We're looking for our next cohort of teen authors for our 2024 Rising Voices Collective, which is open to young writers ages 14-19 in the United States who want to commit to writing, publishing, and promoting a novella over the course of a year. The application is due 11:59 pm PT on Wednesday, May 1, 2024!
It’s 100% free to participate in the 2024 program, courtesy of the AT&T Foundation. To learn more, check out our website and Frequently Asked Questions.
Meet 2023 Youth Author Chase Kim
Chase and his novella, Red Status, are shining examples of how youth authors and their stories can make the world a better place. Red Status follows a teenage boy named Sun-shin, whose world is changed forever when he’s tranquilized and kidnapped from his home. He wakes up in a “protection” camp, a government program intended to shield Asian-Americans from the brunt of Asian hate crimes—or so they’re told. Chase thoughtfully tackles themes of authoritarianism, hierarchy, and racism, all while keeping readers on the edge of their seat ‘til the end.
We’re looking for timely and imaginative story ideas like Red Status that reflect what young people care about. Your story is what’s missing in literature. We’ll help you bring it to life.
What has been Chase’s experience as part of the Rising Voices Collective?
Drawing inspiration from history's most influential creative advocates—Harper Lee, George Orwell, James Baldwin, to name a few—I've always tried to advocate for my experiences and beliefs through my writing. Yet, as a high school student, I've seldom had opportunities to share my ideas with a broad audience. Through Novelly's Rising Voices Collective, not only was my novella Red Status published to Novelly's national platform, it was refined and elevated through close collaboration with mentors, editors, and even graphic designers. In addition, speaking to peers about Red Status and creative expression has allowed me to reinforce my novella's impact as an allegory against anti-Asian hate.
We look forward to reading your story ideas. Please contact our Managing Director, Anna Casalme (anna@novelly.org), if you have any questions.