Writing Contests For Teens

CAUTION: While reading and entry fees are required for many contests for adult/mature writers, Young writers should NEVER be asked to pay a submission fee, entry fee, publication fee, or any kind of fee at all. If you encounter a listing requesting “pay-to-publish” navigate away from it immediately and discuss the situation with a trusted adult. Young writers are also welcome to forward the listing in question to [email protected] for assistance. We’ll do our best to help.

 Bluefire $1,000 for 1,000 Words Writing Contest
 Deadline: Feb 1
 Entry fee: N/A
 Cash prize: $1,000
 Website: Bluefire

 Cancer Unwrapped Writing Contest
 Deadline: March 1
 Entry fee: N/A
 Cash prize: $1,000
 Website: Cancer Pathways

 Holocaust Art and Writing Contest
 Deadline: Feb 5
 Entry fee: N/A
 Cash prize: $400
 Website: Chapman University

 Narrative High School Writing Contest
 Deadline: Feb 6
 Entry fee: N/A
 Cash prize: $250
 Website: Narrative

 NCTEAchievement Awards in Writing for High School Juniors
 Deadline: Feb 15
 Entry fee: N/A
Cash prize: ?
 Website: National Council of Teachers of English

 NCTEPromising Young Writers for 8th Graders
 Deadline: Feb 15
 Entry fee: N/A
 Cash prize: ?
 Website: National Council of Teachers of English

 Ringling College Storytellers of Tomorrow
 Deadline: Jan 15
 Entry fee: N/A
 Cash prize: $500
 Website: Ringling College

 River of Words
 Deadline: Jan 31
 Entry fee: N/A
 Cash prize: ?
 Website: Saint Mary’s College of California

 Sejong Writing Competition
 Deadline: Feb 28
 Entry fee: N/A
 Cash prize: $500
 Website: The Sejong Cultural Society