A nonprofit dedicated to developing teenagers’ writing and critical thinking skills, Write the World empowers young writers to become global citizens and succeed in school, career, and life.
Write the World was founded in 2012 at Harvard University to equip teenagers with the confidence and competence to change the world. Young writers develop their voices, refine their editing skills, and publish their work within a supportive community of peers.
In classrooms, teachers use Write the World’s virtual class groups, writing prompts, lesson plans, assessment tools, and other resources to supplement their curriculum. Write the World programs include a global online writing community, monthly writing competitions, educational resources, college essay programs, and intensive writing workshops.
The organization’s free monthly competitions for teen writers (aged 13–19) offer opportunities to explore a variety of genres—from poetry, fantasy, and flash fiction to environmental writing and journalism. And because a first draft is never perfect, Write the World fosters a collaborative environment where teens can receive peer and expert feedback to consider and incorporate into their final piece.
Upcoming monthly competitions include People’s Choice Awards 2024 (December), Nature Poetry Competition 2025 (January), Op-Ed Competition 2025 (February), Songwriting Competition 2025 (March), Poetry & Spoken Word Competition 2025 (April), Environmental Writing Competition 2025 (May), Personal Essay Competition 2025 (June), Sci-Fi & Fantasy Competition 2025 (July), and Flash Fiction Competition 2025 (August).
Plus, every week, Write the World selects a young writer’s piece for its “Wednesday Words” feature, and the piece is publicized on the organization’s website and social media channels. Any pieces created in response to Write the World’s writing prompts will automatically be considered for Wednesday Words.
Teachers are invited to check out Write the World’s collection of free resources, including activity ideas, full lesson plans, mentor texts, competition resources, and more. Most resources are ideal or adaptable for grades 8–12.