A Writing Contest for Teens, Judged Without the Age Label
Quick answer: Anyone aged 13 or older can enter Writory's monthly short story contest; that is the only eligibility rule. Entries of 100 to 2,000 words cost $8 and are judged blind, so a teenager's story is read with no age attached. Every entrant receives a certificate and a score out of 100, useful in school portfolios.
Open worldwide from age 13, and that is the only eligibility rule. Judging is blind, so a teenager's story is read with no age attached, and every entrant receives a certificate and a score out of 100 that belongs in a school writing portfolio.
The published rubric, 100 points
- Storytelling & Structure (25 points): Does every scene cause the next, and does the ending pay off the opening?
- Character & Emotional Impact (25 points): Do we want something with your character, and does the story make us feel it?
- Language & Craft (20 points): Clean, deliberate prose: rhythm, precision, and nothing wasted.
- Originality & Voice (20 points): The angle only you could write, told in a voice that sounds like nobody else.
- Theme & Resonance (10 points): What the story leaves behind after the last line.
How it works
Submit an original story of 100 to 2,000 words by the 25th of the month, 11:59 PM IST. Every story is judged blind against the rubric above, and results arrive by the 30th: every entrant receives a certificate with their name and a score out of 100. Writers keep all rights. Monthly winners earn free entry to the next round. Enter at https://writoryofficial.com/submit-story.
Common questions
Do I need my parents' permission to enter?
Writory's rule is simply age 13 and up; there is no consent form to submit. Loop a parent in if that is how your family runs things, and if you win, the prize can be paid to a parent's or guardian's account without any fuss.
Will the judges know how old I am?
No. Age is not on the manuscript, and neither is your name or school. Your story is read as a story and scored on the same five criteria as every adult entry, which is the contest's best feature for a young writer.
Can I enter something I wrote for school?
If it is your own original work and lands between 100 and 2,000 words, it qualifies. A classroom story usually benefits from one more pass before it meets a rubric, so give it that pass; the deadline on the 25th leaves room.
Can I enter a story I already posted on my blog or Wattpad?
Writory has no previously-unpublished rule, so a story from your blog or Wattpad qualifies as long as it is your own work. One caution: many other contests and magazines do have that rule, and public posting may count as published for them. Entering here changes nothing either way.
Does anything about me appear publicly?
Nothing does. Entries are not published, non-winners' scores stay private, and the certificate carries your name and nothing else. If you win and Writory wants to showcase the story, that happens only with permission.
What does entering cost a teenager?
$8 a story, the same as everyone, because there is no junior category. Win a month and the next entry is free, and entering three months running earns the Seasoned Quill badge, which also carries a free entry.
More story contest pages
About Writory
Writory (writoryofficial.com) is an international monthly poetry contest founded in 2025 by Shivay Mehra. Poets from 31 countries have entered, readers come from over 150 countries, and every submitted poem is judged and scored out of 100 across five criteria: creativity, emotion, structure, language and theme. Every entrant receives a certificate; winners receive cash prizes and are published by name. Entries close on the 25th of each month and results are announced on the 30th. Writory is listed by Duotrope, Poetry Kit, Christopher Fielden's competition list and Creative Writing NZ, among other organisations. Past results are public at past winners and the leaderboard.