Congratulations to our Voice & Verse Contest Winners! 

POETRY (7th through 9th grades)

FIRST PLACE: “The Deprivation of Rosemary” by Kelly O’Toole (Manasquan, N.J.)

SECOND PLACE: “The Lady of Shalott” by Rowan Martin (Little Silver, N.J.)

THIRD PLACE: “Intoxication” by Kayla Sarcomo (Red Bank, N.J.)

POETRY (10th through 12 grades)

FIRST PLACE: “Lily of the Valley” by Gabrielle Jamieson (Bradley Beach, N.J.)

SECOND PLACE: “[untitled]” by Nandini R. Maharana (Delhi, India)

THIRD PLACE: “Simmered Voices” by Jean Enelus (Asbury Park, N.J.)

PROSE (7th through 9th grades)

FIRST PLACE: “Good Morning” by Claire Cooperman (Bradley Beach, N.J.)

SECOND PLACE: “Evanora’s Flower” by Sophia R. Skinner (Middletown, N.Y.)

THIRD PLACE: “Don’t Say Goodbye” by Lila Coen (Madison, Wisconsin)

PROSE (10th through 12th grades)

FIRST PLACE: “If Only You Could Trust Him” by Afreen Shanavas (India)

SECOND PLACE: “the art of us” by Melody Melendez (Los Angeles, California)

THIRD PLACE: “Mystery of the Elderly Poet” by Maguiber Cifuentes (Asbury Park, N.J.)

Come hear their winning pieces during our PWN Teen Lit Fest Open Mic on Sunday, April 25 starting at 7 p.m. (on Zoom). Grab your ticket today!

writing contest

Our editors yearn to see something different, to learn from a piece of work, or to discover a new point of view. We are looking for young, honest voices daring enough to share those stories. How can a poem reveal an observation, emotion, or experience in a new or unique way? How can a story change a reader’s way of thinking? We want stories that open our minds to new possibilities.

CATEGORIES
Poetry – 7th through 9th grade
Poetry – 10th through 12th grade
Prose – 7th through 9th grade
Prose – 10th through 12th grade

GUIDELINES
Poetry: up to 200 lines
Prose: up to 3,000 words
Include your name, age, grade, and location in the email ONLY. In your subject line, please put the category (poetry or prose) and the title of your piece.
In your submission, please only put the title at the top. (If your piece is untitled, insert [Untitled] instead.) DO NOT put your name on the document.
Submissions should be in Times New Roman 12-point font and attached as a .docx or .doc. Prose submissions should be double-spaced.

ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS: March 2 – April 2*, 2021 (11:59 p.m. ET)

*DEADLINE EXTENDED TO APRIL 9 (11:59 p.m. ET)!

Submit to pwnteen@projectwritenow.org. 

There will be a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winner for both poetry and prose for submissions from students in grades 7th through 9th and grades 10th through 12th.
Winners will be announced on Facebook & Instagram April 17, 2021. (We will also notify winners via email.)

Winners receive:

• Personalized feedback on your work from one of our editors
• Publication in our online teen literary magazine, Bridge Ink
• The opportunity to read at PWN Teen Lit Fest on Sunday, April 25, 2021 
• Free admission to PWN Teen Lit Fest
• Monetary prizes