Dear Hope, I'm excited to be teaching a creative writing class this semester and will utilize your wonderful resources often.  Our first assignment was to write about writing in hopes of having some of the students published in your guest column. Thanks so much, Dalene Parker, Broome High School

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Dear Ma'am Hope, I am Anupreet K., a 17 year old girl from India. It is through the Writing Kid only, that I came to know about Skipping Stones magazine and the Youth Honor Award Program. You would be glad to know that my essay was highly appreciated so much so that it was reprinted by Mix It Up which is a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center's Teaching Tolerance program. It was also reprinted by Youth For Change International (YFCI) .It is your newsletter only which encouraged me to write, and gave me the confidence to participate and submit my work. I don't have enough words to describe my heartfelt gratitude to you and "The Writing Kid" for the kind of impact you have made on my writing talent and my life. You really are the "Hope" for young writers.   ~Yours truly, Anupreet K., India

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Hi Hope, I'm the teenage girl you helped to write a book platform, and I've written an article for WritingKid e-zine. I thought I'd let you know that I'm going to have a short story published soon in Long Story Short (I saw it on your website). Thanks for everything! While I'm not an author yet, who knows? Maybe someday! :-) But the most important thing right now is to get published so I can have a "platform" so publishers will look at my novel. Thanks again for helping me in this area! You are great!  ~Smile! Lydia Rule

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WRITING KID
Volume 9, Issue 12           -       June 14, 2009

****************************************************
 
The zine for future writers today.
 
Publisher/Editor: C. Hope Clark
Mailto:      Hope@FundsforWriters.com

Published biweekly and free for the asking. Spread it around.

TELL YOUR TEACHERS ABOUT WRITING KID!

Find this newsletter online at
www.fundsforwriters.com/writingkid.htm
 
 

****************************************************
WRITING NOTES
****************************************************
Find Your Tribe!
 
By: Mary Jo Campbell

"Whatever you want to do - begin it. Action has magic,
grace and power in it." ~Goethe

So, you finally get up the nerve to share your writing
with someone outside your family circle and the feedback
is amazing. The reader is in awe of your work and wisdom.
Your heart fills with pride and you begin to see yourself
as a "real writer."

Well, what if you could get that feeling and feedback once
a month or once a week, even? You need readers for your
writing but you can't go thrusting your manuscripts at
strangers on the street.

The solution is a writers' group. This is a small tribe
of writers who meet locally at a designated place on a
designated day to share their writing and offer each
other feedback.

Have I piqued your interest? Want to know where to go
to find your writing tribe?

Start locally:
Ask if your school offers a writers' group. See if the
PTA sponsors an after-school program that would benefit
writers.

Check the Junior Room at your public library. This is
where I started the first young writers' workshops last
summer, in Illinois.

Call your park district. Maybe if more than one young
writer is requesting this type of program, they'll begin
to offer it.

Research local bookstores. They have story time for tiny
tots; maybe they offer a gathering of young scribes.

If you strike out finding a group already in session,
become the chief of your own writing tribe.  Here are
some basic rules to follow to assure your group will be
successful:

Decide when, where and how often you will meet, and for
how long.

Determine a mission or purpose for the group: will it be
a gathering to share and critique each other's works? Will
the main goal be publication for each? Will each member be
required to bring in a writing resource to help educate
each other on the writing craft? Or maybe a newsletter or
website to share that lists markets or contests accepting
work from young writers?

Discipline yourselves: on time limits given to each reader,
the criticism allowed, arriving and ending your workshops
on time and snack consumption. One girl had a few too many
granola bars one night; it wasn't pretty.

As your tribe grows in numbers and confidence, you'll see
a stark improvement in your own writing and the ability to
find quality in other's writing as well.

BIO: 
Mary Jo Campbell started her own young writers' tribe in
Downers Grove, IL last summer. Free monthly meetings help
to inspire writers on their journey to publication. She is
teaching a week-long summer writing studio in June. For
more info check out the events page on:
http://writelikecrazy.wordpress.com/

Mary Jo is also a Board Member and Secretary for the
international non-profit group Capitol City Young Writers.
Find out how you can be inspired and taught by professionals
in the industry: http://www.capitolcityyoungwriters.com/

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Always keep writing.

    Hope
 
PS
We cover elementary to college teens. Each week we
carry 12 or so opportunities for all ages. Read each
market closely. Some cover a wide range and others
address a very small age group. Always read the directions!

We need guest articles. Have you considered writing a
guest article for WritingKid? Are you a student, a parent,
a teacher? All are eligible. Just make sure the topic
touches upon writing and runs no more than 500-550 words.
Those under 16 receive the book of their choice. Those
over 16 receive $10-$20, depending on the quality of the
piece, the amount of editing required and the obvious
amount of research. Send any submissions to
hope@fundsforwriters.com and label it SUBMISSION TO
WRITINGKID.

 
*******************************************************

1.
SKIPPING STONES
http://www.skippingstones.org/submissions.htm
---
Skipping Stones readers hail from north, south, east, and
west. From villages to inner cities, youth have something
to say, about their culture, school, religion, environment,
neighborhood... and Skipping Stones provides a forum for
sharing it. Any way you choose to express your dreams and
opinions, Skipping Stones provides a place for writers and
artists of all ages and backgrounds to communicate creatively
and openly.

=====
 
2.
YOUNG WRITERS SOCIETY
http://www.youngwriterssociety.com/submissions.php
---
An online forum for young writers and lots of information
on improving your writing. Post your work, too. Specifically
designed for writers ages 13-25. Registration is free.
 
