Deadline: March 15th, 2026
Payment: $1,500
Theme: 1,500–5,000 word genre works that are targeting Upper Elementary, Middle School, and High School readers
Newsela is seeking fresh, diverse, and compelling voices to spark a love of reading in classrooms across the country.
We are looking for original short fiction that students want to read—stories that grab them from the first sentence and refuse to let go. We are moving beyond standard “lesson texts” to find vibrant storytelling that spans Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Adventure, Love, and Contemporary Realistic Fiction.
Who We Are Writing For
We are commissioning works for three distinct grade bands. Please identify your target audience in your submission:
- Upper Elementary (Grades 3–5): Stories of wonder, friendship, discovery, and humor. We want distinctive characters and clear, engaging plots.
- Middle School (Grades 6–8): Stories dealing with identity, belonging, moral dilemmas, and adventure. We welcome multiple genres that respect the emotional complexity of early adolescence.
- High School (Grades 9–12): Sophisticated narratives with complex themes, ambiguity, and authentic young adult voices. These stories should challenge readers and provoke debate.
What We Are Looking For (The Criteria)
To ensure our content supports instruction and assessment while delighting students, all submissions must meet the following criteria:
- “Un-put-down-able” Engagement
- The Hook: Does the story start in media res or with a compelling question? We want to avoid slow, exposition-heavy openings.
- The Voice: We are looking for unique, distinct stylistic voices. Avoid “textbook” or overly formal prose. The language should feel alive.
- Instructional Complexity
- Depth for Analysis: The story must be robust enough to support ELA instruction. It should contain clear literary elements (symbolism, irony, theme, character arc) that allow for the creation of rigorous assessment items.
- Inference Opportunities: The narrative should rely on “showing, not telling,” allowing students to make inferences about character motivations and plot developments.
- Diverse Perspectives
- Mirrors and Windows: We seek stories that reflect diverse perspectives – regional, cultural, etc. We encourage submissions featuring a wide spectrum of protagonists.
- Fresh Takes on Genre
- Subvert Expectations: If writing fantasy or sci-fi, how is your world-building unique? If writing horror, is it psychologically gripping rather than just gratuitously violent?
- Modern Relevance: Even in speculative fiction, themes should resonate with the modern student experience (e.g., technology, social dynamics, anxiety, hope).
- Suitability Guidelines
- Content Safety: While we want engaging conflict, content must be suitable for a school environment.
- No gratuitous violence, sexual content, or hate speech.
- Profanity: generally avoided, though mild, context-appropriate language may be considered for High School texts upon review.
Submission Requirements
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- Word Count: 1,500–5,000 words
- Format: Standard manuscript format (Double spaced, 12pt Times New Roman).
- Originality: Work must be entirely original and previously unpublished. AI-generated content is strictly prohibited.
- Deadline for Submissions: March 15, 2026
Rights and Compensation
- Compensation: Rate will be $1,500 per accepted manuscript.
- Rights Required: By accepting a commission, contributors agree to transfer all rights to Newsela.
- This includes the exclusive right to publish, reproduce, and distribute the work on all Newsela platforms in perpetuity.
- Newsela retains the right to edit, excerpt, and adapt the text to support instruction, leveling, and assessment creation.
How to Submit
Please include a copy of your story when submitting to [email protected].
- Write Newsela Original Fiction as part of your email subject.
- In the text of your email, include your name and your target audience: upper elementary, middle school, or high school aged students.
Acceptances will be notified in April.
Via: Newsela Google Docs Form.
