Navigating Writing Competitions (Part I‪)‬ Ad Aster

Join Emma and Daisy as they explore the application process for upcoming (U.S. based*) writing competitions! Listen to first hand advice and experiences from Bennington, YoungArts, and Scholastic Winners

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Mosaic of tips and reflections from past Bennington Young Writers Awards, YoungArts, and Scholastic winners


Joanna - Meaningful form (hermit poems!) (as a reformed STEM + Elon Musk stan)


Emily - “Someone should be able to pick up your piece off the ground and know that it’s yours”+ send what you love!


Kate - You learn a lot from the process of applying + last-minute submitting panic + Covid YoungArts experience


David - Be true to your craft and style


Emma - Slightly stealing mini jam from scholarship breakfast in NYC


Daisy - Contests or not, it’s all about the craft





notable moments:



0:25 - Meet Daisy!

2:12 - Bennington Young Writers Awards (international)

2:57 - Joanna Liu (2022-2023 Bennington YWA Winner in Creative Nonfiction)

9:50 - YoungArts Competition (US)

12:16 - Emily Pickering (2023 YoungArts Finalist in Creative Nonfiction)

15:46 - Kate Choi (2021 YoungArts Finalist in Play)

20:40 - David Chen (2022 YoungArts Merit Winner in Creative Nonfiction, 2023 Honorable Mention Winner in Creative Nonfiction)

26:28 - Scholastic Art & Writing Awards (US)

28:10 - Emma Zhang (2022 Scholastic Best in Grade and Gold Medal in Personal Essay & Memoir)

31:10 - Other contests

34:03 - Outro



links

Bennington Young Writers Awards (poetry, fiction, nonfiction | Nov 1)

Joanna Liu, “Diagnosis of Familial, Lateral Curvatures”

Ran Zhao, “How Did Li Bai Die?” (hermit crab poem)

YoungArts Competition (creative nonfiction, novel, play or script, poetry, short story, spoken word | Oct 13)

Emily Pickering, “Speak” (p. 71)

Kate Choi, “All’s in the Past Now” (p. 28)

David Chen, “Two-Faced” (p. 35)

David Chen, "Self" (p. 75) 

Scholastic Art & Writing Awards (critical essay, dramatic script, flash fiction, journalism, humor, novel, personal essay & memoir, poetry, science fiction & fantasy, short story, writing portfolio for seniors | varies)

*Some other contests*

Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest

Leonard L. Milberg ’53 High School Poetry Prize

The Princeton Ten-Minute Play Contest

Columbia College Chicago Young Authors Writing Competition

The Adroit Prizes for Poetry and Prose



*P2 will include international comps + advice on finding writing opps!