“…one of the greatest needs of young people is to preserve their sense of self-worth. Teen Ink's role is to listen to its contributors and provide a forum in which teens can express themselves through poetry, essays, stories, reviews, art and photography.” - Teen Ink FAQ
User's Annotation
Are you a teen who likes to write, or do you want to read what other teens are writing? Then come check out Teen Ink, dedicated solely to publishing the creatve writing, nonfiction, and visual art of teens!
About the Site’s Creator
The Young Authors Foundation is a nonprofit foundation founded in 1989 to create a forum where teens’ writing can be published. It is currently published in three formats: 1) Teen Ink, a monthly print magazine which reaches hundreds of thousands of students in public and private high schools and middle schools, 2) the Poetry Journal, published three times a year, and 3) the Teen Ink Web site, with daily features to allow additional teens an opportunity to be published.
Genre
Web site: writing and visual art
Interest Age
13-14+ years
Site Content
Teen Ink is a Web site for ages 13-19, where teens can submit their writing in various genres (fiction: action/adventure, thriller/mystery, romance, etc.; and nonfiction: memoir, heroes, personal experience, etc.) as well as photography or photographs of their other artwork (collage, sculpture, etc.) for possible publication on the site and/or in the Teen Ink print magazine. Free registration on the site is required for submitting one’s work and commenting on the work of others. Each submission is reviewed by one to two editors, and a small portion of the thousands of annual entries are published. Once a piece is published on the site, members can vote for their favorites and post comments. But there are also other ways to get involved with Teen Ink. There are writing contests on specific topics, and current contests include: essays on travel and culture, poetry, and movie reviews of New Moon, to name a few. Teens can also write a blog on the site about any subject of interest, and comment on others’ blogs. On the Bulletin Board, teens can write on any subject. And via Facebook and Myspace, Teen Ink coordinates weekly writing exercises where can teens workshop with hundreds of other teens or free-write for feedback.
Critical Evaluation
I love the concept of this site, a place where aspiring teen writers do not have to compete with adults, and can improve their writing as a community. This site is very inviting in its attractive layout. The stories and articles which are published online are paired with intriguing images, heightening readers’ interest. Only teens’ first names and last initials are published, protecting their privacy. And it is possible to have pieces of a very personal nature published anonymously. Most importantly, this is a very active site, judging by the hundreds to thousands of pieces published in each category. And many teens comment on each work that is posted, usually in a good-natured and supportive way. I was surprised to read in the FAQ section that only 175 teachers across the country are involved with the Teen Ink print magazine, but I imagine that classroom involvement with the online site is much higher. There are quite a few ads on the site, but these are all either in the right margin, except for one banner ad at the top of the screen, so they don’t really interfere with the site content. I definitely would have wanted to participate in the programs on this site as a young teen.
Talking Up the Site
• Show some of the published artwork.
• Read one of the published stories aloud.
Curriculum Ideas
Language Arts: Set up a class blog where students can submit their literary and artistic creations and classmates can comment.
Potential Challenge Issues & Defense
Commercial advertisements on site:
• Become familiar enough with the site’s content to promote its merits.
• Refer to library’s Internet policies.
• Refer to site reviews from authoritative sources.
• Obtain site reviews from young teens who use it.
Why I Chose This Site
I discovered this site during my research for my group genre presentation, and wanted to explore it in more depth as a resource for young teens.
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