Sixth Annual Story Writing Contest for Teens

The 6th annual Write the Hook story writing contest for Teens in grades 6 to 12, is open for entries. Write your hook for the beginning of a story; a hook that impels the reader to want to find out what happens next. We can't wait to read this year's entries! Bon chance!

  Link to the Contest Entry Form  

    🖉 🖉 🖉  Contest Rules  🖉 🖉 🖉     

• Write the hook for the beginning of something longer; for the start of a story.
• Open to teens in grades 6 to 12, who are residents of Essex County in Massachusetts.
• Entry must be your original work. AI and other forms of it will not be tolerated or accepted. We reserve the right to request evidence of original work if we suspect that a submission was made with AI. 
• Word count must be between 300(min.) and 1,200(max.) words.  
• Maximum of 1 entry per author.
• Give your entry a title. 
• Entries due by midnight, Thursday, December 31, 2026.
  

The three contest judges use a rubric to score each story based on:

• Length: Is the entry between the minimum and maximum word count?
• Story Hook: Does the writing hook you? Do you want to find out what happens next?
• Character(s): Are character(s) distinctly described?
  
• Writing: Does the word choice convey a clear picture? 
• Grammar: How is the spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc.?
• Creativity!: Original ideas? Surprising? Imaginative?

 $ Cash Prizes Awarded $

Prizes are funded by the Friends of the Hamilton-Wenham Library.

First $60, and Second $40, place cash prizes will be awarded to: 

Writers in Grades 6-8 and also to

Writers in Grades 9-12

The preferred method to submit a story is through the online entry form. A story entry will be accepted in paper form, if it is typed in 12 point Times New Roman font on 8.5"x 11" paper. Also, you must include on the back of the last page: your first and last name, grade level, phone number, email, and story word count. Paper entries that do not follow these guidelines will be disqualified.

Contest winners will be announced in January 2027, both here on this blog and individually to the winners. Winning stories, along with author's name and grade level, will be published here on the Library's Informed Teens blog.