Celebrating Teen Writers in Greater Houston
Students may submit up to two entries. Each entry must be submitted separately using the Google Form linked below. Make sure your work is original and follows the category guidelines: Poetry, Short Fiction, or Creative Nonfiction.
Click the “Submit Your Work →” button to upload your piece. Submissions are open February 1 – May 1, 2026 (11:59 PM CST).
We can’t wait to read your writing and celebrate your creativity!
ABOUT HYWC
The Houston Youth Writing Competition (HYWC) is an annual literary competition created to celebrate and uplift young writers in the Greater Houston area. Open to students in grades 7–12 who live in the Greater Houston* area, including public, private, charter, and homeschool students.
*Proof of enrollment will be required for any winning entries.
CATEGORIES
Poetry: Any form; max 100 lines
Short Fiction: Short stories; max 3,000 words
Creative Nonfiction: Personal essays & nonfiction; max 3,000 words
TIMELINE
Submissions Open: February 1, 2026
Submissions Close: May 1, 2026 (11:59 CST)
Winners Announced: June 20, 2026
HOW TO SUBMIT
Students may submit up to two entries. If submitting multiple entries, each entry must be submitted separately using the Google Form below.
JUDGING, AWARDS, AND CODE OF CONDUCT
Judging:
Submissions are evaluated by a panel of experienced educators and writers. Each submission is scored on originality, personal voice, technical skill, and clarity & coherence. Judging is blind for fairness.
Awards:
Winners will be announced as First, Second, and Third Place, plus two Runners-Up per category. Winning works will be featured on the website and Instagram. All participants retain full rights to their work.
Code of Conduct:
HYWC fosters a respectful literary community. Plagiarism, hate speech, or inappropriate content will result in disqualification.
Use of Artificial Intelligence
Use of AI is permitted, but ONLY for creating an outline of your story, or suggesting a prompt
All work must be original and not include any AI-generated text
AI-evaluation software will be used to screen each entry
CONTACT US
Instagram: @houstonyouthwritingcomp
Email: hywc.contact@gmail.com