Young Writers’ Resources

6
May
2011

Recently I ran a Show Don’t Tell Creative Writing workshop for a fabulous group of year nine elective students. I was thrilled to see them blossom from shy at sharing and writing to becoming fully engaged and those pens flew across their notebooks.

I promised to check out some writing resources for the group, and thought once I put the listing together that maybe some other keen young writers might chance upon it if I put the information and links up on my blog.

As I Google my way around, I marvel at how many opportunities are out there for all writers. Just a search away. Entering competitions and writing for anthologies, magazines (online and print) can offer great income generating and publication potential. All contribute to our writing credibility and publication credits.

[For up-to-date listings please visit my Young Writers’ Resource page at  http://christinemareebell.wordpress.com/young-writers-resources]

Resources:

Express Media (“provides support and opportunities for young people in writing and media”) http://www.expressmedia.org.au

Fellowship of Australian Writers (FAW) look at their national literary awards link below– several sections for young writers http://www.writers.asn.au

Australian Writers’ Centres full listing of Australian state and various writing centres on the Australian Society of Authors website http://www.asauthors.org/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=ASP0016/ccms.r?PageId=10041

The Australian Writers’ Marketplace 2011 – Writers resource listing competitions, awards, prizes and markets accepting submissions, i.e. publishers, newspapers, magazines. (available via online subscription or print version, also available through your local writers’ centres.) http://www.awmonline.com.au – perhaps request your school library to invest in a subscription or hardcopy.

National Young Writers’ Month. Monday 1 – Thursday 30 June: For young writers under 25. Set a goal and reach it with the support of the National Young Writers’ Month community. Check out forums, blogs, exercises, interviews and articles giving you the tools at www.expressmedia.org.au/nywm/?page_id=2.

Competitions:
John Marsden Prize for Young Australian Writers 2011: Entries open 1 May 2011 (check website for details http://www.expressmedia.org.au/index.php/prizes-grants-money-for-writers/the-john-marsden-prize-for-young-australian-writers/

Fellowship of Australian Writers National Literary Awards (FAW) offer several sections for young writers http://www.writers.asn.au/index.php?page=fawawards

National Young Writers Festival (competition submissions closed for 2011, but check out website for festival program coming soon.) http://www.youngwritersfestival.org

Dorothea MacKellar Poetry Awards http://www.dorothea.com.au Entries are accepted from Tuesday 1st March to Thursday 30 June 2011 – Secondary and Primary school categories.

CYA Conference Hatchlings (conference for young writers 8 – 18y/o) http://www.cyaconference.com

Writing Contest! Open to anyone currently attending an Australian school. Entries close 30 June 2011.
Write a response (poem, story, song, dialogue or description) to one of the three pictures on the website. http://www.affordablemanuscriptassessments.com/contest.htm

Australian Poetry Centre (comprehensive listing of poetry competitions, prizes and awards) http://www.australianpoetrycentre.org.au/?page_id=105

2011 FAW Hilarie Lindsay Young Writers Short Story Competition for School students. Closing date 31 August 2011 (click link for conditions and entry form) http://www.fawnsw.org.au/News/competitions.htm
Section 1 Years 10,11 and 12 Up to 2500 words Prize $200
Section 2 Years 7,8 & 9 Up to 2500 words Prize $180
Section 3 Years 5 & 6 Up to 1500 words Prize $160
Section 4 Years 4 and under Up to 1500 words Prize $60

OzKids in Print Awards – primary and secondary students can submit their poems and/or stories for publication online. Shortlisted submissions will be printed in OzKids magazine and considered for the annual award. Check the website for full details. http://www.ozkidz.com.au/08view.php?id=10

Write Across Victoria: This competition is open to all Victorian secondary students in years 7, 8 and 9. Entries close at 5pm on Friday 29 July 2011. http://www.mwf.com.au/2011/?name=school-write-across-victoria-competition

The Age MS Readathon Ultimate Story: is a writing competition for Australian students from prep to year 11. Write the concluding chapter of a story. http://education.theage.com.au/cmspage.php?intid=279&intversion=1

Wordfest 2011 Short Story Competition: Open to all members of the Monash Community over the age of 12. Category A: 12 to 14 years, Category B: 15 to 17 years. Visit website for details: http://www.monlib.vic.gov.au/wordfest2011/wordfest2.html

Write Now! Short Story
Competition: Junior 8 – 11 years, 500 words or less. First
prize $50.00, second prize $25.00, and book prizes.Young Adult
12 – 17 years, 1500 words or less. First prize $70.00, second prize
$40.00, and book prizes. Open to Victorian entrants. Closing date for entries is
Friday 30 September. http://www.yprl.vic.gov.au/front-page-news/write-now-short-story-competition

Writing Publication Opportunities:
Voiceworks Magazine (under 25s) Submission Guidelines http://www.expressmedia.org.au/voiceworks/index.php/submissions

Alphabet Soup Magazine – Children’s writing by Under 12s http://www.alphabetsoup.net.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6&Itemid=4

Websites:
Inside a Dog (Home of YA readers) http://www.insideadog.com.au

Dee White’s Deescribe Writing Blog – lots of writing advice, info and Tuesday Writing Tips http://deescribewriting.wordpress.com/want-to-be-a-writer

Steph Bowe’s Hey Teenager of the Year blog – http://heyteenager.blogspot.com

Teaching Authors – website with a comprehensive range of markets for young writers http://www.teachingauthors.com/p/for-young-writers.html

(Please note: These links, opportunities, and organisations are listed as resources without endorsement by the author.)

Updated 7 June 2011