=====
 
3.
HURSTON/WRIGHT CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP FOR TEENS
http://www.hurstonwright.org/hw_creative_writing_intensive.shtml
---
$10 ENTRY FEE
Deadline June 22, 2009. The Hurston/Wright Creative Writing
Workshop for Teens is targeted to 8th through 12th grade
students interested in writing as a pastime or a career
(rather than those requiring remedial services or those with
advanced skills). This workshop provides new opportunities
for students who are interested in creative writing to develop
their writing and reading skills in a nurturing group setting
that celebrates Black literature. Students in grades 8 through
12 in Prince George's County and Washington, D.C. will be
eligible to participate in this year-long, Creative Writing
Workshop for Teens, regardless of race or ethnic background.
The selection process for the Hurston/Wright Creative Writing
Workshop for Teens is competitive. Submit poetry, plays or
fiction for consideration. Guidelines at website.

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4.
CHATEAU MEDDYBEMPS YOUNG WRITERS WORKSHOP
http://www.meddybemps.com/9.700.html
---
Next time your child asks you to read a story, tell her
that today you want her to tell you a story instead. Use
one of the Young Writers Workshop pages to help her get
started. If your child can't write yet, offer to write
down what she tells you. As she creates the story, you
may have to help her a little the first time or two. If
no one asked her to make up a story before, she may need
to practice this new skill. Before long your child will
be able to make up stories easily. Select from 48 topics
shown online. Click on an image to open a printer-friendly
pdf file.

Submit your child's best work. If we choose it and publish
it online, we'll send him or her a free Chateau Meddybemps
Young Writers Workshop Published Author T-shirt.
 
=====
 
5.
YOUNG WRITERS PROJECT
http://www.youngwritersproject.org/
---
Share your stories, essays, songs in your own voice! Go
online to hear podcasts and see info on how you can do it.
(No equipment necessary.) Advertised as a place for VT
and NH students to practice writing. If you want an
account on this site, you will have to email Geoffrey
Gevalt at this address ggevalt (at) youngwritersproject.org.
They are open at times to students from other locales.

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6.
CHILDREN'S POETRY CONTEST WITH FRENCH THEME
http://www.pnta.org.uk/poetry/
---
£1 ENTRY FEE
Anyone aged 16 or less at the closing date July 31, 2009 -
is eligible to enter.  This is about unity so there are no
restrictions on the poet's nationality, although all poems
must be written in English. We are looking for poems about
any aspect of French life, culture, history, etc. For
example you may decide to write about French cuisine,
chateaux and wines, French Kings or Presidents, the national
football or rugby team, Paris or Cannes, the Arc de Triomphe
or Eiffel Tower, Victor Hugo or Voltaire. 

The winner will receive a cash prize (up to £150 depending
on entry; guaranteed minimum of £40), a two-book hardback
set of poetry 'The Oxford Anthology of Great English Poetry'
and a copy of the Poetry Booklet compiled from the judges'
favourite competition entries.  There is an extra prize for
Under 11s, of £15 and the competition's Poetry Booklet. 
Under 11s are also eligible to win the first prize, but
may not win both.

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7.
NATIVE INSIGHT COMPETITION
http://www.nativeinsight.org/
---
NO ENTRY FEE
We invite all Native individuals or collaborative teams to
submit their 500-1,600 word original written work addressing
one or more of the following questions:
 
1. How can the Native community best participate in the
process of economic renewal? What unique contributions can
we make to help jumpstart the US and international economies?
 
2. Are you confident that economic growth will be restarted
in 2009/2010? Describe your views on how the economic recovery
will take place.
 
3. How must our economy change to fully recover from this
economic crisis? What additional steps do President Obama
and the Congress need to take to make these changes happen?
How can Native Americans step up to help make these necessary
changes and build sustainable economies?

Deadline September 15, 2009. Open to Alaska Natives, Native
Hawaiians and American Indians of all ages. Students are
strongly encouraged to participate. Essays should be comprised
of no less than 500 and no more than 1,600 words. Essays may
be written in your Native language, but must include an
English translation. The authors of the top three Alaska
Native essays and the top three National essays will each
be awarded $10,000 in prize money.

=====
 
8.
VIBE INTERNS
Location New York
http://www.vibe.com/careers/
---
VIBE Media Group is seeking dynamic interns to work within
our various departments. Interns make huge contributions
to the organization and an internship with VIBE will allow
aspiring students to apply classroom skills in a stimulating
real-life workplace. Interns gain insight into the inner
workings of the publishing industry, from editing to
production to advertising and marketing. It's a great chance
to network with and learn from magazine publishing trailblazers.
VIBE Media Group wants individuals who are keen on today's pop
culture. Ideal candidates will be detail oriented, reliable
and must have strong organizational and communication skills,
the ability to multitask, desire to work hard, and be a team
player. This is an opportunity to be a part of VIBE as we
document and make history. To qualify, candidates must be
enrolled in either a two- or four-year college program.

 
=====================================================
Contact WritingKid (the Business Stuff)
=====================================================

FundsforWriters/Writing Kid make no warranty as to the
accuracy of the contests, awards, etc. but we do try to
check them out in advance to the best of our ability.
 
C. Hope Clark
Hope@FundsforWriters.com
http://www.fundsforwriters.com

Copyright 2000-2009, C. Hope Clark

-----------------------------
 
 

NOTE: Want to see more opportunities for your writing? WritingKid carries 12 markets in each free biweekly issue. Sign up here...WritingKid

Hope's Blog!

Not too long with a paying opportunity and a tiny smidge of news and opinion. One of the most concise yet informative blogs for writers on the web. Voted one of Maria Schneider's, editor Writer's Digest, 20/20 Blogs in 2007!