Weekly Challenges

Need inspiration? YWP has a wide range of writing and visual art challenges every week throughout the year. Teens ages 13-19 are encouraged to sign up for a free YWP account to respond directly to the challenges. Writing and art posted on the site – both responses to these challenges and general "Create" posts — will be considered for publication with our Vermont media partners, and in our monthly digital magazine, The Voice, and our annual anthologies. Teachers do not need a YWP account to view the site and use our challenges and resources to inspire young writers and artists. 

PDF of 2025-26 Weekly Challenges 


  • Visual Art

    Deadline

    Silhouettes

    Create an image that is made out of dark silhouettes on a light background. Will your silhouettes be people, plants, animals, or something else?

  • Writing

    Deadline

    Android

    If you were half-human and half-robot, what kind of robot would you want to be? Write about this as a short story, or whatever form you prefer.

  • Writing

    Deadline

    Halloween

    Write a short story about something spooky, or candy-filled, or costume-filled, happening on Halloween.

  • Visual Art

    Deadline

    Animals

    Photograph an animal. Try to orient your image so it tells a story.

  • Writing

    Deadline

    Breathing

    Close your eyes and try to take ten full breaths without your mind straying to other thoughts. Write about this experience and how your mind behaves. 

  • Writing

    Deadline

    Parting

    Is there someone in your life who you used to be close with? In poetry or prose, write a piece inspired by this person and/or your relationship with them. 

  • Visual Art

    Deadline

    Comic

    Create a small comic strip.

  • Visual Art

    Deadline

    Cake

    Using your preferred medium, show us what your dream cake looks like and if there is something more to it than what meets the eye. 

  • Writing

    Deadline

    Octopus

    Imagine you are an octopus––able to change your appearance at will and feel everything around you. What would that be like? 

  • Visual Art

    Deadline

    Buildings

    Using just pencil and paper, draw a sprawling city full of apartment buildings and people.

  • Writing

    Deadline

    Fruit

    Look at a fruit, any kind of fruit, and write down everything you notice about it. Write a poem about this fruit and see where your observations take you.

  • Writing

    Deadline

    Clouds

    Write a poem about what you imagine it would be like to float among the clouds.