Information for Educators & Parents

An Opportunity for Young Voices to Be Read, Seen, Published, and Celebrated!

The Rogue Writers Collective invites students (ages 14-17) in Josephine County to submit their original creative work to The Riffles Teen Creative Writing & Art Contest.

We created The Riffles because young writers and artists deserve an audience for their creative work. And we want to help them connect with that audience!

Selected students will have their work professionally published, receive cash prizes, and be recognized at a community launch celebration where their work can be shared with family, friends, teachers, and the wider Josephine County community.

What Can Students Gain?

Participating in The Riffles gives students the chance to:

• – Share original creative work with readers beyond the classroom
• – Have their work considered by professional writers, artists, and educators
• – Experience the process of submitting work for publication
• – Earn cash prizes for outstanding work (1st place: $100, 2nd place: $50, and 3rd place: $25)
• – Become a published writer or artist
• – Receive five copies of the finished publication to keep and share
• – Be recognized at a community celebration honoring young creativity

Just as importantly, the contest tells young people something we believe deeply:

Your creativity matters. Your work is worth sharing. Your voice belongs in the world.

Who Should Enter?

Please encourage students who already identify as writers or artists, but don’t stop there.

We especially want to reach the student who fills notebooks with stories but has never shown anyone. The student who writes poems on their phone. The student who draws constantly in the margins. The student who says, “I’m not really a writer…” or “I’m not really an artist…” and then quietly produces something extraordinary.

Students do not need previous publication, awards, or special training to participate.

How Does the Contest Work?

Students enter their work by the deadline (midnight on October 18th). A first round of writers and artists will evaluate the entries and send the finalists to the judges.  The judges will then select 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners. The winners and all finalists will be printed in The Riffles, a literary and art journal showcasing the teen talent in Josephine County!

Then we party! Mark November 19th on your calendar for our celebration of our young writers. We’ll throw a big party where winners can read/display their work and the larger community can come together to celebrate! (We’re still in the process of securing a location, but it will be in Grants Pass. Stay tuned!)

How Can You Help?

You don’t need to add a new unit to your curriculum or take on another project. Simply helping students discover the opportunity can make a tremendous difference. We don’t target kids on social media, so we need your help to get the word out!

You can help by:

• – Posting the Riffles flyer in your classroom, library, or school 
• – Sharing the contest in a class announcement or school newsletter
• – Sending the information to students who might be especially interested
• – Encouraging a student who may need a little nudge to submit
• – Follow @roguewriterscollective on Facebook and Instagram and share our social media posts with students and families

We provide ready-to-use flyers (email us at hello@roguewriterscollective.org), and you can download additional content that you can print and distribute. Check out other resources below to help you spread the word. If there’s anything else you can think of for us to create for you, let us know!

The Content Package includes:

Press Release

Please share with any news outlet you think may be interested.

Submission deadline:

Midnight, October 18

About Rogue Writers Collective

Rogue Writers Collective is a Southern Oregon 501(c)(3) literary nonprofit dedicated to helping writers learn their craft, find community, and bring their stories into the world.

Through workshops, literary events, publications, community programs, and opportunities like The Riffles, we work to make the literary arts accessible and to ensure that the voices and stories of Southern Oregon continue to flourish.

Help us find the young voices we haven’t heard yet.