About MIteen Writers:
MIteen Writers is both an online and print literary magazine that showcases the voices of teen writers in the mitten state. We accept poetry, fiction, nonfiction writing, and art from students ages 13-18 who currently live in Michigan.
It started as a suggestion on a bright fall morning while sitting in Ms. Ward's journalism class at Ionia High School: "Couldn't we start a literary magazine?" We had been discussing different types of publications, trying to figure out the sections we wanted represented in our school's newspaper. There were a number of poets, essayists, and story writers in the rows of chairs. Well, why not?
But when we started to look around our area for school's that also had literary magazines, we couldn't find many. That's when we started to think about expanding our idea to include student voices outside the classroom walls of Ionia High School. Thus, MIteen Writers was born in December 2016. With the start-up support from the TED-Ed organization, MIteen Writers took to the page.
Our goal is to build both an online platform and print magazine that lifts the unique voices of teens in the mitten state. We have a unique perspective that stems from our shared geography. Although our experiences might be as varied as the seasons in this state, we are bound by our roots on the wonderful pennisula.
It started as a suggestion on a bright fall morning while sitting in Ms. Ward's journalism class at Ionia High School: "Couldn't we start a literary magazine?" We had been discussing different types of publications, trying to figure out the sections we wanted represented in our school's newspaper. There were a number of poets, essayists, and story writers in the rows of chairs. Well, why not?
But when we started to look around our area for school's that also had literary magazines, we couldn't find many. That's when we started to think about expanding our idea to include student voices outside the classroom walls of Ionia High School. Thus, MIteen Writers was born in December 2016. With the start-up support from the TED-Ed organization, MIteen Writers took to the page.
Our goal is to build both an online platform and print magazine that lifts the unique voices of teens in the mitten state. We have a unique perspective that stems from our shared geography. Although our experiences might be as varied as the seasons in this state, we are bound by our roots on the wonderful pennisula.
Submission and Publication Guidelines:
- All submissions of writing and artwork will be considered for publication in our seasonal print magazine and on MIteenWriters.org.
- We accept submissions year round. If, however, you are sending work that is holiday-specific or seasonally-specific, please submit it at least two months ahead.
- You must be 13 to 18 years old to be a MIteenWriters.org user, post your work online, and/or be published in our magazine.
- All materials submitted become the property of MIteen Writers. By submitting your work to us, you are giving MIteen Writers and its partners the non-exclusive right to publish your work in any format, including print, electronic, and online media. However, all individual contributors to MIteen Writers retain the right to submit their work for non-exclusive publication elsewhere, and you have our permission to do so.
- We have a no-tolerance policy for plagiarism. We check the originality of all published work.
- Writing may be edited and we reserve the right to publish our edited version without your prior approval. We may choose not to print your name on sensitive personal articles, and in rare cases we may change names to protect individuals’ identities.
- We publish work in a wide-variety of styles and genres, but what connects the pieces we select for publication is that each demonstrates a unique and well-developed voice. We look for work which identifies subtlties and nuance.
Specifically Speaking to Poets:
- Take a look at the writing of your favorite poets. Notice what they do. How do their words look on the page? What does the poem sound like? Where are the line breaks? What moves does the writer make.
- Notice, that with rare exception, most published poems are not centered on the page. If you elect to center your poem, there must be a compelling reason.
- Read your work out loud before submitting it. Better yet, have a family member or friend read your poem aloud to you. Notice where they stumble. This might be an area that needs revision.
- A word about punctuation: yes, there is a need for punctuation in poetry. Consider how you use your punctuation to instruct your reader how to read your work.
- A word about profanity in poetry: every word counts in poetry. Poetry deals with an economy of words. A single swear word is more impactful that gratuitious profanity. Make sure that there is a reason each and every word is in your piece.
Specifically Speaking to Story Writers:
- We’re looking for well-written prose, distinctive voice, and rich detail.
- A word about profanity and gore: sublty goes a long way. We do not publish gratuitious gore or work filled with profanity. Make sure that your use of violence or swear words is tied to the overall character development and voice of the story.
- Stories should be marked by a compelling, focused, sustained narrative that is well-structured, logical, and meaningful.