Kids Write 4 Kids Creative Writing Contest: Deadline March 31, 2024

Ripple Foundation, a Canadian educational charity run solely by volunteers, works diligently to support creative literacy for young people. To that end, they have established an annual writing contest called Kids Write 4 Kids, and that contest is on now. If you're a Canadian young person in Grades 4 through 8, then you have until March 31, 2024 to submit your story, whether fact or fiction, or poetry. Details are listed below.

Why You Should Enter?

•     Winners get published (see previous winners here).
•     Proceeds from book sales are donated to the winner’s charity of choice.
•     Winners become judges for next year’s contest.

Entry Details

•     Open to Canadian residents only.
•     Students must be in Grades 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8.
•     Stories must be original and written entirely by the author.
•     Only one entry per author will be accepted. (Subsequent entries will be disqualified.)
•     Only single author stories qualify. (No co-authored stories.)
•     Stories are accepted in English only.
•     Stories can be fact or fiction, prose or poetry.
•     There is no entry fee and no purchase is necessary.
•     All entries must review the story checklist.
•     Entries must be submitted by the author’s teacher, parent, or guardian at this online form. 

Contest rules and regulations are posted here

 

 

Submissions

• Maximum word count: 5,000 words (includes “a,” “an,” and “the,” but not the words on non-story pages such as the title page).
• Invented spelling is accepted.
• The text must be typed and submitted as DOC file format.
• Do not submit any images. (If your story does have images and your story is selected,  Ripple Foundation will contact you to obtain original images.)

 

 Deadline for submissions

• March 31, 2024
  

 

Although the contest was announced last fall, I was slow to get this posted. But, young writers still have weeks to get a submission in. So, time to get writing!

 

Good luck!

 

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Kids Write 4 Kids Creative Challenge

We know that kids who read gain worthy skills in language, knowledge, critical thinking and far more. And writing is just as worthwhile, allowing them to express their individuality while giving them opportunities to develop their imaginations and creativity. I encourage young people, and their teachers and parents, to consider entering this free annual writing challenge from the Ripple Foundation, a Canadian educational charity that is run 100% by volunteers. Its mission is to advocate for creative literacy in young people through a variety of programs including the Kids Write 4 Kids Creative Writing Challenge. Check out the details below and get your kids writing!

 

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Challenge: Single authors (no partners or groups) are invited to submit an original story, written in English, with a maximum of 5000 words. It can be fact or fiction, prose or poetry. (A story checklist here will help direct your writing as will these tips.) There is no entry fee!

 

Eligible participants:  Canadian residents enrolled as full-time students (public, private, institutional or home schools) in Grades 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 at the time of their entry are eligible.
    (There are some other restrictions related to employees, agents, and representatives of Ripple, yada, yada, yada, which you can check out here.)
    

What to submit:  A story of maximum 5,000 words (includes the words “a,” “an,” and “the"), typed in 12 pt Times black font and in a .doc or .docx format.

 

How to submit:  Entries must be made by either the parent/guardian of the minor author of the submission or by the author’s teacher with the author’s parent/guardian’s permission at the following link: https://www.ripplefoundation.ca/kids-write-4-kids/submission-form-2022/

Deadline for submissions: 11:59:59 pm ET on March 31, 2023

 

Judging Criteria: Entries will be judged on the following criteria:

•     Creativity and originality of plot and/or themes (40%)
  
•     Story structure, characters, and setting (40%)
  
•     Style and tone i.e., the quality of writing (20%)
  

Prize: The winner with the highest score (see judging details here) will be published in a professional e-book and paperback book by the Ripple Foundation and sold on Amazon, Apple, Google Play and Overdrive with proceeds donated to the author's Canadian charity of choice.

Prize announcement:   June 1st, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario.