Pen & Quill is a magazine for and by young writers. They are open for a summer contest, and only writers between ages 12 and 21 years can enter. The theme is ‘Afterlight / Afterglow’. ““There’s a moment after the sun has dipped beneath the horizon, but before the sky goes dark. Gold softens the edges of the world. Everything seems to glow. This period is referred to as "afterlight" or "afterglow."
This year, our theme is one of transition, memory, and becoming: the cusp of adolescence, the end of childhood, the beginning of something new. We’re looking for writing that captures the glow before darkness. The beauty of what flickers—briefly, beautifully—before it’s gone.” The categories are poetry, prose (fiction), and other (which do not fit poetry or fiction, like playwriting, screenwriting, autobiography/memoir, etc). Submit works of up to 1,500 words. Submission is via a form on their website.
Value: $200, $100, $50; $20 for a middle school standout
Deadline: 21 August 2025
Open for: Writers ages 12-21
Details here.

Deadline: August 21st, 2025