Every year, the Ottawa Public Library holds a youth writing contest for which hundreds of local kids write stories, poems, and comics. The winners and honourable mentions are published in the annual anthology, Pot-pourri. But the contest's title -- Awesome Authors -- applies to all of those who enter. The contest deadline for 2019 has… Continue reading Awesome Authors 2019 – Decision Time
I’ll be giving a writing workshop tomorrow at the Carlingwood Library to help kids aged 9-12 prepare their stories for the Ottawa Public Library’s Awesome Authors Contest. We’ll do two story-building exercises: one on Character, and one on Setting. For those who can’t be there, here is my Setting handout, with a short version of… Continue reading Young Writers Workshop: Setting Exercise
It's time for all the young writers in Ottawa to get their awesome on! The Ottawa Public Library wants you to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and write a poem, short story, or comic (or all three!) to enter into the OPL's 2019 Awesome Authors youth writing contest. The contest is open to Ottawa… Continue reading Awesome Authors 2019 – Submission Call
If you are a young writer of fiction or poetry, here are some excellent places to submit your work The updated lists are divided into teen markets and children's markets (with a bit of overlap). Online and Print Magazines for Teen Writers: The Blue Marble publishes poetry, prose and art from writers aged 13-20. Submission… Continue reading Young Writers’ Markets
I was thrilled to receive my contributor copies of Issue 147 of The New Quarterly this week. My short story, "On Sulphur Mountain," is one of eight stories featured in this issue. I've had a chance to read them all, and they're wonderful -- so well-written and engrossing. I'm proud to have my work alongside… Continue reading A Smattering of Evans
Catherine Austen 