find several other calls for submissions on the Catholic Writers of St. Louis blog. Denise Y. Montgomery, founder of the group, does an excellent job keeping members informed of submission opportunities.