Writing can be a rewarding experience in itself, but for some of us there’s nothing to compare with seeing your work in print or on the computer screen. Sooner or later, a lot of adults who enjoy sharing children’s books with their kids or making up stories for their little ones at bedtime start to think about creating a book of their own. And budding young writers dream of the day they can share their work with the world.Well, thanks to Web sites devoted to writing by and for children, this is one dream that’s NOT impossible to achieve. Here’s a look at where to go for help in getting published, whether you’re a kid or a grownup.
Stone Soup is a print magazine made up entirely of work by children 8- to 13-years-old from all over the world. Submissions must be made by snail mail, but contributors do get paid: $40 for stories, poems and book reviews and $25 per illustration. Their Web site features hundreds of pieces by their contributors. There’s even an audio page where you can hear young authors reading their own work. Stone Soup gets 250 submissions a week, so they can’t use everything they receive, but if you’re serious and have a sense of adventure it’s worth taking a chance. Click on “Send Work” at the bottom of the page for details.
The Teen Ink Web site for 13- to 19-year-olds has more than 16,000 pages of student writing, and its monthly print magazine, by teens for teens, is sent out to English, creative writing, journalism and art classrooms around the country. Nonfiction categories include sports, opinion, community service, travel, environment, health, heroes, cars, jobs and money, reviews of books, movies, music, colleges, TV, Web sites and video games. They also publish college essays, articles, interviews, poetry and fiction as well as art and photos. Contributors receive a free copy of the magazine, and a Teen Ink pen and Post-It pad.
The Write Source, a textbook company, uses samples of the type of writing kids do in school — essays, reports, research papers and test answers — sent in by kids in both its books and its Web site. Their site says they’re looking for good writing from first graders through
high school students. Writers whose work is used receive a $50 savings bond and five copies of the book their piece appears in. Suggested topics and helpful hints for writing are available on their site.
Writers' Window, a site for writers from 5 to 18 from
your stories even better.
Kids’ writing contests are another way to see your work published and are easy to find on Google or other search engines. For instance, Writer’s Digest, a magazine widely read by hopefuls and professionals alike, has a monthly writing contest just for kids 13 and under.
Winners get a certificate of achievement, a copy of the latest issue and a gift certificate to Barnes & Noble bookstore. Entrants have to come up with a creative response, in 75 words or less, to situations such as November’s assignment to describe the world’s worst haircut. And children of South Asian descent ages 6 to 11 living in
story on any theme using the three words “cousin,” “river” and “turmeric.” (Yum!) This year’s deadline is Dec. 17, and Sangeeta Mehta, an editor at Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, will judge the stories.
A caution: while Links pages and sources like the Internet Public Library and Eduscapes are usually a good way to find sites, many of the kids’ writing sites I tried were out of date and may not be taking new work. So you may want to try using the contact page to get some confirmation they’re still in business before you submit your work. And as always, get adult approval before sending any personal information over the Internet.
On the other hand, grownups thinking about writing children’s books and stories have seemingly endless options. Children's book editor Harold Underdown’s popular and informative Web site The Purple Crayon is full of useful articles about the business. Children’s book author
Verla Kay offers chat rooms and message boards for writers and illustrators to share information, help each other, and have fun, while learning the business of writing and illustrating for children.
Children's Writer's Marketplace is a regularly-updated list of publications looking for contributors, compiled by Margaret Shauers. It has free articles too. Writing World has a section on children’s writing with articles on interesting topics such as multicultural fiction and handling controversial subjects. And the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, a network for writers, illustrators and others involved with literature for young people, has information on its site about its regional conferences, newsletter, and many publications.
Take it from a professional: Getting published is simply a matter of honing your craft and sticking with it. If you don’t make it the first time, don’t give up! There’s always another Web site or magazine to try — and there’s probably an editor out there just waiting for what you have to offer.
Family Online Picks:
Stone Soup www.stonesoup.com
Teen Ink http://teenink.com/
The Write Source http://www.thewritesource.com/publish.htm
Writers' Window http://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/writers/home.html
Writer’s Digest http://www.writersdigest.com/contests/?goto=closead
Kahani http://www.kahani.com/contest.php
The Internet Public Library
http://www.ipl.org/div/kidspace/browse/rzn8000/
Eduscapes http://eduscapes.com/tap/topic113.htm#1
The Purple Crayon http://www.underdown.org/
Verla Kay http://www.verlakay.com/
Children's Writer's Marketplace http://www.write4kids.com/wmarket/
Writing World http://www.writing-world.com/
The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators
