Zinc Reading Labs seeks submissions for our first Teen Writing Contest. Winners will receive a $100 cash prize and publication on Zinc Reading Labs, a site visited by thousands of teens daily. The deadline to submit is May 31, 2021.

We’re looking for standout poetry, fiction, nonfiction, or memoir that leaves us thinking for days. We want writing from the heart, with an independent voice and compelling subject matter. And of course, the winning pieces will wow us with purposeful imagery and structure, and a strong narrative arc or argument.

Topics we’d love to feature include but are not limited to:
Mental Health & Wellness
Activism & Issues
Family & Friendships
Faith Traditions
Immigration
Money, Jobs & Career
Video Games
Surviving the Pandemic
Sports, Entertainment & Celebrity
Relationships with Media & Technology

For examples of writing we love, check out our article quizzes on Zinc Reading Labs.

To Submit:
Send submissions by email to submissions@zinclearninglabs.com.

You may send one piece of fiction or nonfiction and up to three poems. Include your submission as a .doc or .pdf attachment. Do not paste your submission into the body of the email. In the body of the email, include your full name, email address, grade in school, and email address and phone number of a parent, guardian, or teacher.


Teachers: We encourage you to submit work by your students. Please be sure to include the student’s full name, grade, and your contact information. Teachers may submit pieces from multiple students.

The Zinc Teen Writing Contest (the “Contest”) is contest is open to all students over the age of 13 currently enrolled in middle or high school as of the date of entry, except for the employees and their immediate family (spouses and parents, siblings, children and each of their spouses) of Zinc Learning Labs (“Zinc”). Void where prohibited by law.

A full set of rules governing the Zinc Teen Writing contest can be found here.

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