A Writing Contest for Teens, Judged Without the Age Label
Quick answer: Free teen writing contests have their own age, school-year and country rules. Check those first, and confirm whether the contest accepts stories, poems or essays. Writory is one paid option for 100–6,000-word stories: ages 13+, guardian permission under 18, and one judging pool with adults. A score and certificate are included; written feedback costs extra.
Writory's paid story contest accepts ages 13+ worldwide: ₹199 in India or US$8 elsewhere for 100–6,000 words. Under-18s need a parent or guardian's permission to enter and receive a prize. Teens and adults compete in one pool. Entries close 30 November.
How to compare free and paid teen contests
The linked calendars include opportunities from separate organisers, each with its own rules. A free listing is not automatically open to every teen. If you want a teen-only category, check the age band on the organiser's official page; Writory's Story contest includes adults.
- Check age, school year and country restrictions, plus any parent or guardian permission needed for entry and prizes.
- Match the format and length: a poetry or essay competition may not accept a short story. Writory accepts original stories of 100–6,000 words in any language.
- Compare the full cost: entry fees and optional feedback, certificate or publication charges can be separate. Writory includes a score and certificate; written feedback is an optional paid extra.
- Check the deadline's time zone and the rules for work already posted online. Keep the organiser's current rules with your entry confirmation.
Judged blind, which is the whole point at fifteen
Everything a teenager writes is normally read by someone who knows them: a teacher, a parent, a friend. This contest is the other experience. Manuscripts reach the judges with no name, no age and no school attached, and a fifteen-year-old's story is marked against the same published rubric as everyone else's: storytelling, character, language, originality and resonance, totalled out of 100.
That cuts both ways, and honestly so. Nobody grades you gently because you are young, and nobody discounts you either. The marks that come back are the same instrument the adults get, which is exactly why they are worth having.
What it costs, what you get, and the fine print
One story costs ₹199 in India or US$8 internationally, for 100–6,000 words in any genre. Entries close 30 November 2026 at 11:59 PM IST. Every entrant receives a certificate and the full five-mark score on 5 December 2026. Written feedback is an optional paid extra; the score and certificate are included in entry.
Writers worldwide aged 13 or older may enter under the contest rules. Entrants under 18 need a parent or guardian's permission to enter and receive a prize. There is no separate teen category. Prize-payment availability is separate from entry-payment availability. If you are unsure whether you can pay or receive a prize in your country, contact contest@writoryofficial.com before entering.
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.
- Impact & Resonance (10 points): What the story leaves behind after the last line.
How it works
Submit an original story of 100 to 6,000 words by 30 November 2026 at 11:59 PM IST. Every story is judged blind against the rubric above, and results arrive on 5 December 2026: every entrant receives a certificate with their name and a score out of 100. Writers keep all rights. 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?
Writers must be 13 or older. Entrants under 18 need a parent or guardian's permission to enter and receive a prize. Review the contest rules together; payment and prize availability depend on the country and account.
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 6,000 words, it qualifies. A classroom story usually benefits from one more pass before it meets a rubric, so give it that pass; the deadline, 30 November 2026 at 11:59 PM IST, 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?
Blind judging removes your name and age from the manuscript; it does not make all participation private. Your public profile and published results can identify you, and certificates carry your name. Writory's terms also cover use of submitted work. Review the terms and privacy policy with a parent or guardian before entering.
Is Writory free for teenagers?
No. Standard Story entry is paid; being a teenager does not qualify you for free entry. Free entry is limited to eligible winners and Seasoned Quill holders. For no-fee alternatives, use the linked free-contest list and check each organiser's age and country rules.
What does entering cost a teenager?
₹199 in India or US$8 internationally per story, with the same fee and judging pool as adults. A score and certificate are included. Written feedback is optional and costs extra; the fee is shown before payment.
More story contest pages
About Writory
Writory (writoryofficial.com) is an international monthly poetry contest founded in 2025 by Shivay Mehra. Poets from 40 countries have entered, readers come from more than 150 countries, and every submitted poem is judged and scored out of 100 across five criteria: creativity, emotion, structure, language and impact and resonance. 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.