Opportunities. Resources. Community Events.

Opportunities. Resources. Community Events.

We encourage you to do your own research to see if these opportunities align with your goals.

Get Published!

  • Acquired Tastes Anthology — Roxanne Gay is putting together an anthology celebrating unlikeable characters. She’s looking for short fiction or essays, from young adults, ages 15-21. All submissions must be received by 11:59pm (PST) on February 2nd, 2026. For more information and to submit, click here.

  • San Gabriel Valley Phoenix Poets Anthology is currently accepting submissions. The anthology is open to all writers. In addition, any writer who submits to the anthology and was a middle school, high school, community college, or university (undergraduate or graduate) student in the area directly or indirectly impacted by the Eaton Fire will be considered for one of three scholarships: $1,000 for first place, $700 for second place, and $300 for third place. The submission deadline is April 1, 2026. For more information and to submit, click here.

  • Accessible Science is a teen-run scientific research journal seeking writers, editors, and articles that explain STEM related topics in a way that is easy for teens and pre-teens to understand. Multiple submissions welcome and encouraged! Email accessiblescience2020@gmail.com!

  • The GOAT is a student-run sports publication seeking writers who love sports and are looking for a platform to publish their work. Visit their website, the-goat.org, to read pieces about sports by other students! No work is rejected, and multiple submissions are welcomed and encouraged! Send your pieces to yniu25@andover.edu.

  • Auroras & Blossoms is accepting admissions for various types of arts to be included in their anthologies. Learn more about submitting your work here.

  • WriteGirl mentee Je'Kayla Crawford has created their own online+print magazine focusing on Entertainment News called New Scene Magazine. The magazine features entertainment news, reviews and interviews. To learn more, email Je’Kayla at jekayla.journalist@gmail.com.

  • Germ Magazine — Germ is a magazine for girls, high school and beyond, that celebrates beginnings, futures and all the amazing and agonizing moments in-between. Read more about the magazine and how to submit here.

  • crwnmag — crwnmag is on a mission to be the most beautiful and honest representation of Black women in the history of modern print. If you're an exceptional writer with style and a point of view, they want to hear from you! Read their guidelines and submit here.

  • Wayfarer Art and Literary Journal — Wayfarer Art and Literary Journal showcases exceptional literary talent and also offers a unique opportunity for select works to be professionally produced into audiodramas. This blend of literature and performance art allows them to present stories in an innovative format, enhancing the reach and impact of the writers they highlight. For more information, click here.

  • Pretty Pretty Press is an independent news and literary organization run by a group of creative teenage girls in the San Fernando Valley. They’re currently looking for pieces that revolve around how feminism interacts with your daily life and/or community, and are around 850 words or less. The writer with the best submission, which is graded by content, ideas, creativity, style, voice, language, and organization, will win a one-on-one meeting with a mentor! The submissions are rolling and you will be responded to within a week. To submit to their literary magazine, click here. If you have any questions, you can reach Fallon at f40964@student.ghctk12.com or at the Pretty Pretty Press Instagram account (@prettyprettypress). On their Instagram account, you can also find generative prompts that may guide your pieces.

Tell Your Story

Tell your story on a national podcast! – Public Radio Exchange (distributors of shows like TED Talks Daily, This American Life and The Moth) is seeking young storytellers (ages 10-25) for their new podcast Ooh You’re in Trouble. Do you have a story about breaking rules – whether you were fighting an injustice, stirring up mischief, or something else? Learn more and submit your story here! 

Write A Short Period Piece (About Periods) Calling all activists: Period poverty still exists because of society’s archaic beliefs and behaviors. It’s something that should be straight out of a period piece drama instead of a news segment in 2024. PERIOD (@periodmovement on TikTok and IG) is a youth-fueled movement that believes menstruators’ rights are human rights. The nonprofit is looking for people to write and/or perform their own #PeriodPiecePSA. Check out the hashtag and toolkit below to create your own and help make period poverty a thing of the past. Click here. Contact HiKristiLira@gmail.com with any questions.

