Why are we here?
As a young writer, I’ve noticed that while there are countless prestigious writing contests judged by adults, there are few creative writing contests that are student-led and student-judged. Furthermore, creative writing opportunities are unequally distributed across schools and communities--many young people aren’t able to exchange writing with their peers, so they lack access to critical learning tools, opportunities to receive peer feedback, and exposure to similar-level youth writing. Even worse, in modern America and across the world, socioeconomic, cultural, and locational divides have caused conflict and polarization among people of all ages.
We run a student-judged literary contest! YAWP is open to students in high school/secondary school (typically ages 14-18) worldwide to submit and judge. All judges are within the age range of submissions; students’ writing is judged entirely by their peers. Students read anonymous writing from their peers across counties and states, each with different backgrounds and perspectives. For every piece submitted, students evaluate two pieces. Judging is accessible and fair with a short video training and clear rubric-based scoring. Winners are chosen by peers and published digitally and in print. Thanks to a donation from SuzeeBehindTheScenes, cash prizes are offered. For more info, check out our submit page!
What do we do?
About the founder
Hi, I'm Livia Basche
I'm a high school student from New York, USA passionate about creative writing, equity, and science. For me, writing is an emotional outlet, a fun activity, and one of my favorite things to do (seriously, I have a typewriter). I'm also a five-time published poet and essayist, three-time Scholastic national medal recipient, and Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshop alum. My chapbook is now available at Barnes and Noble! Reach out to me with any questions at liviabasche@gmail.com.
