Whitefish Review: Encouraging Young Writers

Whitefish Review‘s most recent issue, themed “The Geography of Hope,” includes a feature entitled “Freeflow: Getting into the minds and hearts of Whitefish High School students.” The editors worked with WHS teachers Nikki Reed and Eric Sawtelle to gather students and “gain insight on their sense of place in the mountains and the work they do with Project FREEFLOW (Flathead River Educational Effort for Focused Learning in Our Watersheds).”

Coupling literary magazines with young activists to support their work, give them an audience, and create a bond with the printed arts is a great concept other publications could emulate. In addition, while Whitefish Review charges a nominal fee for submissions, there is no charge for writers high school age and younger, encouraging their participation.

This is especially good to know, considering the publication’s latest call for submissions for a themed issue: Mythic Beasts & Monsters. If THAT doesn’t encourage young writers, I don’t know what will!

Until March 15, 2015: “Whitefish Review wants you to dig into supernatural history: Nessie, Sasquatch, and cousin Yeti—the Brontosaurus still rumbling somewhere deep in the Congo’s swamps. Fairies, Trolls, Dragons, Gods ‘n’ Demons. Our own Flathead Lake Monster. What natural models are these beasts based on? What human hopes and fears? Why do we seem to wish that those creatures are really out there? How big and strange is creation anyway — the real pageant of creatures? What about all the bizzarro beasts that are stranger than any legend? (Thank you to Douglas H. Chadwick for the writing prompt.)”