Scholarships

  • Sallie has a monthly $2,000 No Essay Scholarship Contest to help students pay for their college journeys. Upcoming deadlines are: December 31, 2025 and January 31, 2026. For more information and to apply, click here.

  • The Valley Silhouettes are now accepting applications for their Renaissance Woman Scholarship. The scholarship is for African-American or Black female students who meet the stated criteria.  The submission deadline is April 15, 2026. For more information, click here.

Contests

  • The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are accepting art and writing submissions until early December (Dec. 2nd deadline for the Los Angeles region. Other regions have different deadlines). Submitted work will have the chance to be selected for exhibition, publication, scholarships and more! This is open to teens ages 13 and up, in grades 7-12 in the U.S and Canada. For more information, click here.

  • CRAFT 2025 Memoir Excerpt & Essay Contest is looking for your best longform creative nonfiction, from 1,001 to 6,000 words total. Excerpts from book-length projects and stand-alone essays will both be considered. This year’s guest judge is none other than Roxane Gay! The submission deadline is January 25, 2026. For more information, click here.

  • Narrative High School Contest has announced their prompt for 2025-2026. Students from the US and internationally, grades 9–12, are eligible to submit to the contest through their teachers. The submission portal opens on January 6, 2026, and closes on February 4, 2026. To read the prompt and for more information, click here.

  • Can you write a full story in 53 words? Get prompts for this monthly contest here.

  • BOOKFOX is a great list of writing contests, year-round.

  • We Are Teachers has compiled a list of the best student writing contests. To check out the list and get inspired, click here. 

Los Angeles Area Opportunities 

  • LA Times High School Insider — LA Times High School Insider is dedicated to showcasing youth voices on pressing issues through art, poetry, and creative writing. They are recruiting poets, writers and artists to become contributors.  To get involved, send an email to Molly.Heber@latimes.com.

  • YMCA LA — The Youth and Government Program is a national YMCA program that empowers 9th-12th graders by allowing them to learn about — and experience — government policies and methodologies firsthand. For more information, click here. For registration information, email JoelMartinez@ymcala.org. Scholarships are available.  

Workshops, Classes, Camps & Databases

  • Created by a WriteGirl mentee, ProjectGenZWrites is a growing database with over 30 free videos from published authors dealing with their experiences with writing, and publishing their novels, and the wisdom they have gained along the way. ProjectGenZWrite’s mission is to provide expert creative writing education to economically diverse youth to level the creative education playing field, and fill the creative education gap so the next generation can tell the stories that live inside them. 

  • Scholarships are available for the Kauai Writers Conference: kauaiwritersconference.com. To apply for a scholarship, email David Katz, Director at davidk@kauaiwritersconference.com. Include your age, what kind of writing you do and why you'd like to attend the Conference.

Internships, Mentorships & Fellowships

  • The Writers Discovery Fellowship annually selects six exceptional and diverse television writers who have not been previously employed to participate in an intensive six-month fellowship, providing an immersive introductory experience to the world of the TV ecosystem. By the end, each Fellow will have developed a submission-ready television pilot, been afforded multiple opportunities for networking, and be generally equipped with the essential tools for their success as writers in long form storytelling. Each Fellow also receives a $10,000 stipend. For more information and to apply, click here.

  • Interested in working in the television industry? The Television Academy has multiple internship opportunities! The Fall 2025 internship period has closed but stay tuned for updates on the 2026 season! Find out more here.

Writing Resources

Writing Resources

Songwriting Resources

Poetry Resources

  • Local LA Bookstore Readings: See if your nearest independent bookstore has virtual poetry events! Los Angeles bookstores like Book Soup, Skylight Books, the Last Bookstore, Chevalier’s Books and Small World Books all have events featuring poets.

