Submit your poem or short story here.

Thank you for submitting your work to our youth writing contest! 

The Plot Thickens! 

Write about plot twists, surprises, or mysteries as a theme or idea. 

Entries are not required to relate to the theme, but it is strongly recommended that they do relate to the theme.

Rules:

• Entries must be submitted by residents of Placer County and received by midnight on July 31, 2026.

• Entries should, but are not required, follow the theme of the contest.

• Entries must be complete and unpublished works of fiction and may not be excerpts from longer works.

• Entries must remain PG-13 (no profound violence, swearing, etc.)

• Entries must be original works in English.

• Plagiarism will result in disqualification.

• No generative AI may be used. 

• Participants may submit up to three poems that must each be under 100 lines or 800 words.

• Participants may submit one short story under 4,000 words or two short stories that are each under 1,000 words.

• Participants may submit one illustrated story, not to exceed 14 pages. Fully graphic novel-style submissions will be considered, but may be reserved for publication in a later graphic novel-specific anthology. 

• By submitting works for consideration, authors grant the Lincoln Public Library first serial rights for publication. All rights return to the author following publication. (This means that if we accept your work, we can publish it in our anthology. You can also have it published elsewhere afterwards.)

• No financial compensation is provided to winners.

• There are no entry fees to participate.

About You

For winning entries, the answers to these questions will be printed as-is in the anthology.

About Your Parents

About Your Work