Teen ETCH 2026
Teen ETCH Creative Writing Contest
Theme: Chaos
The annual Teen ETCH Writing contest is a partnership between the Guelph Public Library and the Vocamus Writers Community. Teens, in grades 7 through 12, are given the chance to become a published author by submitting their original short story or poem to be considered for inclusion in the anthology. The contest opens Sunday, March 1, 2026.
How to enter the writing contest
Interested participants can enter the Teen ETCH Creative Writing contest by submitting an original short story and/or poem.
- Participants must be a resident of Guelph or Wellington County.
- Submissions must be 1,500 words or less and can be submitted using the contest entry button below.
- Submissions must be original written works. Any content created using AI will not be accepted.
- Submissions must be received before the contest deadline of Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at 11:59 p.m., to be considered for this year's anthology.
How will the submissions be judged
All submissions will be judged by librarians and local industry professionals. Finalists who are selected will be paired with a local author mentor in early April 2026, who will provide creative writing techniques and feedback to help polish their submission for final judging.
Contest winners will be chosen based on creativity, originality, style, grammar and spelling. The decision of the judges is final.
Winners will be announced during our Teen ETCH Anthology Book Launch on Saturday, May 30, 2026.
Prizes
Prizes will be awarded for both short story and poetry submissions. The top three entries in each of the following categories will receive prizes:
- Grades 7 to 8
- Grades 9 to 10
- Grades 11 to 12
- Poetry (all grade levels )
Thanks to a generous donation from Kiwanis Club of Guelph, the total value of all prizes will be over $2,000 and will consist of writing and art supplies from Wyndham Art Supplies. Chances of winning are dependent on the number of completed entries received.
Teen ETCH 2026 Anthology Cover Art contest
In conjunction with the writing contest, the annual Teen ETCH Anthology Cover Art contest offers teens, in grades 7 through 12, the chance to have their original piece of art be the cover of the 2026 Teen Etch Anthology. Participants must be a resident of Guelph or Wellington County.
Image guidelines for submitting cover art
Submissions will be used for a book cover, and should adhere to the following format guidelines:
- The artwork must reflect this year’s Teen ETCH theme: Chaos.
- The piece must be created in a vertical orientation.
- The artwork should be at least 6” x 9”.
- The image should not include any text.
- Only original artwork will be accepted – no AI-generated images are permitted.
Submissions must be received by Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. to be considered for this year's anthology.
How will the submissions be judged
All submissions will be judged by librarians and local industry professionals. The winner will be notified in April and announced at our Teen ETCH Anthology Book Launch on Saturday, May 30, 2026.
Prizes
A prize will be awarded for the winning cover art submission.
Thanks to a generous donation from Kiwanis Club of Guelph, the total value of all prizes will be over $2,000 and will consist of writing and art supplies from Wyndham Art Supplies. Chances of winning are dependent on the number of completed entries received.
