Your Story Starts Here
Literally Literary’s Young Writers Initiative is a submission and publication track built for writers ages 8 to 18. Every great writer started somewhere — we want to be part of where yours begins.
For writers under 16, parental consent will need to be given via email.
What It Is
The Young Writers Initiative is a submission and publication track for young writers ages 8 to 18. It’s not a watered-down version of what we offer everyone else — young writers get the same real editorial review, the same shot at publication, and the same respect for their work that every contributor to Literally Literary receives. No credentials required, no fee to submit, just honest work.
How Your Work Will Be Presented
Accepted pieces are published on Literally Literary’s Medium platform with a full byline, just like our adult contributors. Standout work is also considered for inclusion in our quarterly print magazine, so a young writer’s piece could end up in print and mailed to subscribers alongside established writers.
How to Submit
We accept poetry, short fiction, nonfiction, and personal essays. Send your submission (or have a parent or teacher send it on your behalf) to literallyliterary2.0@gmail.com, and let us know the writer’s age or grade in your message. There’s no submission fee. We take submissions on a rolling basis, so there’s no deadline to wait for — send it whenever it’s ready.
Opportunities
Publication is just the start. Young writers whose work we accept are welcome to keep submitting each reading period, and we’re always glad to hear from writers who want to stay involved as the Young Writers Initiative grows. If that’s you, say so when you submit — we’d love to know.
Why Are Young Writers Important?
Critical Thinking Skills
Young writers develop critical thinking and empathy earlier — writing forces a kid to organize their own thoughts and imagine another person's perspective, which research consistently links to stronger reading comprehension and emotional intelligence down the line.
Documenting History
They're documenting the present from a vantage point adults don't have — a 12-year-old's account of what it's like to grow up right now is a primary source no adult writer can fake or reconstruct later.
Confidence
Early publication builds real confidence and identity, not just as "a good student" but as a writer — having a byline and an audience at 10 or 15 tends to make the identity stick in a way that praise alone doesn't.
Investment in the Future
They're the pipeline for the whole literary ecosystem — the readers, editors, and writers of the next decade are the kids being taken seriously as writers today, so investing in them now is investing in who shows up to your submissions inbox in fifteen years.