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Ask Aunt Rita
TO OUR YOUNG AND EMERGING WRITERS:
Do you have a burning question about your writing?
Are you wondering how to get started?
Are you wondering what to write about?
Do you wonder how long your story should be?
If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, then this is the page for you. Just ASK AUNT RITA.
AND PLEASE…don’t ever feel that your question is silly. For all you know, someone else may have been wondering the same thing.
Come on, don’t be shy…ASK AUNT RITA!
HEY KIDS! MAKE YOUR OWN
READING/WRITING CORNER!
STORY-STARTERS FOR YOUNG WRITERS!
Hi Everyone!
Here’s a few story-starters to fill your November days. Choose one or all of them, and let your imagination roam free as you write your story.
Feel free to email your story to me, Aunt Rita at TheShadesWriter@bellsouth.net, and I’ll try to post it on the site.
ADDED JUNE 3, 2008!!!
1. You take the garbage out later than usual. The moon is up, and there are only shadows in the yard…but you’re not afraid, because you know this yard like the back of your hand. Only when you step outside, you see something dark creeping behind the garbage can. You squint to see better, and the thing is even bigger than you thought, and shaped all funny. You make a loud noise to scare it away, but it only turns toward you and squints for a better look. You decide to…
2. Find a picture of an animal you like. It can be in a book or magazine, or on a classroom wall. Concentrate hard, then describe your animal in as much detail as possible.
3. You and a few of your closest friends form a band, which you call _____________. You play the _____________, and even though you are willing to share the stage with your friends, somehow you become the star. Finish the story.
4. Sometimes people write a message and put it into a bottle, which they float out to sea. They don’t know who will get the message, or when they’ll get it. Of course, sometimes no one gets it. Think about what message you would like to write in a bottle, and who you’d like to get it.
5. Just as no two snowflakes are alike, neither are people. Some people are tall, some are short, some have blue eyes, some have brown. Think about your closest friend and describe all the ways he/she is exactly like you. Then think of the ways that friend is exactly opposite of you.
THAT’S ALL THE STORY STARTERS FOR NOW! ENJOY!
Aunt Rita
LITERATURE: NATIONAL READING & WRITING CONTEST FOR GRADES 4-12
The Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, in partnership with Target Stores and in cooperation with affiliate state centers for the book, is inviting readers in grades 4 through 12 to enter Letters About Literature, a national reading-writing contest.
If you are in grades 4 through 12 and you want to enter, you will need to write a personal letter to an author, living or dead, from any genre– fiction or nonfiction, contemporary or classic, explaining how that author’s work changed your way of thinking about the world or yourselves.
There are three competition levels:
Level I for children in grades 4 through 6;
Level II for grades 7 and 8, and
Level III, grades 9 - 12.
Winners, announced in the spring of each year, receive cash awards at the national and state levels.
For complete details, please click on the following link:
http://www.loc.gov/loc/cfbook/letters.html
For guidelines and entry coupon, click on this link:
http://www.loc.gov/loc/cfbook/pdf/lal-2008-entry-guidelines.pdf
Or, if you would like to send an email, please direct it to the LAL Project Director at lal@epix.net.
Best wishes and happy writing!
Aunt Rita
NFAA CREATIVE WRITING OPPORTUNITIES
Hello Young Writers,
The National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts (NFAA) has several writing opportunities listed on its website. They are:
Poetry
Short Story
Novels
Playwriting/Scriptwriting
Creative Non-Fiction
If you’re a writer, be sure to check out their website. The link is:
https://www.youngarts.org/Students/Disciplines/Writing/
Best wishes and Happy Writing
Aunt Rita
POTLUCK MAGAZINE PUBLISHES YOUNG WRITERS!
Hi Everybody,
Potluck Magazine publishes poetry, short stories, fables, book reviews, and artwork by young writers and artist ages 8-16. They have, under certain circumstances, considered and published works from writers as young as four and as old as 18.
Potluck receives nearly 600 submissions each issue and their editors read and respond to each one. On a more encouraging note, 98% of Potluck’s 48 magazine pages are written by young writers. However, those writers or artists not published, will receive a personal letter along with a critique of their work that is constructive, instructive, and positive!
For complete details, please click on the following link:
http://www.potluckmagazine.org/writersguidelines.htm
Best wishes and happy writing!
Aunt Rita
STORIES FOR CHILDREN MAGAZINE LOOKING FOR WRITERS
M E D I A R E L E A S E
CONTACT: Virginia S. Grenier
Editor, Stories for Children Magazine
Email: storiesforchildren@vsgrenier.com or SubmissionsEditor@vsgrenier.com
For Immediate Release
Stories for Children Magazine, which debuted April 1, 2007, is looking for stories, articles, and poems written by young writers ages 17 year old and younger.
VS Grenier, editor of Stories for Children Magazine stated: “Stories for Children Magazine is not only for adult writers. One thing that makes us who we are is that we also publish stories by children and teens.
After writing for magazines I noticed that there were only a handful that allowed underage writers. I couldn’t believe it. How could the writing world not embrace the young it already writes for?
I decided to change all that with Stories for Children Magazine. My goal is to have at least one story, article, or poem written by an underage author.
Visit the website for details at: http://www.storiesforchildrenmagazine.tripod.com/
Also, you can download a free copy of the magazine at this address:
http://storiesforchildren.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/storiesforchildrenmagazinejune2007.pdf
Best wishes and happy writing!
Rita
CHILD WRITERS: WHERE TO SUBMIT YOUR WORK
1. Stone Soup http://www.stonesoup.com/
This is a magazine that publishes art and writing by children age 13 or younger.
When you write to them, make sure to include your name, home address, city, state and zip code. Also include your home telephone number (don’t forget the area code!!), and your email address. Mail your submission to:
Stone Soup, Submissions Dept., P.O. Box 83, Santa Cruz, CA 95063
2. Cobblestone & Cricket Magazine
These magazines have a place where you can express yourself, enter writing contests, and otherwise exercise your unique gift of writing. Just click on the following link:
