Reading is the best preparation for writing. We are fortunate that through the internet it is possible to keep in touch with living authors through their blogs, twitter feeds, and their websites. There are also often interviews with authors on the internet. The editors of Stone Soup offer a growing series of pages of internet links and interviews with many of your favorite authors. Use this resource to get deeper into an author’s works or, if you haven’t read book by the author, to discover someone whose work you’d like to follow. If you are a fan of Suzanne Collins, then please add your feelings about Suzanne in the comments below. How have you been influenced by her writing? What do you like best about her books? Which is your favorite? Which do you like least, and why? If there are online resources that you think we should add to this page, then let us know. Also, if there is an author you think should be part of our Young Adult Author Interview section and isn’t, then also please leave a comment suggesting who we should add. Website Wikipedia Facebook Twitter Books: The Hunger Games Trilogy: The Hunger Games / Catching Fire / Mockingjay Gregor the Underland Chronicles (5 Volume Set) Interviews:
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J.K. Rowling
We are fortunate that through the internet it is possible to keep in touch with living authors through their blogs, twitter feeds, and their websites. Use this resource to get deeper into an author’s works or, if you haven’t read book by the author, to discover someone whose work you’d like to follow. J.K. Rowling is so famous that there is almost too much information out there to choose from. Lots of people know about her characters from the Harry Potter movies, but we always say that reading is the best preparation for writing! So, we encourage you to explore her books, and hear her talking about how it all began, and how she thought of and developed a set of characters and stories that have captivated millions across the world. If you are already a fan of J. K. Rowling, then please add your feelings about her books in the comments below. How have you been influenced by her writing? What do you like best about her books? Which is your favorite? Which do you like least, and why? If there are online resources that you think we should add to this page, then let us know. Website Wikipedia Facebook Twitter Books Harry Potter Paperback Box Set (Books 1-7) Interviews
Where to Publish Writing by Teens & Older Students
Stone Soup publishes work by young people up to age 13, but as our writers and artists get older they still want to keep creating–and publishing–their work! To help our readers, writers and artists move on to the next stage of their creative journey we have put together a list (in alphabetical order) of publishing options for teens and older kids, below. If you know of, or find out about, another venue for teen writers that you think ought to be on this page, then please write to us at stonesoup@stonesoup.com. We want make sure all of our Stone Soup writers and artists keep on making and sharing their creative work far into their futures, and that we and our readers hear about it! The Blue Pencil Age Range: 12-18 Accepts: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction, plays The Blue Pencil is a publication edited and produced by the Walnut Hill Writing, Film & Media Arts Department, and publishes literary work by high school writers, ages 12–18, from around the world. The publication recently revised its format, to include more film and other media arts. Browse their previous issues and connect with them via the link. Website Canvas Age Range: 13-18 Accepts: Fiction, poetry, plays, creative nonfiction, new media, art Established in Spring 2013 in conjunction with the Writers & Books Literary Center in Rochester, New York, Canvas is a quarterly literary journal edited by teens. It’s available in print, ebook, web, video, and audio formats. Website Celebrating Art Age Range: grades K-12 Accepts: Art in the form of still digital images This publication holds regular periodic art contests, and publishes the winners in an art book anthology (around 20% or so of the submissions get chosen). Works are judged in four divisions: grades K–3, grades 4–6, grades 7–9, and grades 10–12. Winners receive prizes, listed on their website. Website The Claremont Review (publication currently on hold) Age Range: 13-19 Accepted: Fiction, poetry, plays, interviews, art in the form of still digital images First published in 1992, The Claremont Review published short stories, poems, short plays, graphic art, photography, and interviews each year in the spring and fall, although no fall 2018 or spring 2019 issues are planned. Visit their facebook page for updates on this publication’s current status. Website Launch Pad Age Range: 6 to 14 Accepts: Fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, and illustrations by assignment Launch Pad publishes stories, art, poetry, nonfiction, and book reviews by kids ages 6–14, matching up authors and illustrators. The material is offered in PDF format that readers can read on screen or download for offline viewing. Website The Milking Cat Age Range: teenagers/high school Accepts: Comedy The Milking Cat is an online comedy magazine dedicated to teen comedians. Run by high school students across the country, the website publishes original comedy of all media types and takes submissions. The Milking Cat is the place to be for young comics. Website Submissions Student staff applications New Moon Girls Age Range: girls 8 & up Accepts: Fiction, poetry, personal essays, how-to articles, art, comics, photography New Moon Magazine is aimed