I received an email from a Saskatoon teen recently. She wanted to know about contests and scholarships that would help her pursue her passion for writing. Her request got me thinking. And brainstorming. And digging around online for resources for teen writers. Here’s what I came up with:

The thinking part:

• Yearbook, school newspapers and writer’s craft classes give high school students practice and experience.
• The Writers in Electronic Residence program connects schools with professional writers.
• Public libraries or community centres sometimes run youth writing groups.

The online digging:

I found a bunch of magazines that publish youth writing. I can vouch for the value of New Moon and Cicada. The other publications are unfamiliar to me, but it’s been (ahem) a few years since I was a youth.

New Moon http://www.newmoon.com/help/

Eighty percent of New Moon‘s content is written by girls. It’s ad-free and produced online and in print.

Cicada http://www.cicadamag.com/

Cicada is Cricket magazine’s “older sibling.” This US publication offers regular contests for writers.

Teen Ink http://www.teenink.com/

Teen Ink is a US teen magazine, book series, and website devoted entirely to teenage writing, art, photos and forums.

Skipping Stones http://www.skippingstones.org/

Skipping Stones is an ad-free nonprofit literary magazine for youth that encourages communication, cooperation, creativity and celebration of cultural and environmental richness.

Stone Soup http://www.stonesoup.com/

Stone Soup is a bimonthly American magazine made up of stories, poems, book reviews and art by young people through age 13.

The Claremont Review http://theclaremontreview.ca/

The Claremont Review is a Canadian literary magazine that publishes poetry, fiction, drama and art by writers aged 13-19. It comes out twice a year.

Polyphony HS http://www.polyphonyhs.com/

Polyphony HS is a high school literary magazine written, edited and published by high school students. It accepts poetry, fiction and creative non-fiction.

Here are a couple of other resources I found:

http://www.davidbarrkirtley.com/teenwriter/TeenResources.html

http://goteenwriters.blogspot.com/

Suggestions?

Know of any other youth-friendly resources and markets? Please share them.