Although I doubt many junior high and high school students read this blog, many of you are the parents of teens. Some of you may be teachers or friends, mentors, or relatives of aspiring young writers. Please pass on this reminder and give them a chance to win prizes, which include cash, e-book readers, and gift certificates, and have their work published in an anthology of winning entries.
EPIC sponsors an annual writing competition for students in middle school and high school in public, private, or home schools. The contest is open to students anywhere in the world, but entries must be in English. The deadline for New Voices 2008 is less than two weeks away on November 1. (Updated 10/28/07 – Correction: Deadline is November 30.) Young aspiring writers can enter fiction (short stories), poetry, or nonfiction (essays) – even something already written for a class assignment or their own pleasure.
There is no fee to enter, and the anthology e-books are distributed free. Students receive copies of the score sheets from the three judges in the first round of the competition – published authors, editors, and educators. Some teachers have said the feedback, honest critiques of the work with a healthy dose of encouragement, is more valuable than the prizes, and even students who don’t win prizes benefit from the feedback.
I wrote about New Voices when the contest first opened for entries this year. You can download guidelines and entry forms on the EPIC Web site.
If you’re a writer yourself, you can understand what an impact feedback from a published author can make on a young writer. You can imagine the thrill of the winners to see their names and their work published in the anthology of winning entries. So please encourage young writers to enter EPIC New Voices 2008.
Related Posts:
EPIC New Voices 2008 Writing Competition
Young Winners Become Published Authors in EPIC’s Second Annual New Voices Contest
Do You Know Any Aspiring Teen Writers?
A Favorite Project: Calling Young Writers
EPIC New Voices