Foreword by Elizabeth Acevedo. Edited by Sasa Aakil and Kathy Crutcher.
by the Young Writers of Shout Mouse Press
For ten years, Shout Mouse Press has championed the voices of young writers, publishing their authentic and necessary stories. Now, this landmark anthology of youth writing celebrates a decade of storytelling—and invites readers to pick up their pens and write the path ahead.
Spanning memoir, poetry, fiction, comics, and children’s literature, Bright Before Us, Like a Flame is more than a retrospective—it’s a creative writing resource and a call to action. Taking its title from Langston Hughes’ poem “Youth,” this collection ignites both hope for the future and the power to shape it. Through stories of immigration, identity, social justice, and resilience, young authors confront today’s most urgent topics with insight and empathy. Their words challenge, inspire, and invite readers to add their own voices to the conversation.
What’s Inside:
✅ A diverse collection of youth-authored memoirs, poetry, fiction, comics, and children’s literature, featuring underrepresented voices.
✅ Creative writing prompts and behind-the-scenes insights to inspire students and emerging writers to tell their own stories.
✅ Intergenerational conversations with award-winning guest authors, exploring the role of storytelling in social change.
✅ Discussion questions for middle and high school classrooms, book clubs, and creative writing workshops.
At a time of uncertainty and urgent global challenges, these young authors remind us: Words have power. Stories create change. And the future is yours to write.
Perfect for:
📖 Aspiring young writers looking for inspiration, mentorship, and creative guidance.
🎓 Educators and librarians seeking an engaging, diverse, and inclusive classroom writing resource for middle and high school students.
🎁 Readers who believe in the power of storytelling to spark dialogue and transform communities.
ISBN: 978-1-950807-82-6
Age: 12+
Page Count: 304
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
SMP author and Bright Before Us co-editor Sasa Aakil
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
Writers ages 13–24: join us online the first Wednesday of each month, November–April! Try out prompts from Bright Before Us, share your work, and get ready to submit your writing to the Bright Before Us contest.
Dates & Times:
Wednesday, November 5th, 6:00 - 7:30pm
Wednesday, December 3rd, 6:00 - 7:30pm
Wednesday, January 7th, 6:00 - 7:30pm
Wednesday, February 4th, 6:00 - 7:30pm
Wednesday, March 4th, 6:00 - 7:30pm
Wednesday, April 1st, 6:00 - 7:30pm* (Deadline day submission support!)
Educators: Request an Author Talk and Win Free Classroom Sets
SMP author T’Asia signs copies of her book
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.