Attention Young Writers

Ready to submit that wonderful piece you've been working on? Get ready to showcase your talents and submit your work to one of the various markets available to young writers.

Is it your first time submitting a manuscript? Do you want some help doing so? Here's some tips: *If Gail wrote them, you know they'll be good!

Check out some of the amazing opportunities listed below.

jGirls Magazine 

jGirls Magazine accepts submissions on an ongoing basis from self-identifying Jewish teenage girls ages 13-19. You can submit articles, essays, fiction, poetry, cultural reviews, humor, photographs, music, videos, artwork and other creative materials. You can submit as often as you’d like.

Find out more!

CBC First Page Contest

The First Page is a national writing competition for Grades 7 to 12 students in Canada. Students are invited to write the first page of a novel, imagining how present-day issues and trends have played out 150 years in the future.

The 2024 challenge will be open for submissions starting in February 2024! 

Find out more!

And we recommend you scroll to the bottom of their page and sign up for their CBC Books Student Writing Challenges newsletter.

KidSpirit Online

KidSpirit Online is a free teen magazine and website for kids that empowers youth everywhere to tackle life’s big questions. KidSpirit provides a creative internet publishing outlet for teens around the globe to share original essays, poetry and artwork. 

Find out more!  

Stone Soup

Founded in 1973, Stone Soup—once called “The New Yorker of the 8 to 13 set” (Ms Magazine)—is the nonprofit literary magazine 100% written and illustrated by kids. They publish a bimonthly print magazine of poetry, fiction, essays, and artwork as well as a blog that includes book reviews, a poetry podcast, travelogues, and responses to current events—all by kids under 14. They also run an annual book contest, and have a growing catalog of novels and poetry collections by young writers. 

Find out more!

The Walrus & Amazon's First Novel Youth Short Story Contest

Established in 1976, the First Novel Award program has launched the careers of some of Canada’s most beloved novelists. Previous winners include Michael Ondaatje, Joan Barfoot, Joy Kogawa, W. P. Kinsella, Nino Ricci, Rohinton Mistry, Michael Redhill, Mona Awad, Katherena Vermette, Casey Plett, Michelle Good, and last year’s winner, Jasmine Sealy.

The winner of the Adult Novel Category will receive $60,000, and the five finalists will each receive $6,000 in prize money. The Youth Short Story Category invites authors between the ages of thirteen and seventeen to submit a short story under 3,000 words. The winner in this category will receive $5,000 and the five finalists will each receive $500.

The Youth Short Story Category invites authors between the ages of thirteen and seventeen to submit a short story under 3,000 words. The winner in this category will receive $5,000 and the five finalists will each receive $500. Submissions for the Youth Short Story Category must be submitted no later than 5:00 p.m. (EST) on February 4, 2024.

Find out more!

Jessamy Stursberg Poetry Prize for Canadian Youth

The  Jessamy Stursberg Poetry Prize for Canadian Youth was established to foster a lifelong relationship between Canadian youth and the literary arts, specifically poetry. The prize is supported through a generous donation from the Stursberg family and other donors in honour of Jessamy Stursberg.

The prize accepts submissions from young poets all across Canada, with three cash prizes awarded in both the Junior (grades 7 to 9) and Senior (grades 10 to 12) categories.

This prize is open for submissions between September 15 and April 30. Click HERE and scroll down to the Jessamy Stursburg prize for more information on how to submit!

New Moon Girls

New Moon Girls portrays girls and women as powerful, active and in charge of their own lives - not as passive beings who are acted upon by others. New Moon Girls celebrates girls and their accomplishments—we support girls' efforts to hold onto their voices, strengths and dreams as they move from being girls to becoming women.

General Guidelines: All material should be pro-girl and focus on girls, women, or female issues. New Moon Girls was created by girls and women for girls who want their voices heard and their dreams taken seriously. It is edited by and for girls ages 8 and up.

Find out more!

Please read a copy of New Moon Girls to understand the style and philosophy of the magazine. http://newmoongirls.com/

Ink Movement Edmonton

Ink Movement is Canadian youth-led nonprofit organization. They encourage youth to express what's on their minds. They publish magazines/books of youth poetry, prose and photography.

2024 Anthology Submissions Are Open!
This year, our theme is Parallels and Paradox! We’re looking forward to seeing you puzzle through unnamable contradictions! This anthology is open to anyone living in Edmonton or surrounding areas between the ages of 14-25 to submit.

Find out more!

Martyn Godfrey Young Writers Award

This is an annual, juried short story contest open to all Albertan students in grades 4 through 9. Entries can be sent in from December 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024.

Three fabulous writers from each grade will be selected to win a collection of books, a certificate, and a place in the Winners’ Circle: an exclusive, online writing workshop with a professionally published author.

Find out more!