Our Program
Kids Write Now! is a month-long creative writing contest and incentive program for younger teens, ages 10-14. The program is tied to National Novel Writing Month, or "Na-No-Wri-Mo," and it runs through the month of November.
National Novel Writing Month
National Novel Writing Month, or “NaNoWriMo,” is a long-standing program popular with young writers across the country in which teens set word count goals and attempt to reach them over the month of November. In Kids Write Now!, young writers sign up for NaNoWriMo's youth program under the library's aegis and then receive increasingly exciting incentive prizes as they progress towards meeting word count goals.
Workshops & Events
What we mean by "contest"
During the program, participants will have the opportunity to participate in inclusive, community-building workshop events facilitated by professional WritopiaLab instructors. WritopiaLab is a nationally-acclaimed non-profit organization that is dedicated to supporting the voices of young creative people. Young authors will also have the option to attend readings and Q&A discussions with local authors.
Although we are officially a month-long creative writing contest, young authors' work isn't judged on merit, and we never make comparisons between authors' creative works. Our focus is on building community and supporting each and every one of our young writers' unique voices, and we feel that competition is antithetical to this goal. Our highest-level winners are determined by word count only, and every participant will win something.
Workshops, events, and prizes are provided to all participants free of charge thanks to the generosity of our sponsorship partners.
Event Schedule & Program Specifics
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November 1: NaNoWriMo opens and the contest begins.
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November 2, 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM: WritopiaLab instructors lead a workshop session and reading and Q&A with local Bay Area author Jon Agee.
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November 9, 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM: WritopiaLab instructors lead a workshop session.
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November 16, 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM: WritopiaLab instructors lead a workshop session.
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November 23, 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM: WritopiaLab instructors lead a workshop session.
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November 30, 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM: The contest ends. All contest participants have the opportunity to attend a winners' reception at the library. (If you are a finalist, runner-up, or overall winner, you MUST attend this reception to claim your prize.)
Participants can sign up for Kids Write Now! anytime during the month of November through the website. On weekends, in addition to attending workshops, young authors will have the opportunity to collect smaller incentive prizes and sign-up for the program in person at the Richmond/Senator Milton Marks Branch of the San Francisco Public Library on Saturdays from 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM.
Location: All events are held at the Richmond/Senator Milton Marks Branch of the SFPL.
Richmond Library
351 9th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94118
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Cost: All program events and opportunities are open and free to all participants.
Winners & Incentive Prizes
As stated above, top winners are determined by word count only, with the overall winner being the person who wrote the most during the month. All participants will receive an incentive prize, and all will be encouraged to attend our winners' reception on November 30.
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Overall winner: 4 tickets to the 7D Experience/The Flyer at Fisherman's Warf, a full scholarship to a weeklong WritopiaLab Bay Area young writers workshop, and a bundle of bookish goodies -- including three advance reader's copies of books from Chronicle Books and a signed copy of Annie Barrows's novel, ​Ivy and Bean
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Runners-up (2nd and 3rd place): 2 tickets to the San Francisco Dungeon experience or 2 tickets to the Jay Alexander Magic Show
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Finalists (4th through 14th places): 2 movie passes each, valid at the Richmond's local Balboa Theater
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All participants: All writers will receive at least one prize over the month of November.
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Sign up as a participant = snack
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Every 500 words = snack​
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Reach 2000 words = pen and notebook kit
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At the conclusion of the program, each participant will also receive an age-appropriate book of their choice at the winners' reception.
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Young writers can collect their smaller incentive prizes (snacks and notebooks) at the Richmond/Senator Milton Marks Branch Library on Saturdays from 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM. Larger prizes can only be collected during the winners' reception on November 30.