Line: Chalk Talk

Chalk Talk Friday represents conversations and brilliance I’ve discovered traversing my way through the Blogosphere. From professional to personal development, these are the posts and links that have in some way touched my head or my heart.

This Chalk Talk is dedicated to fun writing competitions that allow students to share and publish their ideas in a beneficial, non-judgmental setting. Competitive tools such as these allow kids to build confidence and writing proficiency without the pressure of assignments and harsh grades that can hurt creativity.

Encourage your kids to participate in these events for their enjoyment as writers and our enjoyment as readers!

National Novel Writing Month (Nanowrimo): Nanowrimo is a challenge each November asking students to complete a 50,000 word novel (slightly over 100 pages, or just over 6,000 words a day) over the course of a month. These novels are then shared with other successful participants to foster a new writing community. The challenge is accompanied by pep talks and get togethers from participants and well-known published authors.

Writer’s Digest Writing Competition: This competition allows students to submit writing of various types for a chance to win $3,000 and a trip to New York City to meet editors and publishers, as well as several subsidiary prizes. If wel-known publishing is your goal, this competition is the way to go!

Script Frenzy: The complement to Nanowrimo, Script Frenzy is a challenge asking participants to complete 100 pages of original scripted work within the 30 days of April. Again, scripts are then shared amongst the community so that participants can help each other improve. A great confidence builder for budding playwrights!

Teen Ink: Teen Ink provides a variety of contests for small-scale publishing of teen authors in the magazine itself. Any writing can be submitted for a great opportunity at low-pressure publishing.

Don’t forget, you can always publish your ideas anywhere on the Internet using your own blog!