WORDSMITHS WRITING CONTEST

Wordsmith /’w rd,smiTH/: a craftsperson who works words into usable forms; a skilled user of words

Current Contest:


Persuasive Essay: Peculiar Pet Proposal

Have you ever dreamed of owning a pet that’s a little out of the ordinary? Maybe a sloth, an elephant, or even a pet octopus? For our next writing contest, we challenge you to write a persuasive essay in the form of a letter to your parent or guardian, convincing them to allow you to have an exotic pet—the crazier, the better!

Your letter should make a strong case for why your chosen pet would be a great addition to the family. Think about how to appeal to your parent or guardian’s concerns, provide reasons to support your argument, and include fun, imaginative details to make your letter both convincing and entertaining. (Limit 500 words.)

Entries due: 11:59 PM on FRIDAY, February 14, 2025


Upcoming Contests:


Writing Skill Details Accnounced Deadline Winners Published
Creative fiction based on a photo prompt March 2025 Mid April May 2025

PRIZES:

First, second, and third place winners in each age group will be printed in The Homeschooler Magazine. Other entries may be but are not guaranteed to be published.

Prizes are as follows:

Age Divisions 1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place
5-8 Years Old $50 $30 $20
9-12 Years Old $75 $45 $30
13-18 Years Old $100 $60 $40

RULES:

Submission of entry into this contest constitutes acceptance of all rules and conditions.

  • Entrants must be residents of Utah, between the ages of 5 and 18 (5 and 18 are OK), who are participating in homeschool during the 2024-2025 school year.
  • Only one writing contest entry is allowed per student per contest. Students MAY submit student spotlights, book reviews, big wins, AND one entry in the writing contest.
  • No vulgarity, profanity, gratuitous violence, or “adult themes” are allowed. Entries must be “family friendly” and suitable for reading by children and adults of all ages.
  • AI is strictly prohibited and may NOT be used in any form at any stage of writing. You may NOT use ChatGPT, Grammarly, or any other AI to brainstorm essay ideas, generate an outline, write any text, or improve text you have written. All words should be the student’s own. Spell check is OK.
  • All entries must be in English.
  • All entries must be typed and submitted digitally. No hard-copy entries or pictures of hand-written entries will be accepted.
  • Copyright remains with the author, but The Utah Homeschooler has the right to publish it in the magazine, post it on their website, or use it for promotional materials.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

  • Student’s first and last name, age, and mailing address. (Only first name and last initial will be published.)
  • Student’s typed writing contest entry; can be included in the body of the email, attached as a word document or PDF, or shared as a Google Doc file. If formatting matters (i.e. for some poetry), attach it as a PDF to preserve the formatting.
  • A photo of the student that shows their face
  • A signed Rules Agreement & Publication Release waiver (click here to get it). Please note that a new signed agreement is required for each contest.

Entries must be submitted no later than 11:59 PM on Friday, February 24, 2025. Send entries to:

JUDGING:

Entries will be divided into three age groups for judging: 5-8 year olds, 9-12 year olds, and 13-18 year olds. They will be judged on the following criteria, adjusted to age-appropriate expectations:

Ideas: Is the argument creative, well thought out, and convincing?

Organization: Is the letter structured with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion? Does the argument flow logically?

Word Choice: Does the writing use persuasive language and vivid details to make the argument convincing?

Voice: Is the argument made in a unique, personal way? Does your personality or perspective shine through?

Conventions: Is the writing polished with correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling? Does it meet the word limit and follow contest rules?

GUIDELINES FOR PARENT INVOLVEMENT:

  • Parents may teach their student about descriptive essays and help them brainstorm topics for their essay. However, they may not “give” them any words, either by promtping with sentence starters, making specific suggestions, or writing any portion of the essay for their student.
  • Parents may proofread their students’ essay, meaning they may make corrections to spelling and punctuation. They may not edit their essay, meaning they may not add, remove, or rearrange any words or suggest that the student do so. Parents may edit practice descriptive essays on other topics as part of their instruction, but they may not edit any essay that is entered into the writing contest.
  • Parents MAY type or transcribe essays for children who cannot type, but MAY NOT edit or change their students’ words while doing so.
  • All the words in a contest entry should be the student’s own words.

HELPFUL RESOURCES:

Narrative Writing

The following resources have been selected for their educational value and engagement, but they have not been reviewed in full. Please review the content prior to use to ensure it meets your family’s standards before sharing with your children.