Deadline coming up next month for Ottawa Public Library's teen writing contest

Photo by Angelina Litvin via Unsplash.

If you know a young up-and-coming writer, let them know that the Ottawa Public Library’s annual Awesome Authors youth writing contest is looking for submissions.

The contest is open until Feb. 19 to all youth between the ages of 9 and 18, who are residents of Ottawa and have not yet completed high school. Submissions can be made online or in-person at any Ottawa Public Library branch.

There are six categories, three for English and three for French:

• Short story
• Poetry
• Comic
• Nouvelle
• Poésie
• Bande dessinée

Several local authors will judge the submissions: Catherine Austen, Apollo the Child, Sarah Raughley, Karine Perron and Éric Péladeau.

Participants can take advantage of some free writing workshops that will be hosted by the judges to sharpen their skills ahead of the deadline, too.

Winners of the contest will not only win a cash prize, but will also be published in the library’s annual pot-pourri anthology.

More details on the contest and the free workshops is posted here.