  • Download the Poetry Foundation free app from iTunes for a fun interface that categorizes topics by theme, and it offers you a chance to SPIN for a random poem every time you open it!

  • Local Poetry Journal: The Los Angeles Review features many poems and poets.

  • Poetic Devices: Check out this great slideshow from our 2022 WriteGirl Poetry Workshop with a ton of poetic devices you can learn and try to incorporate into your poetry.

Events

Events

Events Around Los Angeles

  • Book Swell – A calendar of upcoming author talks, signings and other literary events in Los Angeles.

  • Local Bookstore Readings – Check out events at your nearest independent bookstore: Book Soup, Skylight Books, the Last Bookstore, Chevalier’s Books, Small World Books all have events featuring writers.

  • Poetry in Motion stages live poetry events locally – search their name in EventBrite!

  • Local poetry publishers (and friends of WriteGirl) Red Hen Press are based in Pasadena and schedule events. Check out their website.

  • Los Angeles has a Poet Laureate, Robin Coste Lewis. Search her name to find out what she’s up to in your area.

Virtual Events

  • The GRAMMY Museum At Home spotlights a different pillar of the Museum’s Mission: education, curatorial, and Public Programs.and Watch, learn, and engage right from home. Explore the museum here!

Cool Communities

Additional Resources. . .

Additional Resources. . .

Mental Health Resources

  • HelpGuide: This site dives into many complex and difficult topics around mental health. Please note that the site contains advertisements for paid therapy services.

  • The LA Times has compiled a list of mental health resources including crisis hotlines and counseling services. See the list here. (Click here to apply for a student LA Times subscription. Contact WriteGirl for additional mental health resources.)

  • My School My Rights is a fantastic resource for California public school students to learn more about your civil rights and civil liberties as students. We believe every young person has the right to advocate for themselves and their communities!

  • Getting started. This infographic created by the National Alliance on Mental Illness depicts early warning signs, how to ask for help and how to stay connected. 

  • Making friends. The National Alliance on Mental Illness has created a helpful guide on making and maintaining friendships in stressful or nerve-wracking situations.

  • It Gets Better: It Gets Better shares stories from ordinary people and celebrities alike affirming that no one is alone in the struggle that is growing up, especially when trying to affirm and assert your sexual orientation and/or gender identity.

  • Never a Bother is a campaign launched in 2024 by California Department of Public Health’s Office of Suicide Prevention. Their big goal is to prevent suicide among teens and young adults in California. They also want to reduce self-harm, while encouraging friends to recognize the power they have to support someone in crisis. To check out their resources, click here. 

Support Black Lives Matter

  • Get informed. Facing History and Ourselves is a great resource with articles on understanding the role of race in America. The National Museum of African American History & Culture put together this helpful guide at navigating starting a conversation on race. 

  • Support Black-owned bookstores. Reparations Club: rep.club and Malik Books: malikbooks.com are some great options for support.

  • Check out the list of winners of the Coretta Scott King Book Award for children's books and Young Adult books that "demonstrate an appreciation of African American culture and universal human values."

  • Don’t forget to take care of yourself. The American Psychological Association has created a guide to Unmute Your Feelings and allow yourself to be fueled by your strong emotions while balancing moments to feel hope and joy. 

LA Community Resources

  • Los Angeles County Office of Education offers a guide to local food and assistance resources. For help navigating CalFresh/EBT benefits disruptions, click here.

  • Public Counsel is a nonprofit public interest law firm. Their Fire Relief and Recovery Efforts hub provides information about emergency support, economic/legal resources, and social services for individuals and businesses affected by the fires.

  • Maple Counseling offers a range of counseling services, including individual, child, adolescent, and family therapy with sliding scale fees. They have a center located in Mid City as well as telehealth options. For those affected by the fires, they are offering 6 free therapy sessions and can connect individuals to a broad network of mental health providers throughout LA County.

Technology Resources