Enter Your Students in the MySpace/HarperTeen Writing Contest
By SLJ Staff -- School Library Journal, 12/28/2007 6:24:00 AM
If your students love writing short stories, poems, or songs, sign them up in the MySpace/HarperTeen “Create and Share” writing contest. The winner will receive a $5,000 cash prize and a phone call from his favorite HarperTeen author.
HarperTeen, an imprint of HarperCollins, has partnered with MySpace to launch MySpace/HarperTeen, where teens can read author blogs, interact on message boards and forums, learn about upcoming events, post photos, and participate in contests, programs and online polls. Beginning this month, HarperTeen authors will chat with readers through the HarperTeen/MySpace site.
"With millions of teens spending their time online everyday, it makes perfect sense for us to partner with MySpace to build the HarperTeen community," says Diane Naughton, vice president of marketing at HarperCollins Children's Books.
The deadline for the “Create and Share” writing contest is January 7. Users must submit original entries in the form of short stories, poems, and songs, and a panel of HarperTeen judges will select the 10 most original and creative entries. The MySpace/HarperTeen community, however, will vote for the winner. Finalists and their work will be featured on the HarperTeen profile and various other MySpace pages.
"With writing contests, must-read book lists, author blogs, fun forums and so much more, HarperTeen and MySpace have created a fabulous, interactive place for readers!" says Sara Shepard, author of the Pretty Little Liars series.
The MySpace/HarperTeen profile also lets user submit their own creative writing and get feedback from their peers and keeps readers informed of new releases via their "Weekend Read" bulletin. Every Friday, users receive a book recommendation and can discuss the book the following week on the message boards.
HarperTeen/MySpace will also video trailers, polls, quizzes and information about new book releases. MySpace will also promote the HarperTeen profile throughout their site.
