Young Authors' Writing Project
Every winner will receive a complimentary copy. Please reach out to your local councils.
Reflections: Celebrating the Me I See
A North Carolina Reading Association Young Authors Project Publication
The North Carolina Reading Association sponsors an annual authors and illustrators competition across North Carolina for creators in kindergarten through twelfth grade, as well as a "Forever Young" category for adults. This year's theme was "Reflections: Celebrating the Me I See" to coincide with our "wonderland" conference theme for 2024. We had over 600 entries, and accepted approximately half of the entries we received to create this book.
2023-2024 Young Authors Project: “Reflections: Celebrating the Me I See”
Why Should You Consider Participating in the Young Authors Writing Project...
The Young Authors Writing Project is a wonderful way to encourage writing across all grade levels.
Students who submit writing have the potential to win at 3 different levels: School, County, and State.
Young authors are encouraged to write about their personal story–past, present, and future, celebrating their wonderful and unique qualities and the things that they love about themselves, including special family connections, talents, gifts, and ways that they are special.
Authors may write in their first language and submit along with an English translation.
Authors may write poetry or prose, fiction or nonfiction.
Students may also submit an original design or art work for the cover of the 2024 NCRA Young Authors Anthology.
Young Authors' Writing Project Classroom Resources
Young Authors' Writing Project General Information
For in depth details, please see Young Author General Information 2023- 2024.
The theme for the 2023-2024 Young Authors’ Project is Reflections: Celebrating the Me I See. Young Authors are encouraged to write pieces celebrating themselves, including their heritage, culture, identity, and life experiences. Young Authors may write about what makes them unique, parts of them that tie them to family members and special memories, or challenges they have overcome to become the people they are today. Authors may write prose or poetry, fiction or nonfiction. Authors may write in their first language and submit along with an English translation. All entries must follow the guidelines below and be submitted as google docs via the NCRA Local Council 2023 YA Folders and by completing the 2023 Local Council Google Spreadsheet.
GUIDELINES
● All entries must be original creations.
● Only 1 writing entry per author may be submitted. (*NOTE: Authors may also choose to submit for the
art contest, but again, may only submit one piece of writing and one piece of art, total).
● Authors may write in their first language and submit along with an English translation
● All entries must have participated in a local level judging before being submitted for the state
judging.
● Please remember that these pieces will be published in a book for authors in kindergarten through
adulthood, and that all entries (art and writing) should be appropriate for a wide audience that
includes young children. If an entry is deemed too mature for young audiences, it may not be
included in the book, so please carefully consider the topic you choose before submitting.
● All entries to the state judging level must be submitted by a member of NCRA by December 1, 2023.
FORMAT
All entries should:
● Use 10 point, “Times New Roman” font, single spaced, for the body of the piece.
● Include an original title, typed in bold, 12 point type, with only the first letter of each major word in
the title capitalized.
● Include author information after the body of the piece. Skip two lines and then center the following information in 10 point:
Author’s First and Last Name, Grade ______ (numerical) or Forever Young
Teacher: Name (Teacher’s First and Last Name)
School Name
Local Council Name
ENTRY LENGTH LIMITS
It is easy to check word count by using the Tools button in Google Docs. Be sure to check all entries to ensure they meet entry requirements BEFORE submitting for state judging. Any entry submitted to the state level will be disqualified if it exceeds the word limit (by more than 5 words).
Grades Pre-K-1: 200 WORDS
Grades 2-5: 300 WORDS
Grades 6-8: 400 WORDS
Grades 9-12 and Forever Young: 500 W0RDS
SUBMISSIONS of Local Council Winners
You will submit your entries by uploading your local winners as google doc files into your local council writing folder.
When you upload each entry, please name it as follows: the child's grade level (PK, 00 for kindergarten, 01 for first, and so on through grade 12 (Forever Young entries will be labeled 13), then the author's last name and first name, then the local council name. You may use initials for your local council. However, Tar River and Twin Rivers will need to type out their names to avoid confusion.
GradeLevel_LastNameFirstName_CouncilName
EXAMPLES– PLEASE FOLLOW EXACTLY:
Kindergarten:
00_willemsmo_MCRA
Fifth Grade:
05__dicamillokate_RWRC
Forever Young:
13__golightlyemily_CCRC
NUMBER OF LOCAL COUNCIL ENTRIES
● In order to create a more equitable and balanced collection of Young Author entries from across the state, the YA Committee has revised the criteria in order to provide smaller and developing councils with increased opportunities. A baseline of 40 entries is in place with increasing entries based on membership levels.
MEMBERSHIP LEVEL NUMBER OF YA ENTRIES
Developing – 20 40
21-75 45
76 – 125 50
126 – 175 55
176 – 225 60
226 – 275 65
276 – 325 70
STATE JUDGING:
● Will take place during the first week of January and be done remotely; local councils may choose to meet in person for their judging assignment
● Each writing entry will be judged twice using the State YA Rubric
● Each writing entry will be judged by members of a different local council than the submitting council
● Art entries will be judged by the state YA Committee and/or the Executive Council
● Information regarding deadlines and other details will be provided by State YA Chair
FOREVER YOUNG
● Forever Young entries do not count toward the number of entries noted above. Note: FY entries that EXCEED the maximum word count (500) will not be published.
● FY entries should first be judged at the local council level and will be judged at the state level using criteria from state rubric.
● Forever Young Authors must be members of NCRA.
COUNCIL CHOICE ENTRIES
● Each council may choose two entries as Council Choices. Council choice entries may be selected based on
various criteria including student growth in writing, students with challenges due to language or disabilities, etc.
These will bypass the judging, BUT will be read by at least two members of the EC. The content and language must be deemed appropriate. These entries will add two (2) to the numbers above. If there is a question regarding publication of the council choice entry, the local YA chair will be contacted.
● The Council Choice entries must be clearly marked (X) in the “Council Choice” column on the YA ENTRY
SPREADSHEET located in each council’s entry folder JUDGES’ CHOICE
● Judges’ Choice is determined when an entry receives a perfect score from both judges. This will be
noted by the Young Authors Committee. This is not determined by the local council.
ART ENTRIES
● The designs must be original ideas and clearly connect with the theme. Art must be vertical top to bottom
(portrait).
● Guidelines for the Cover Art Design may be accessed on the NCRA website in the YA Google Drive Folder, Young Authors Art Design Criteria
● Each Local Council may submit up to 10 Art Entries.
● Scan and submit as a jpeg file
● Each physical entry must be accompanied by a Young Author’s Entry Form. Suggested deadline for local
submissions is November 1, 2023.
● You will submit your digital entries using the Young Authors Entry Form no later than December 1, 2023.
UPLOAD council entries to the Council Art Folder as JPEG files (not pdf files).
● The scanned JPEG should be saved as follows:
NumericalGradeLevel__LastNameFirstName_CouncilName/Initials
(example: 02_RiveraStephanie_BRRC)
● The designs will be judged by the YA Committee who will select finalists.
● The President may select the cover design or request a vote from the Executive Committee
● The State YA Chair will notify local YA Chair of art winners by JANUARY 14, 2024
● WINNING Physical art entries need to be MAILED to state YA Chair Denise Owens:
Denise Owens, 4109 Treetops Circle Winterville, NC 28590
Please mail physical copies of the winning art entries by JANUARY 20, 2024.
QUESTIONS?
Please contact your local council Young Authors Chair for questions or concerns. Please visit the NCRA website www.ncreading.org for a list of local councils and contact information.
Contact Information for State YA Chair, Denise Owens: mdeniseowens@gmail.com