Advice for Young Authors on Getting Published

Suggestions for Getting Published
Getting published depends on finding a publisher who is looking for what you are presenting. Publishers have publishing plans that determine exactly what books they need for each new season—mysteries, adventure stories, travel books, cook books, etc. They also have target markets in mind—adults, young adults, middle-grade readers, or very young readers. An excellent resource for finding publishers that might be interested in your work is The Writer's Market, a book available in the reference section of most libraries.
The following is a partial list of book and magazine publishers that are particularly interested in publishing the work of young authors.
Cicada Magazine
http://www.cricketmag.com/kids_home.asp
Carus Publishing Co.
315 Fifth Street
Peru, IL 61354
Editor: Marianne Carus
This monthly literary magazine for young adults accepts young author submissions. See the Submissions page in the magazine for details.
Cicada also has an online forum for authors 14 and up called “The Slam,” where you can submit poetry and short-short stories for critique by other teens. View online at http://www.cricketmag.com/theslam.htm
Cricket Magazine
http://www.cricketmag.com/kids_home.asp
Cricket League
P.O. Box 300
Peru, IL 61354
Editor: Marianne Carus
This monthly literary magazine for children ages 9-14 includes a section called "Cricket League," which is a story, art, or poetry contest. See magazine for specific contests, or view online at http://www.cricketmag.com/cricketleague.htm
Creative Kids Magazine
http://www.prufrock.com/client/client_pages/prufrock_jm_ck_wg.cfm
Submissions Editor
Creative Kids
P.O. Box 8813
Waco, TX 76714-8813
A magazine by and for kids that publishes cartoons, songs, stories, puzzles, photographs, artwork, games, editorials, poetry, plays, and other creative work by kids ages 8-14. Check out their website for details.
Highlights for Children
http://www.highlightskids.com/
803 Church Street
Honesdale, PA 18431-1895
A monthly educational magazine for children ages 2-12. Accepts children's work for special sections such as “My Favorite Books” and “Science Letters.” Also accepts children's black-and-white and color artwork. Check out their website for details.
Landmark Editions, Inc.
http://www.landmarkeditions.com/
Contest for Students
Landmark Editions, Inc.
1904 Foxridge Drive
Kansas City, KS 66106
This publishing company publishes books by young writers exclusively. Check out their website for details about their contests.
New Moon: The Magazine for Girls and Their Dreams
http://www.newmoon.org/
New Moon: The Magazine for Girls and Their Dreams
2 W First Street #101
Duluth, MN 55802
Managing Editor: Joe Kelly
This magazine features original poetry, fiction, articles, and artwork from girls all over the world. Their website has details on how to submit.
Stone Soup
http://www.stonesoup.com/
Stone Soup
Submissions Dept.
PO Box 83
Santa Cruz, CA 95063
A literary magazine written entirely by children. Accepts stories, poems, nonfiction, book reviews, and artwork by children up to age 13. A forum for budding artists and authors.
Young Voices Magazine
P.O. Box 2321
Olympia, WA 98507
A quarterly magazine publishing children’s stories, poems, art, and essays. Write for sample copy and guidelines.
Also check out this website for more places that accept submissions from kids:
Society of Children's Book Writers and Illutrators: Rocky Mountain Chapter
Resources for Young Writers and Illustrators
http://www.rmcscbwi.org/links/Youngwriter.php
We hope that you keep writing and submitting your work to publishers. The thing to keep in mind is that getting published is a matter of being in the right place at the right time. Don't give up. And remember: Whenever you send something to a publisher, be sure to include a self-addressed, stamped envelope with enough postage to cover the cost of returning your work. Good luck!