When does a person become a writer? It is safe to say that you can't be born a writer. A series of non-trivial events should take place—bright, impressive, not always positive, sometimes negative. And at the center of this cycle, there should be a person with a subtle sense of perception and a talent for presentation, who wants to share one's thoughts and feelings with other people.
Fortunately for young enthusiasts, there are plenty of opportunities in today's writing world in literary magazines, newspapers, and publishing houses that are open to working with aspiring writers. In this article, I provide a list of the best opportunities for teen writers.
1. School newspaper
Sounds a little corny, doesn't it? But the school newspaper offers many more options than you might imagine. In addition to the chance to start your journalistic career and develop your writing skills, the school newspaper is a means of conveying your ideologies to others and an effective informative tool.
It is a good idea to use the school newspaper to talk about topics that are important to you and to educate other students. Be original. Don't be afraid to be different from other articles of the same type, and you will succeed!
2. Internship at a local newspaper
You will probably be surprised how many journalists started their career with practice in local newspapers. Speaking from personal experience, writing for a city newspaper gave me the opportunity to express myself in different forms of writing, such as running my own column, publishing my short stories, and interviewing people of different ages. I was also able to get in touch with other staff writers, and I was surprised at how many young individuals were encouraged to start their careers as journalists.
It will take time to find the newspaper that suits you best. The main criteria that you should pay attention to while doing your research is the topic of the newspaper, the type of publication prevailing in it, and the potential audience. Read more about finding an internship in the newspaper here.
3. Start your blog
The habit of regularly writing ideas on a blog brings many bonuses: you structure thoughts, exercise self-discipline, learn to communicate with readers, and deal with criticism. And if you get down to business seriously, you can turn your blog into a source of income.
Decide what you will write about. Hobby, life experience, personal thoughts—the choice is yours. You have 2 options for creating a blog: using free services and registering your own domain.
The first option has many disadvantages, such as restrictions on changing the appearance of the blog, uploading photos, etc. On the other hand, free services are great for starting a writing career and testing your idea. Then you can transfer all the information to a brand-new site on your hosting and domain.
Markets that accept work from creators 13 years of age and up
1. The Teen Magazine
The Teen Magazine is a popular teen magazine that was founded by Mia Johansson. During the time of its existence, it has received positive feedback from young people from all over the world.
The Teen Magazine's writer team is made up of hundreds of college and high school writers who have a desire to improve their writing skills, speak on important topics, and connect with other writers. As a writer for The Teen Magazine, you will be contributing articles, brainstorming topics, speaking on important issues, and collaborating with other aspiring writers. To join The Teen Magazine team, you can apply and learn more here.
2. Teen Ink
Teen Ink is a national teen magazine that began its work in 1989 and has printed more than 55,000 teenagers in 31 years. The main difference between Teen Ink and other popular magazines is that it does not have staff writers - all content is based on the submitted works of teenagers from all over the world.
Teen Ink accepts not only articles and poetry, but also art, photos, books, novels, and video submissions. To submit your work, view here.
3. Blue Marble Review
Blue Marble Review is an online literary magazine that gives young writers from 13 to 22 years old the opportunity to publish their works. Blue Marble Review is published quarterly online in March, June, September, and December, but you can send in your work anytime during the year.
You can submit personal essays, poems, book reviews, travel adventures, and pieces of artwork. Pleasant fact—hard work is recompensed with a cash reward of $25 per published piece and $75 for cover art. To submit your work, view here.
Writing contests to participate in
1. Ocean Awareness Student Contest
The Ocean Awareness Contest strives to honor writers while bringing attention to climate catastrophe. Visual art, video, music, poetry, prose, and interactive/multimedia compositions are all acceptable. If you like, you can even submit as a club, class, or group. Each category has its own set of requirements, so double-check the website to be sure you aren't rejected by mistake for breaking the criteria.
2. One Teen Story Teen Writing Contest
Aspiring writers ages 13-19 are welcomed to submit their short stories of any genre about the teen experience. The contest winners will receive $500 upon publication and 25 copies of the magazine featuring their work.
3. Young Authors Writing Competition
Having started as a local competition, over time it has grown into a prestigious international competition, recognizable all over the world. You can submit up to two works in each category of Creative Nonfiction and Fiction.
4. 53-Word Story Contest
Writers are put to the test and must reply to a prompt with a 53-word tale, hosted by Prime Number Magazine and Press 53. Each month's prompt is different, and responses must be precisely 53 words long—no more, no less. Only stories, not poetry, are accepted, and each writer is limited to one submission each month.
5. Young Lions Fiction Award
The Young Lions Fiction Award was established in 2001 by the New York Public Library to honor the next generation of fiction writers. Five finalists are announced, with one winning the $10,000 main prize. The author must be 35 years old or younger and submit a novel or a collection of short stories to be considered.
For people of any age, writing a story or poem and sending it out into the world—even to markets focused on opportunities for young writers—can be both daunting and exhilarating. Even if you think you've just written the best narrative ever, keep in mind that many other writers share your sentiments.
When all of those talented authors submit their work to the same publication, the majority of them will be rejected—even if the stories are fantastic. Getting that first publishing credit can require a lot of patience, revising, and dedication, but it's an incredibly satisfying feeling. As a result, don't give up!
