This spring, Crooked Tree Arts Center is once again hosting the Young Writers Exposition as part of the annual Youth Arts Festival.

Who can participate?

• Elementary, middle, and high school students who attend schools served by the Char-Em ISD (or home school students in Charlevoix or Emmet counties.)

When can they submit?

• All work for the Young Writers Exposition must be submitted online by a parent or teacher between Monday, March 13 and Friday, March 24, at 5 p.m.

What can they submit?

• One work of poetry or prose, or one of each.
• Prose pieces are limited to 1,000 words and poetry pieces are limited to 500. 

Winning writers of all age groups receive a medal, journal, and McLean & Eakin Booksellers gift card, and will also have their work published in the digital Petoskey News-Review; first place winners will be printed in both the online and physical copies of PNR. Middle and high school winning writers will also receive monetary prizes:

• 1^st place - $100 (Bob Schulze Award)
• 2^nd place - $75
• 3^rd place - $50.

All first place writers will have their work printed in and receive a copy of the 2023 edition of the Walloon Writers Review. The Little Traverse Literary Guild will give two $500 “Best in Show” awards – the Hanna-Renkes/Jan Smith Literary Award – to high school students for poetry and prose.

Winners will be invited to receive awards at the Youth Arts Awards Night on Wednesday, April 19, at 7 PM.

Submit high school pieces here. 

Submit middle school pieces here.

Submit elementary school pieces here.

Thank you to our event sponsors and partners!

McLean & Eakin Booksellers of Petoskey • Petoskey News-Review • Little Traverse Literary Guild

The Bob Schulze Fund for Creative Writing at Petoskey-Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation • Walloon Writers Review

If you have questions about the Young Writers Exposition, please contact Megan DeWindt at

231-347-4337 / boxoffice@crookedtree.org.

The winning entries for 2022 can be found here.