specifically at female tweens and teens, and offers them a place of inspiration, connection and support where they can stay deeply connected to their true interests, abilities, and hopes. The magazine is offered in both print and electronic format, and their website offers an online community with a moderated forum. Website Polyphony Lit. Age Range: grades 9-12 Accepts: Fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction Polyphony Lit is a student-run international literary magazine for high school writers and editors. Submissions of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction are accepted through May 31 of each year and are eligible for the Claudia Ann Seaman Awards for Young Writers. We invite high school students to join our student editorial board, which provides editorial feedback for every submission. Website Teen Ink Age Range: 13 to 19 Accepts: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction, reviews, art Teen Ink is a national magazine, book series, and website devoted entirely to teenage writing, art, photos, and forums. For over 25 years, it’s offered teens a place to publish their creative work and opinions on issues that affect their lives. Website Underlined Age Range: 13 and up Accepts: Poetry, fiction, plays, nonfiction Underlined’s structure is different from a traditional magazine. It is an online community where, rather than being organised by a team of editors, students publish their own works, and earn badges by participating as both a writer and reviewer. Underlined hosts contests, polls and quizzes, and online groups. Website Young Writers Project Age Range: “youths” Accepts: Writing and digital media Young Writers Project welcomes participants from outside of its home base of Vermont and publishes a range of titles including young writers’ work. These include YWP Anthologies and The Voice digital magazine, as well as further publication opportunities with local and national newspapers and other digital publishing venues. It seeks out the best work of youths, regardless of where they live. Website Sample Issue of The Voice The WEIGHT Journal Age Range: High School Students Accepts: Writing Started by teachers, The WEIGHT Journal who wanted a place where high school students could publish the creative writing they are producing while in self-isolation because of COVID-19. Website Write the World Age Range: 13-18 Accepts: Poetry, fiction, nonfiction, reflections, journalism, plays Write the World is a free online global writing community for ages 13-18 from around the world. It’s a supportive, moderated environment where young writers can post their work, respond to ever-changing prompts in a variety of genres, enter monthly writing competitions, give and receive feedback, and much more! Writers also have the opportunity to be featured in Write the World Review, our literary journal publishing the best writing from the site. Website Auroras & Blossoms PoArtMo Anthology Age Range: 13-16 Accepts: Poetry, fiction, art, flash fiction Auroras & Blossoms is publishing an anthology specifically for authors ages 13 through 16. They are looking for poetry, art, short stories, six word stories, essays and flash fiction created in 2020 and 2021 for potential inclusion in a digital anthology that will be
A Long Walk to Water
A Long Walk to Water, by Linda Sue Park; Clarion Books: New York, 2010; $16 Have you ever found yourself running as fast as you could but not really sure where you were going? Maybe you were trying to clear your thoughts or simply running for pleasure. Maybe, like eleven-year-old Salva Dut, you were trying to get away from something. Have you ever had to perform a task so terrible and tedious that you can’t wait for it to be over? Nya, also eleven, must do this every day. The year is 1985, and Salva is living in the village Loun-Ariik with his family in southern Sudan. One day, while Salva is at school, he and his classmates hear gunshots. It is not long before they realize that the Sudanese civil war has finally arrived at their village and is being fought just outside the schoolhouse. The students all hurry outside and are instructed by their teacher to hide in a nearby bush. After Salva reaches the bush, he realizes it is important for his survival to get away from the fighting. By himself, he begins to run away from his homeland and the Sudanese war, towards Ethiopia. There Salva remains, separated from his family, until the Ethiopian refugee camps are shut down six years later. Now that the camps are closing, many people begin to lose hope, but not Salva. He remembers that there are refugee camps in Kenya and leads about 12,000 young men and boys, called “the lost boys,” safely to Kenya. In 2008, Nya, also living in southern Sudan, must make the trip from her house to a nearby pond to get water. She carries a large plastic container on her head, and the trip there and back takes her the entire morning. When Nya comes home, her mother gives her boiled sorghum meal for lunch, then she leaves once again, to get more water from the pond. Each day, she walks twice, to the pond and back, to collect the family’s water. One day, two men come to Nya’s village and begin to discuss plans for building a well. At first the process goes very slowly, and the only water that comes to the well is very muddy. Nya wonders if the well will ever be anything more than a dream. Reading this book made me realize how lucky I am. Every day I have enough to eat, enough to drink, and my family is always with me. Here we have two eleven-year-old children, both making long, tireless journeys and getting by on very little. Salva is part of a cultural group called the Dinka, and Nya is part of a group