How It Works
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Who we work with:
Youth ages 7–21 from marginalized groups. -
What we accept:
Any form of honest expression: poems, stories, rants, letters, fragments, even doodles. If it’s real, it belongs here. -
What happens next:
We offer kind, thoughtful mentorship - not to make the work perfect, but to support growth, confidence, and clarity. We edit with the writer, not over them. -
We publish everything submitted with care.
No rejections. No gatekeeping. If a young person trusts us with their story, we honor that trust by making space for it. -
How we publish:
Contributors choose how they want to be named: real name, pen name, or anonymously. They have full control over how their work appears. -
Where we publish:
In themed digital issues on our website. Every contributor is notified and celebrated. -
Who we partner with:
Teachers, youth workers, harm reduction programs, and community orgs - anyone helping young people find their voice.
Why We Exist
Mainstream publishing tends to feature voices that are already polished and confident. But many young people have never had the chance to become either - not because they lack talent, but because they’ve never been given the time, support, or encouragement.
We believe that writing can be a form of healing, resistance, and transformation. That storytelling is a human right.
At Untold, we don’t look for “writers.” We look for truth. We look for courage. We look for the stories that haven’t been given space, and we help shape that space together.
About
Untold
Untold is a creative writing journal dedicated to amplifying the voices of youth whose stories are too often overlooked or silenced.
We publish original work, poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, hybrid forms, and more, by young writers navigating the systems and identities that shape them: incarceration, substance use, housing insecurity, disability, queerness, and more. These are the stories that don’t always make it into classrooms, contests, or mainstream publications, but they are no less powerful, beautiful, or necessary.
At Untold, we don’t ask young people to write about their trauma. We ask them to write what’s true about their lives, their dreams, their anger, their joy. We aim to create a space where youth can take creative risks, speak in their own voice, and be fully seen.