Empathize. Imagine. Narrate.
Have you ever wondered what someone else’s day is really like?
What happens before your teacher enters the classroom? What does a firefighter do between emergency calls? What happens inside a bakery before the doors open? What’s it like to deliver hundreds of packages, care for animals, build a house, fly an airplane, work in a hospital—or do a job nobody has invented yet?
For A Day in Their Shoes, young writers are invited to step into someone else’s world.
Choose a profession or worker and build a story around their day. Your story can be realistic, funny, adventurous, mysterious or completely imaginative.
Themes:
Ages 5-8
When I Grow Up
What would you like to be when you grow up? Tell us about one exciting day at your future job.
100-300 Words
Ages 9-11
A Day in Their Shoes
Choose any job. Imagine that you have to do it for one day. What happens?
300-500 Words
Ages 12-14
Behind the Job
Tell a story about something unexpected happening during an ordinary day at work.
500-800 Words
Ages 15-18
More Than a Job
Write a story exploring the person behind an occupation—their ambitions, challenges, relationships, decisions or dreams.
800-1,500 Words
Entries must be original and written by the participant. Any use of AI/Reference will disqualify them from participation in any competition.
Awards to Win!
Compete, create, and celebrate the art of storytelling! Win Awards Too!
A premier platform for kids to showcase their writing talent through exciting competitions, and win Awards.
Little Wordsmiths
5-8 Years old
Nurturing the seeds of storytelling in the bright and curious minds of young dreamers.
- Story Sprout
- Tiny Tale Award
- Imagination Starter Award
Bold Wordsmiths
9-11 Years old
Celebrating the budding creativity of young writers just beginning their storytelling journey.
- Rising Pen Award
- Creative Words Award
- Boundless Scribbler
Aspiring Authors
12-14 Years old
Recognizing the vision and creativity of tomorrow’s literary leaders.
- Narrative Voyager
- Junior Trailblazer
- Dream Sketcher
Masterful Wordcrafters
15-18 Years old
Celebrating the creativity and mastery of the future voices of literature.
- Junior Alchemist
- Literary Prodigy
- Junior Laureate
Submission Guidelines
We’re excited to read your stories! Before you submit, please make sure your work follows these simple guidelines:
✅ Age Group: Open to writers aged 5 to 18. Make sure you’re submitting in the correct age category.
✅ Original Work Only: Submissions must be your own original writing. Plagiarized content will not be accepted.
✅ Language: Please use English only.
✅ File Format: Submit as a PDF.
✅ Word Count: Follow the above mentioned wordcount limit as per the age group.
✅ Editing: Make sure your work is spell-checked and grammatically correct.
✅ One Submission per Contest: Only one entry per participant is allowed for each contest round.
For better understanding read this post of How to submit your story?
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this competition free to enter?
Yes. Entry is free for eligible participants.
Who can participate?
Young writers ages 5-18 across the United States can participate.
What should the story be about?
Stories should align with the theme A Day in Their Shoes to step into someone else’s world, see life through a different perspective, and tell a story filled with empathy, imagination, and insight.
What file format is accepted?
Stories should be submitted as a PDF.
Will every participant receive a certificate?
Yes. Every participant receives a digital certificate.
Will selected entries be published?
Selected entries will be published on our website.
