Are you a writer, journalist, artist, or have any other sort of creative hobby? Do you like photography or video-making, for example? I know how hard it is to make work you're really proud of, only to realize you don't know how to share it. So, I've composed this list to suggest places where you can share your work with others.

1. folklore

I am the founder and editor of folklore literary magazine, which welcomes work from anyone, young or old, regardless of prior experience. All we care about is the vision, and care deeply about the work as it is. We are also looking for regular journalists and artists/photographers to respond to our pitches (unpaid, but a great thing to put on a resume!)

We welcome new and aspiring authors, and we respect any vision that is well thought out. We do not and will never charge a submission fee, so feel free to submit! We also try our best to offer feedback for your work.

Current categories are: poetry, fiction, nonfiction, art or other. We publish twice a year (February and October) but are always willing to add new issues if work impresses us.

We're super excited to see your submissions!

Apply to work for us at https://forms.gle/AaEdGQVziVW5zpqA8

Image Credit: Faune Magazine from Unsplash

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2. Scholastic Art and Writing Competitions

This is THE most prestigious arts contest in the country, and with 28 categories, you're bound to find one that suits your creative interest! The thing about this one is, it's not impossible or elitist. The judges understand that picking just one award isn't fair to the many other submitters.

That is why they give out as many awards as they want. There are many levels of recognition, and if you follow these guidelines, you have a pretty good chance of achieving at least one.

1. READ THE PAST WINNERS. There are very specific writing styles that Scholastic favors - poetic imagery, large words, and quirky metaphors are especially adored.

2. SHOW, NOT TELL. The big common denominator between all of the winners is that the reader can feel the story the writer is telling.

3. EDIT. My winning national piece took 6 months of editing before I submitted it. The tiniest details really matter!

This is my biggest recommendation. Alumni who got their start from this program include Amanda Gorman, Stephen King, and Sylvia Plath. What's also great, us that you'll be connecting with a wide audience - I for one view the gallery page all the time just for fun. It's my inspiration.

Here are their recommendations for recognition:

"We want to celebrate work that is unique and blurs boundaries. We want work that challenges your assumptions. Is it new?

Does it surprise you? We’re looking for work that expresses an authentic perspective and stands out from classroom assignments and social media trends. Consider critical thinking, problem-solving, or the way an idea is developed over time. Empathy can be a skill. Creativity is a skill!"

3. CC&D

This magazine has a pretty high acceptance rate, and is especially keen on poetry! It isn't too big on overt metaphors or figurative language but rather emotion that is grounded in the today, in the now, in reality. It also accepts short stories and creative nonfiction, and often showcases galleries for artists.

They do, however, dislike overt religious themes, particularly Christianity. In fact, they chose their name based on a particularly resonant poem about the dysfunction of organized religion!

Here are their stated criteria when it comes to your work:

"I look for clear writing (so material is more understandable). I look for descriptive writing (I don't mean overly embellished descriptions, I mean writing with enough detail that makes you feel like you've lived through the scene in the writing). And, we are always impressed when an original message comes to us in a submission (material over the same usual topics is not rejected, but writing on a new subject or relating something different, or maybe a familiar topic but with a different thought approach or twist to it will really catch our attention)."

Image Credit: Laura Chouette from Unsplash

4. Academy of the Heart and Mind

Created to help new and aspiring authors, this magazine accepts around 60% of submissions. They also have monthly contests focusing on a specific theme. I really love this magazine and have had a couple of my pieces published here as well.

Send a Google Doc to academyoftheheartandmind@gmail.com to submit, and attach a biography in the 3rd person. They accept short fiction, non-fiction, poetry or art. Works should not be overly mature or explicit. Be sure to contact them with any questions. Previously published work is fine. Nature is a great thing to write about for this publication!

This one is great because so many journals have nearly impossible acceptance rates (0.1-3%), which is biased against people who don't really know how the system works yet. The submission process here is very simple, and you can submit as often as you like, which is also rare. I recommend submitting as much as possible to maximize your chances of getting in.

5. The Teen Magazine

Yup, the magazine you're reading about right now! You can apply to be a journalist by submitting a sample piece, and if approved, a ton of new opportunities come up for you! You can be a journalist for any category (for example Style, Lifestyle, or Politics), and work with editors to come up with the best version of your article, whether you pitched it, or one of them. You can also become an interviewer or one of 3 types of editors, a Copy Editor (who approves articles), Associate Editor (who pitches articles), and Managing Editors (who manage categories.)

I was an amateur journalist when I discovered this magazine, and applied thinking I most likely wouldn't get in. I was estatic to find out that not only was I able to write for this magazine but I was also able to gather views and share my ideas. It gave me a voice, and I highly recommend it.

I hope you find this list helpful! Make sure to come up with a bio/cover letter, professional, edited content, and maybe choose a good pen name before submitting. I suggest keeping the same pen name and bio for everything, as it makes you more credible to publishers. Let me know in the comments if I missed anything, and in the meantime, check out these sites for more places to submit to:

https://authorspublish.com/25-approachable-journals/

https://www.newpages.com/young-writers-guide/young-writers-guide-to-publication/

https://www.newpages.com/young-writers-guide/young-writers-guide-to-contests/

https://www.pw.org/literary_magazines