Publishing Opportunities for Youth
Tiger Leaping Review
Tiger Leaping Review curates individual pieces from international writers to honor and shine a unique light on underrepresented voices. Starting in the summer of 2023, Tiger Leaping Review remains a safe space for writers to share their emotions through soulful poetry. Our mission is to demonstrate that every story is multi-faceted, that writing is art, and that thought is fickle, but poetry is infinite.
Click to submit: https://tigerleapingreviews.com/submit-1
BALLOONS Lit Journal
BLJ is a young-reader-oriented literary journal that is freely accessible both online and as a fully-edited, ready-to-print PDF version (downloadable for every issue). It is an independent, biannual journal which publishes poetry, fiction and art/photography primarily for readers from around 12+. BLJ welcomes submissions from people anywhere in the world and in all walks of life.
The Caterpillar
The Caterpillar accepts work written for children ‒ it is a magazine of poems, stories and art for kid readers (between 7 and 11”ish”), and appears four times a year in March, June, September and December.
http://www.thecaterpillarmagazine.com/a1-page.asp?ID=4150&page=12
Élan
The Élan is an international student literary magazine which accepts original fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, screen writing, plays and visual art from high school students. They seek “original, innovative, creative and nuanced work from around the world.”
Ember
Ember is a semiannual journal of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction for all age groups. Submissions for and by readers aged 10 to 18 are strongly encouraged.
fingers comma toes
fingers comma toes is an online journal publication for children and adults. They publish two issues a year, in January and August. Submissions for the January issue are typically open from October to December, and submissions for the August issue are typically open from May to July.
Magic Dragon
A children’s magazine which encourages submissions from young artists in both writing and visual arts - for young readers, accepting submissions from children up to 12 years old.
Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest
From Hollins University, a contest which provides scholarships, prizes, and recognition -- including publication in Cargoes, Hollins’ student literary magazine -- for the best poems submitted by high-school aged women.
Native Youth Magazine
Native Youth Magazine is an online resource for those of Native American descent. Each issue of Native Youth focuses on an aspect of Native American history, fashion, events, culture, and experience.
New Moon Girls Magazine
An online, ad-free magazine and community forum, by girls and for girls. Each issue contains a theme oriented toward girls’ thoughts, opinions, experiences, current issues, and more.
https://newmoongirls.com/free-digital-new-moon-girls-magazine/
Pandemonium
An online, global literary magazine for young adults, encouraging writers to submit work that’s “bubbling with vitality and filled with experience.” They currently accept submissions in poetry, short stories, and illustration.
The Patricia Grodd Poetry Prize for Young Writers
The contest winner receives a full scholarship to the Kenyon Review Young Writers workshop, and the winning poems are published in the Kenyon Review, one of the country’s most widely read literary magazines. Submissions are accepted electronically November 1st through November 30th, every year.
Polyphony Lit
A global online literary magazine for high school writers and editors, accepting submissions for poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction works.
Rattle Young Poets Anthology
The Anthology is available in print, and all of the accepted poems appear as daily content on Rattle’s website on Saturdays throughout the year. Every contributing poet receives two free print copies of the Anthology -- poems may be submitted by the poet, or by a parent/legal guardian, or a teacher.
https://rattle.submittable.com/submit/34387/young-poets-anthology
The River of Words Annual Poetry Contest
A youth contest from Saint Mary’s College of California for poetry and visual art -- co-founded by former US Poet Laureate Robert Hass and writer Pamela Michael -- which is open to submissions in English, Spanish, and ASL.
https://www.stmarys-ca.edu/center-for-environmental-literacy/rules-and-guidelines
Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
The Scholastic Awards look for work that demonstrates "originality, technical skill, and the emergence of a personal voice or vision." They accept submissions in a wealth of categories for the visual arts and writing -- including everything from poetry to journalism.
Skipping Stones Magazine
Skipping Stones is an international magazine which publishes poetry, stories, letters, essays, and art. They encourage writers to share their ideas, beliefs, and experiences within their culture or country. In addition to regular submissions, Skipping Stones also holds intermittent contests.
Stone Soup
A literary magazine for and by kids which publishes stories on all subjects (such as dance, sports, problems at school, problems at home, magical places, etc.), and in all genres -- “there is no limit to the subject matter.”
http://stonesoup.com/how-to-submit-writing-and-art-to-stone-soup/
Sugar Rascals
An online, bi-annual, teen literary magazine which encourages submissions in poetry, fiction, non-fiction, and art. Sugar Rascals is also open to mixed-media or hybrid submissions.
Teen Ink
A magazine devoted entirely to teenage writing, art, photos, and forums, accepting submissions in poetry, fiction, non-fiction, and the visual arts, as well as holding various contests.
Telling Room
Students can submit their work to the Telling Room’s online publication Stories, which publishes writing for essays, fiction, non-fiction, multimedia, and poetry.
Truant Lit
A new online literary magazine for young writers, accepting submissions in poetry, fiction, essays, short dramatic works, excerpts from longer works, and experimental/hybrid work.
Write the World
Each month, Write the World holds a new competition, developed around a specific idea or genre of writing, such as poetry, fantasy, sports journalism, or flash fiction. Additionally, young writers can respond regularly to prompts, which are then reviewed and selected for Write the World’s online literary journal.
Writing Zone Magazine
Writing Zone accepts submissions for works of poetry and short fiction. They encourage character-driven short fiction and poetry that has an inspirational message in overcoming challenges.
Young Poets
Young Poets is an online collection of children’s poetry -- they also accept submissions for works of short fiction and visual arts.
Young Writers Project
YWP is an online community and forum, where students can post their work for an opportunity to be featured on the site and/or published in the Anthology or digital magazine, The Voice. While YWP is primarily for teens, writers under 13 are welcome (with parental permission).
Zizzle Lit
An anthology for short stories, accepting submissions year-round. Zizzle encourages short fictions that may “surprise, move, and amuse both young and older imaginative minds.”