New Voices: A Competition for Young Writers

I expect you've seen the commercials for Jay Leno's upcoming new television show. In one part he asks a 'contestant', "Who wrote Handel's 'Messiah'?" The answer, though funny, is also rather sad, not just because the young man doesn't have a clue who Handel was - a Classical Music Composer - but for what it says about education and reading in this country.


The young man's answer to Leno's question, "Who wrote Handel's 'Messiah'?" was "I don't read books."


Yeah. Dumb, funny, but come on!


Well, we've given our education system to the Leftists, so we shouldn't expect better. But we can push our own to do better. And one of those ways is to encourage writing. How? Well, how about a writing contest for Young People?


EPIC, the Electronically Published Internet Connection, sponsors a number of writing competitions each year. Among them is one specifically for the younger writers. It's called New Voices. The New Voices site has this to say,

One of the leading competitions in the electronic world for young authors, New Voices encourages reading and writing among middle and high school students while introducing them to the exciting world of ebooks and e-publishing, the wave of the literary future.

This introduction into the exciting world of e-books and e-publishing is often a launching pad into the world of publishing for many young writers, allowing them their first taste of professional feedback and pushing them to achieve their dream of seeing their words in print.

Established by EPIC in 2006, the contest accepts entries from students attending public, private, or home schools, and each entrant is permitted to submit one entry in each category.

The contest began accepting entries for this year's competition on August 1, and will close to entries on October 20. So times running out! Know a youngster who writes, likes to read, needs some encouragement? Get them over to the New Voices site. Who can enter?

This contest is open to students worldwide, attending public, private, or home schools. Students must be in junior high/middle school or high school in the U.S., or the equivalent grade level in their specific international school system.

Tired of hearing people say they don't read books? Want to keep your kids or grandkids from falling into the same ignorant path? This is one way!

Kids who like to write, like to read. And they let their imaginations roam, not funneled into the same dim corridors as others. I can't think of a better way of ensuring that kids enjoy reading than this. If they write they read.




So head over to New Voices, see what's there, and tell your kids that this might be a whole lot of fun, too!

Disclaimer: I am a member of EPIC, my novel, "Benning's War", being available in eBook form.

There's an FAQ about New Voices here at the LL Publications Blog. The FAQ is presented by Danielle Thorne - 2010 New Voices Co-Chair. Questions about New Voices can be sent to her at Newvoices.chair@gmail.com