Teens who love to read, write fiction or tell stories sometimes need help to find an outlet for their talent and friends who share their love of the written word.
For parents of the bookish, the North Shore and broader world have a lot of resources; you just have to know where to look.
Chicago-Based Programs
Many nonprofit groups allow teens to submit stories online, but these local organizations also give your teen a chance to meet in person with peer and mentor writers.
Polyphony H.S is a national literary magazine written and edited by high-school students. Originally started by students at the Latin School of Chicago, with assistance from creative writing teacher and managing editor, Billy Lombardo, this publication has grown from 156 submissions in 2005 to 1,618 submissions for the current volume. Along with soliciting writers from 17 countries and almost every state, Polyphony H.S. is unique in that every submission is read and commented on by at least three teen editors, who have been trained in providing positive, thoughtful feedback.
Lombardo writes on the website, “There are countless young poets and writers out there who are looking for some poetic and literary value in their occasions, trying to turn the beautiful and lovely and dark and troubled occasions of their young lives into something that makes sense.”
“The talent among kids my own age and younger is shocking,” says Genre Editor Olivia Scheyer, who attended North Shore Country Day, and will be starting at Tufts University this fall. She notes that her own writing improved as she read and commented on pieces by other teens.
In addition to its literary magazine, Polyphony H.S. offers one- and two-day editor training programs in Evanston, and it’s connected with the Claudia Ann Seaman Awards for Young Writers.
Started in New York, this community for young writers is now offering workshops in the Chicago area. Topics include: creative writing, essay writing and plays.
Home of “Louder Than a Bomb,” the largest youth poetry festival in the world, this Chicago-based group offers free Saturday workshops for underserved youth, but they are open to anyone of any age who is interested in poetry, writing and hip-hop spoken word.
National and Online Publications
These journals don’t offer your teen a chance to meet with peers, but are great resources for a writer who is looking for places to submit or to connect online with other teen writers.
Produced by students at the Walnut Hill School for the Arts in Massachusetts, the magazine solicits pieces by teen writers from around the world.
This online literary journal, started by two teachers, features young adult fiction, essays and poetry. Pieces include adult and teen writers, with author interviews and lots of online reader participation.
For summer programs, and there are many, the online writing community Teen Ink has a comprehensive list as well as participant comments. It’s a great resource if your teen is looking into a local or global summer program.
