Congratulations to our winners!
Thank you to everyone who participated in this competition. The submissions this year centered on such a fantastic variety of topics, from science fiction to philosophy to social issues to Korean futurism--and so many others in between. I'm so happy to present our winners, who as you will read did such a wonderful job on their chosen topics. I'm saddened, as always, that we can't have more categories for achievement, because every submission we received approached its focus with artistry and care. I saw from the scores that the judges had trouble choosing between quite a few of the contenders. I hope everyone who participated will keep writing. There were so many quality voices here and the most important part of being a writer is that you keep writing. Keep building your portfolio. Keep practicing your craft. Keep creating so that you can be heard.
That said and without further ado, I am pleased to announce the winners for this year's teen writing contest:
| Grades 6-8 PROSE | |
|---|---|
| First Place | |
| Second Place | Simon Ropicki - Lincoln Middle School- They Won’t Forget |
| Third Place | Peyton Howell - The Rock School - The Rose Garden |
| Grades 6-8 POETRY | |
|---|---|
| First Place | Jubilee Miser - The Rock School - Words On Fire |
| Second Place | |
| Third Place | Hayden Heidorn - Homeschool - Greatness |
| Grades 9-12 PROSE | |
|---|---|
| First Place | Sylvia Guo - Frazer School - In Memory of Hinata |
| Second Place | Nova Porter - Gainesville High School - The Night Nothing Happened |
| Third Place | |
| Grades 9-12 POETRY | |
|---|---|
| First Place | Callie Gimenez - Homeschool - Waves |
| Second Place | |
| Third Place | James Frank- F W Buchholz High School - Crude Calligraphy |
The winning entries will be accessible to read here within the next few days.
One last thank you to all our judges, and to all the talented teens who participated this year.
For any questions or concerns, please contact us at ysref@aclib.us, or call at 352-334-3941.
Other resources for writers
- NaNoWriMo doesn't need to be restricted to November. NaNoWriMo's official website includes a number of great resources, including a pre-November prep program, pep talks from famous authors, and a Young Writers Program. NaNoWriMo even runs Camp NaNoWrimo, a chance to try a version of NaNoWriMo customized to the writer's personal goals, in April and July.
- Be sure to check out the most recent editions of The Writer's Market and The Poet's Market. This series publishes new installments every year (it's important to use the most recent as the information becomes out of date often), and includes up-to-date listings of publications, editors, magazines, contests, awards, and literary agents, along with articles that describe how to find, manage, and promote an author's work.