Literary Magazines for Young Writers to Submit

As I caress the page softly, the words meet my imagination in dappling shades of yellow and pink. The winds sweeping our thoughts into stories, magical prose it is. I have been writing for as long as I can remember and I have been storytelling for even longer. Before I had read my first book, I laid under the covers of my bed, and I was immersed in stories even then. Ere long, words created worlds and realms for me. I would be whispering stories but it was mostly a creative activity for my mind, for I always had imagination and wonder. I could not spell many words, and yet stories were still invented through my presence. Soon enough, I had started putting words to paper with my blue pen. Mind you, it was a pen I treasured for years and it took a great deal of imagination to create endearing characters and vivid worlds through all I had experienced then. There were worlds of MAC lipstick, animal descriptions, and flower fairies in my earliest stories. At some point, young writers begin to submit their work to publications. When they don't have a novel ready, they know that short stories and poems are just as worthy of being submitted. After all, a story can linger in the minds of readers for a few perpetual moments. As young writers, they shall explore all the magazines they can find in their journey. I must now allow a list to be compiled. A list of literary magazines for young writers particularly in their teenage years. If you are not yet a teenager, I advise you to keep writing and discover your voice before any publication. I have been published in some of the magazines listed below. 

Reputed Magazines for Teen Writers:

Teen Ink:

Teen Ink is a literary magazine and community for teenagers to submit their writing or visual art. Anyone between the age of thirteen to nineteen can submit their work to this magazine and there are also several online forums. Exceptional work is published in the editors' choice section of the magazine as well as the print magazine. 

Parallax Journal:

Parallax Literary Journal is edited by students of the Creative Writing department of Idyllwild Arts Academy, a boarding arts high school. Parallax accepts poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and dramatic writing from high school students all over the world. Parallax began in 1997 as a magazine to represent the best writing of Idyllwild's students. However, Parallax Online was formed in 2011 for high school writers in any part of the world to submit their work for publication. Each year, the Parallax Award is given to a few writers with distinct talents in writing. Kim Henderson is the chair of the Creative Writing Department. There is a Fiction and Poetry Scholarship Contest every year where two winners and a few finalists are selected. The first-place winner will receive a $25,000 scholarship to attend Idyllwild Arts Academy as a Creative Writing major. Although work is often rejected, consistency has proven an ultimate publication. 

Scholastic Art and Writing Awards:

The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards are a prestigious awards ceremony with notable alumni such as Jennifer A. Neilson, Stephen King, Joyce Carol Oates, Sylvia Plath, Truman Capote, among others. This program has been promoting the voices and stories of young artists and writers for nearly a century. Scholastic publishes an anthology every year titled The Best Teen Writing. Award recipients achieving the highest honors at the regional level are awarded a Gold Key and are considered for national judging. Scholastic is open for submission for the awards starting in September with a deadline in early December. 

The Adroit Journal: 

The Adroit Journal accepts poetry and prose from emerging and established writers with an interest in work with a strong voice and peculiar beauty. This magazine considers work from both teenagers and adults. 

One Teen Story:

One Teen Story selects three short stories from teenage writers each year. They are looking for a well-developed fiction story with teenage characters. 

Rattle Magazine Young Poets Anthology: 

Rattle Magazine encourages fresh poetry from children that are fifteen or younger. All forms of poetry are welcome and they enjoy reading a poem with metaphors, vivid details, and a creative writing style. Rattle Anthology selects twenty poems every year after carefully reading each submission.