The Queens Young Authors & Poets 2018 contest welcomes poetry and fiction submissions from young writers in grades 3 through 12. The contest is open to all students who live or attend school—public or private—in the borough of Queens, including students who are homeschooled.

 

We are accepting submissions beginning September 15, 2017 and concluding March 29, 2018. Contestants can submit their entries online, via the easy-to-use Queens Young Authors & Poets submission form.

 

Queens-based writers will review and judge all entries. Winners will be announced May 2018

 

CONTEST CATEGORIES

Queens Young Authors & Poets accepts submissions of fiction and poetry in three age groupings:

3rd, 4th, and 5th Grades

6th, 7th, and 8th Grades

9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th Grades

 

There is no entry fee, but we request that contestants limit themselves to one entry, in one of the two following categories

Fiction Category

Each contestant may submit one story, on any topic, with a limit of 5,000 words.

Poetry Category

Each contestant may submit a poem with no word limit.

 

PRIZES

Prizes will be offered for winners in each age grouping for each category.

1st Place: Print publication in the Spring/Summer 2018 issue of Newtown Literary, Certificate of Achievement at the QYAP 2018 awards ceremony

2nd Place, 3rd Place, and Honorable Mention: Certificate of Achievement at the QYAP 2018 awards ceremony.

All winners will be invited to read their work at the Queens Young Authors & Poets awards ceremony to be held in June 2018 at a time and place (in Queens) to be announced.

 

FREE WRITING CLASSES

In partnership with Queens Library, and with funds provided by New York City Council Members Daniel Dromm and Elizabeth Crowley, Newtown Literary Alliance is providing free writing classes for kids and adults. Show up for one of our classes to get free inspiration, instruction, and help with your writing—then enter the contest! (Coming to the classes is not a requirement to enter the contest, nor does it give an entrant a leg up.) For information on our classes, visit the Kids & Teens Classes page.

 

ENTER THE CONTEST

The contest opens on September 15, 2017 and closes at 11:59 p.m. on March 29, 2018.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For further information, please send an email to editor@newtownliterary.org.