Frequently Asked Questions

1) What does Speak Up Press publish?

• The teen literary journal Speak Up that features the fiction, nonfiction, poetry, plays, photography, and artwork of teens 13-19 years old.
• Book length young adult fiction and nonfiction by writers of all ages.

2) What is ‘SUP

• ‘SUP is a blog where teens will work with Speak Up Press's writer in residence and add their own parts to an ongoing story. Speak Up’s Writer or Artist in Residence (a professional working writer) will moderate the blog.

3) What do I need to know about Speak Up?

• Speak Up only accepts work from teens (13-19 years old).
• Speak Up accepts fiction, nonfiction, poetry, plays, photography, and artwork. Although we will accept submissions up to 2500 words, most short stories in Speak Up are 4-5 pages (1000-1250 words). We have no specific guidelines for content. Speak Up strives to be the authentic voice of teens.
• Follow the Speak Up submission guidelines.
• You don’t have to be enrolled in school. Speak Up accepts submissions from all teens.
• Speak Up is designed and produced by Speak Up’s Teen Advisory Board (TAB).
• To become a member of Speak Up’s TAB, click on the TAB link and follow instructions.
• Speak Up’s TAB members are any interested teens who submit a creative work of their own, fill out a TAB applicaton, and make a commitment to work on Speak Up.
• Speak Up is published once a year in a soft-covered book format.
• Speak Up publishes selected works online once a month.
• Speak Up has no limit on the number of pieces you can submit, but we encourage you to send your best work and suggest sending no more than 3 pieces.
• There are no fees to submit.
• We will notify you as soon as possible to let you know whether or not your work is chosen, usually not more than six months.
• There is no payment for published work, but Speak Up’s writers and artists receive free copies of Speak Up in book format.
• Speak Up is free online. Sample back issues are free (one per person). Speak Up in book format is $3.00 for teens, $5.00 for teachers and libraries, and $10.00 for the general public.

4) What do I need to know about publishing book length fiction and nonfiction?

• Speak Up Press publishes YOUNG ADULT BOOKS ONLY.
• Follow book length submission guidelines carefully.
• Writers of book length submissions may be any age.
• Only one submission accepted at a time.
• There are no reading fees.
• Speak Up Press plans to publish one or two titles a year.
• Speak Up Press uses a standard writer-publisher contract.
• Speak Up Press editors will let you know if they want to see the entire manuscript. Do not contact us.