ESSAY CONTESTS FOR YOUNG NATURALISTS

Hey guys: If you are interested in both writing and science, check out this contest: http://www.amnh.org/nationalcenter/youngnaturalistawards/submit.html

Here you will be able to fulfill your love of experimentation and writing all in one place. Be sure to read the rules before starting your project (you must be in at least seventh grade to enter). Check out some of the essays that won last year. And most important, have a second pair of eyes review your submission before mailing it out.

Good Luck and may the best scientist or, uh, writer, win!

"IF THERE WAS AN ANSWER" CONTEST FOR YOUNG WRITERS

One of my very favorite books to use when talking about writing exercises is The Mysteries of Harris Burdick by Chris Van Allsburg. These individual pictures with one line of text prompt the writer into creating a story from just that one line! And these pictures are so amazing, they sure can get you thinking! So if you're going to do the exercise anway, why not enter the writing contest on Chris Van Allsburg's site. Here is the address: http://www.chrisvanallsburg.com/writestory.html

If you win, your story will be posted on his site! How great would that be?

The picture for this contest is on the left and the first line reads: "If there was an answer, he'd find it there!" So get your pencils sharpened, your creative juices flowing and enter the contest!

WANT TO HAVE YOUR WORK IN THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF WRITING?

How would you like to have a piece of your writing preserve by the National Gallery of Writing? The National Council of Teachers is inviting everyone to contribute a piece of their work on October 20th - the National Day of Writing! Don't worry if you have something happening that day and can't find time at your computer to create your masterpiece. The National Gallery of Writing will be accepting contributions through June of next year. So get your butt in the chair and start letting those words flow! And when you're finished, go to http://galleryofwriting.org/contribute.php to join your work with others in the National Gallery of Writing!

WE HAVE A WINNER!

I just received the greatest email from a young writer. She had the courage to submit her work to some of the summer writing contests I listed on my blog and guess what? She is going to be published! She will have a poem in the Creative
Communications Young Writer's Anthology! Many congratulations to her!

And I hope this will inspire the rest of you young writers to keep on trying, keep on submitting and most importantly of all, keep on writing! Dreams do come true!