If you want to be successful in creative writing, the easiest and best way is to read good literature. Read novels, short stories and poems. Read work published in literary journals. You can find high quality journals to read from and submit to on our Lit Mags page. We recommend reading work from each lit mag before submitting to them, if possible, to get an idea of the kind of work they accept.

Write a lot. Go out of your comfort zone. Share your work with peers, and read their work in turn. Discover what you like and dislike. Ask for peer feedback. Many lit mags will also provide professional feedback. Revise your work. Pieces are never finished; you can always do more, but you do not always have to. Learn to accept criticism as part of the process, not a statement on your skill or character. Learning is never finished; you can always learn more.

Litbug has a curated, always-expanding list of lit mags for your reference. These are lit mags that are approachable for teens, either created by teens for teens or have more relaxed criteria for acceptance. Look through them, research them, and discover which ones suit your style of work. Remember that our list is finite. There are thousands of lit mags out there, and more are founded every day. The list on Litbug can help you get your feet wet, before you go on to a dream career in creative writing. If you know of a reputable lit mag that we do not have listed, or have any questions about current listings, you can contact us or shoot us a message on our Twitter/X or our Instagram.

You will be denied. It's not a statement on your skill or character. Journals have different tastes and objectives, and many times these tastes are vague and subjective. It can be painful, but remember that every strong writer has received twelve rejection emails for every acceptance. It is just a part of the process. Don’t let it stop you.

Under our Education page, you can find the right writing programs for you, whether they are during the summer or the school-year, in-person or remote. Litbug allows you to filter for age ranges, regions, genres accepted, and other features, such as financial aid. These writing programs come highly recommended by our team, as they are a valuable way not just to improve your writing, but also to form long-lasting connections with peers and educators.

If you've attended any of these programs, please leave an honest review and share your experiences with fellow young writers!

On our forthcoming Contests page, Litbug will assist in finding writing competitions targeted towards young writers. The best known US-based competitions are Scholastic Art and Writing and YoungArts, but there are many more. Be careful about sending your pieces to competitions and publications at the same time - read the copyright rules carefully. If the idea of giving up the rights for your work is intimidating, do not worry! For most competitions and publications, the rights transfer back to you quickly. All of this information should be available on the websites for the lit mags or competitions, or on the publishing agreement.

If your questions are not answered above, or if have any concerns, please contact us.