Writing Teacher Resources
The primary age range for our services is 9 through 21.
NEW! We have limited edition Polly Wants to Be a Writer bookmarks available for teachers at no cost. Each bookmark comes with a coupon for the LTC Store. If you would like a batch of bookmarks for your students, please email your name, position, school mailing address, and the number of bookmarks you would like to order to laura@laurathomascommunications.com.
“Today I saw how Polly Wants to be a Writer connected with a student who is desperately crying out for acceptance and understanding.” – Tybie, Gifted Education Helping Teacher
Free Online Contests
On now through June 30th
Annual Junior Authors Short Story Contest
Runs January to June 30th every year. Students write a short story on any theme of no more than 1,000 words. Past winning stories are online and can be used as a teaching resource with permission. Judging criteria is listed on the rules page. NOTE: Please make sure that your students follow the entry rules and submission guidelines or their stories will not be judged. Learn More
Annual Junior Authors Poetry Contest (New for 2013)
Runs August to January 31st every year. Students write a poem of no more than 50 lines on any subject and in any style. Feedback option is available for a small fee. Judging criteria is listed on the rules page. Learn More
Classroom Resources
The 5-star novel and writing guide that affirms, encourages and equips young writers to succeed.
Polly Wants to Be a Writer
The YA novel Polly Wants to Be a Writer: The Junior Authors Guide to Writing and Getting Published was designed with the classroom in mind. If you are teaching fiction writing to your students, this book is a must-have. It will satisfy both your fiction reading and writing component. If you are looking to purchase a classroom set of 20+ books, the best place to order from is the publisher’s bookstore. The retail price is lower than most bookstores at $14.99 CAD, plus a much higher royalty comes back to LTC which allows us to keep doing what we do: help young writers. Learn More
DIY Writing Contest?
If you are hosting your own writing contest at the classroom, school or district level and are looking for prizes or guidance, please get in touch with Laura about donating a copy of Polly, providing management support, or volunteering as one of your judges.
Annual Polly Prize for Creative Writing
Every year a prize of $250 is given to a young writer for achievement in creative writing. Please encourage your students to apply. The deadline is August 31st. Learn More
Polly Step-by-Step Writing Workbooks
Polly Wants to Be a Writer Workbook: Write a Short Story is available now for the low price of $3 Canadian. Only available in our store. Interactive PDF file for download and printing. The next workbook, Write an Essay, will be available on April 4, 2014. Learn More
jaBlog! The Blog By and For Young Writers
Our young writers blog is run like an e-zine. It has articles on the art and craft of writing, short stories and poetry written by young writers, interviews with authors, and much more. Encourage your students to browse the article index and to submit something. Learn More
Laura Thomas Comm You Tube Channel
This is new for us, but stay tuned for videos that will help your students write better fiction and non-fiction. Click here to view our channel. If there is a specific topic that you would like Laura to cover in a 5 – 10 minutes video, please email her.
Author Visits
Laura does a limited number of educational, large group or small group workshop, author visits each year. Learn More
Building Publishing Credentials
Do you know a young writer who has self-published a book? We want to review it. Click for submission info.
Write for jaBlog! The Blog By and For Junior Authors
If you have students who would like to try their hand at non-fiction article writing, fiction writing, and more, please direct them to the Submit page of jaBlog! You may use the articles as a classroom resource with permission. Writers have to be on the LTC Insider Mailing List to participate. It’s free to sign up.
Ask Laura
Our website also has pages with writing tips and prompts, a literary calendar of events, and a free help page where students can post writing questions and receive assistance at no charge. Laura usually responds within 24 hours. Learn More
Junior Authors Writers Conferences
These are one-day conferences with multiple workshops taught by industry professionals on the art and craft of writing. The JA writing conferences are unique in that they cater only to young writers between the ages of 9 and 21. Meals are included, as is a parent workshop at the end of the day. The conferences take place in various cities each year. They are ticketed events, though we strive to keep the cost affordable and offer financial assistance scholarships to a handful of students. If you have a group that wishes to attend, please get in touch. Learn More
We truly appreciate the work that you do as a classroom teacher or home school teacher. If you have any comments or suggestions, please leave them below or email laura@laurathomascommunications.com
I was wondering if I would just send the document of the story through email or if I print the story and mail it
Thanks reply soon
Hi Bella. If this is for the contest, please go to the short story contest page and read the rules and submission guidelines. http://laurathomascommunications.com/juniorauthorscontest/
Hi Laura,
Do you ever do story writing workshops in Delta anymore? My 11 yr old daughter is interested.
Angela
Hi Angela. Maintaining all these free web-based services and contests in addition to the conferences and my own projects, doesn’t leave me with any time for workshop teaching. Is she coming to the JA Conference in Richmond on October 19?