Bright Before Us Writing Contest

In celebration of Bright Before Us, Like a Flame: Igniting a New Generation of Writers, Shout Mouse Press is launching the Bright Before Us Writing Contest. This contest invites young writers ages 13–24 to create original work inspired by the themes, prompts, and stories in the anthology. Whether you write poetry, stories, memoir, comics, or children’s books, this is your chance to share your voice and have it celebrated.

• Compete for exciting prizes (see below!)

• Be considered for future publication with Shout Mouse Press.

• Connect with other young writers through monthly virtual workshops and author talks.

Judging & Prizes

Prizes include:

• 1st Prize: $500 prize + Apple MacBook Pro laptop

• 2nd Prize: $250 prize + Commissioned art by SMP artist inspired by your work 

• 3rd Prize: $100 prize + Curated set of signed Shout Mouse & Megaphone Board books

• Special honorable mention prizes for standout submissions!

Note: Physical prizes must be shipped to an address in the United States.

How winners are chosen:

• An Editorial Board of Shout Mouse alumni authors will read all entries and select winners.

• A special guest judge will help choose final prize recipients.

 Timeline

Submissions Open: November 1, 2025 – April 1, 2026
Winners Announced: End of May 2026
Virtual Celebration Event: Early June 2026
(Dates are tentative and subject to change.)

Submission Guidelines

• The Bright Before Us Writing Contest is open to all writers ages 13–24. 

• Because Shout Mouse Press exists to amplify marginalized voices, our judges will be especially interested in identity-forward stories from underrepresented communities and perspectives.

• All genres are welcome: poetry, short stories, essays, memoir, comics, children’s books (with or without illustrations), or hybrid work.

• Submissions must connect to Bright Before Us by:

• Exploring one of the anthology’s themes (Family & Friendship, Immigration & Belonging, Witness & Activism, Identity & Self-Love), or

• Responding to one of the book’s prompts, or

• Being directly inspired by a specific piece in the anthology

• Submissions must be in English or provide an English translation. 

• No more than 3 submissions per writer.

• Length: Up to 3,000 words per submission.

• Format: Submissions should be in PDF or docx format.

• Submissions are free.

• All work entered into the Bright Before Us writing contest must be original, meaning you created the work based on your own ideas. By entering work into the contest, you agree that you created it and did not copy it from any other person, business, school, or organization or generate it with AI.

Writers: Free Virtual Writing Workshops

Educators: Request an Author Talk and Win Free Classroom Sets

Invite a Shout Mouse youth author to your classroom for an Author Talk and Writing Workshop! Help your students get started on their submissions to the contest. Session are available in-person (Greater DC area) or virtually (nationwide).

Thanks to the Rotary Club of Greater Washington and the Share Fund, the first 20 teachers to schedule an Author Talk for Bright Before Us, Like a Flame will receive a FREE Talk and a classroom set of 20 books!

FAQ

Does it cost anything to enter?
No — the contest is completely free.

Can I submit more than one piece?
Yes, you can submit up to three pieces. 

When will winners be announced?
Winners will be announced in late May 2026.

Will my work be published?
Winning pieces may be published on the Shout Mouse blog or on social media. All submissions will be considered for potential future publication.

How to Submit

Fill out the submission form below by April 1, 2026.