called the Nuer. I found out that the people of Sudan recently voted to split their country into two, in part because of irreconcilable differences between these tribes. Officials hope that it will stop the fighting. Hearing about problems such as this makes me very thankful to be living in America. Salva and Nya’s stories are ones of survival and perseverance, and both tales really inspired me. Salva’s story, in particular, made a lasting impression on me, and I was shocked to find that the book was based on the true story of Salva Dut. The author, Linda Sue Park, had the chance to meet Salva, read his written accounts of the journey and conduct numerous interviews with him. Without giving away too much, I’ll say that Salva was eventually able to use his amazing talent in leadership, his initiative and innovation, as well as his perseverance, to do something even greater for others and make a difference in the lives of many. Also, towards the end of the book, Nya discovers that dreams can come true. A Long Walk to Water is one of the most inspiring books I’ve ever read. Julia Elrod, 13Oberlin, Ohio
For Teachers and Educators
How to Use Stone Soup in the Classroom The Stone Soup website has ready-made curriculum materials to use with your students to supplement your writing program, or as self-directed projects for your more motivated students. Creative Prompts Weekly Prompts. Short prompts perfect for warmups, drawn from the Stone Soup Weekly Prompt Newsletter. Activities. Longer, more detailed projects that teach fundamental writing concepts. Each activity is linked to a story that has been published in Stone Soup Magazine; students read the story before working on the activity. Contests Stone Soup holds a monthly flash contest, an annual book contest, and from time to time, other contests. Contests offer motivation for writers to get their ideas down on paper. Check out our current contests. Please keep in mind that we receive a lot of entries, and the contests are highly competitive. Book Contest. The Annual Book Contest is posted around the beginning of Spring with the book manuscript due mid-August. The winner of the contest gets a book published. This is a big deal and a highly competitive prize. Through the Society for Young Inklings, we provide guidance for students in a weekend workshop to help them get started. Scholarships are available. Stone Soup also provides a free monthly check-in for students working on a book-length work of prose or poetry for this contest led by Stone Soup Founder, William Rubel. William has no contact with the judges of the contest. Students read from their works in progress and talk about how they are planning out their extended works. Book Reviews Reading and writing go together. Authors are readers. Stone Soup welcomes book reviews by young writers; writing reviews gives students the opportunity to engage with texts they are reading in the classroom in ways that are more creative and more personal than the more conventional English essay or response paper. Please note that our reviews are not book reports; we recommend reading samples with your class if you assign them to write a review for us! Writing Workshops Stone Soup offers writing workshops. The format for the workshop is a 30 minute PowerPoint followed by 30 minutes of writing—then readings and critique. The work is extraordinary! Every week we post work from that week that has been submitted to us by workshop students. All writing submitted is published. So, what you see in this section is what students ages 8 through 14 can do in a first draft in thirty minutes. As you will see, there is no way to tell who is 8 and who is 14 or somewhere in between. All of your students can become proficient writers. Started during the first Covid lockdown in April 2020, this program has been very successful and is growing! Students can register for these classes. To be notified of classes, go to our home page and scroll down to the bottom of the page and sign up for our Newsletter. To access recordings of the writing workshops, check out our YouTube channel. Stone Soup Young Author Interviews On the Stone Soup YouTube channel, we have a treasure trove of interviews with young writers and artists who have been published in the magazine and on the website. Intern Anya Geist spoke with all kinds of creative Contributors about their process, their inspirations, what it meant for them to be published, and so much more. You can also find these interviews individually on the Stone Soup blog. Used in the classroom, these interviews can help students see that writing isn’t just an “exercise” or “activity.” It is an art and a practice, and writing and publishing makes you an author no matter your age! Stories and Poetry Read Aloud To give students a break from screen time, have them listen to stories and poetry read aloud by authors on the Stone Soup Soundcloud. The stories on our Soundcloud entertain, inspire, and challenge students to find their own ways of expressing themselves. Mentor Texts and Examples for Students With a subscription, you have access to the stories, poems, personal narratives, and art published in the magazine, plus the more informal writing we publish on the blog. For the blog, you can explore our specific Covid-19 section, our broader Young Blogger category, and our multimedia section. Motivate your students by showing them exemplary poems, stories, and book reviews written by their peers. Please contact us if you’d like to blog for us and publish suggestions of your own for how to use Stone Soup with students, to engage them as readers and encourage them as writers. We’d love to hear from you and share your expertise with our community.
