Blog Post
It's All Write: The Countdown Begins!
by yugure
Short story writers, if you haven't written a story for the 2015 It's All Write Teen Short Story Contest, now's the time to get started! The deadline for submission is March 13, which means you have one week in which to write a totally awesome, amazing, incredible, hilarious, jaw-dropping, heart-wrenching, inspired story! Don't have time to write a brand new one? Dust off and spruce up that draft you've got sitting around on your hard drive!
Go to the It's All Write page to find writing guidelines and the submission form.
Happy writing!
Blog Post
Friday 2/27 - Last day to submit stories for the "Write On!" Short Story Contest for 3rd to 5th Grade!
by BugsAndSlugs
Don’t worry - there’s still time! You can submit a story at the Downtown Library Youth Desk (343 S. Fifth Ave) or email it to youngwrite@aadl.org through February 27th! Check out the contest guidelines for details.
Remember, the top three stories will be chosen from each grade and every writer will receive a certificate of participation! Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony held on Sunday April 19th, 2015 from 2 - 3 pm in the Downtown Library: Multi-Purpose Room.
Still working on your story? Try some of these writing resources if you need help!
My Weird Writing Tips by Dan Gutman. The author of the “My Weird School” series gives advice on writing, finding your big idea, and provides a checklist to help young writers develop all the important parts of their story!
Just Write: Here’s How by award winning author Walter Dean Myers. Get suggestions for story ideas, characters and plot as well as advice for dealing with helpful criticism.
826michigan
Ann Arbor’s own center for great creative writing workshops. All workshops are free, some require registration. Ages 8 to 18.
Brainfuse Writing Lab
Get live online help from writing tutors 2-11pm, seven days a week. No appointments necessary. Log in to an aadl.org online account and go to student papers to use this service for free!
Blog Post
"Write On!" - Let's Get Started!
by BugsAndSlugs
Thinking about entering this year’s “Write On!” Short Story Contest for 3rd-5th grade, but not sure where to start? What are short stories supposed to be about, anyway?
Good news! That's the fun part about writing - YOU get to decide. It can be scary, funny, silly, or sad. All you need is an idea! Now... where can you find one of those?!
These short story collections should get you thinking:
Ribbiting Tales: Original Stories About Frogs
Sports Shorts: An Anthology of Short Stories
Breaking the Spell: Tales of Enchantment
For some spooky ideas, try:
That’s Ghosts for You: 13 Scary Stories
Beware! : R.L. Stine Picks His Favorite Scary Stories
To find out more about the "Write On!" Short Story Contest, check out the contest home page!
Blog Post
Let the "Write On!" Contest Begin!
by krayla
All third, fourth, and fifth grade writers may now submit their stories to the third annual "Write On!" Short Story Contest! Just type up your story and either send it to youngwrite@aadl.org or bring it to the Youth Desk at the Downtown Branch! Story submissions will be accepted 2/9-2/27. Check out the guidelines and contest website for more information!
If writing a story straight from your head seems tough, try out a couple of these goofy story-starters to get your ideas flowing!
The only thing worse than stepping in grape jelly is...
This morning I woke up and thought, "Aw pickles."
Dragons don't make very good pets...
When I walked into science class today, I didn't expect...
Something sounded like two million cats practicing karate...
Happy writing!
Blog Post
The "It's All Write!" Contest Is Now Accepting Submissions!
by krayla
The 23rd "It's All Write!" Teen Short Story Contest has officially begun! Writers in grades 6-12 may enter their short story today through Friday, March 13.
Whether you are new to the contest or are a returning writer, you may find these Frequently Asked Questions helpful:
Q: Can I use a story that I've already written in class?
A: Yes, as long as it is not already published in print or online.
Q: Do I have to write about a certain topic or theme?
A: You can write about whatever you would like!
Q: How do I start writing a story?
A: The writing resources guide features several websites to help you get started.
Q: Is this contest just for Ann Arbor students?
A: The "It's All Write" contest is for any teen writer who wishes to enter, even if they live in another state or country!
Q: Who are the contest judges?
A: The judges change every year, so keep an eye on our website to find out who is on this year's panel.
For more information, please visit the contest website! Happy writing!
Blog Post
"Write On!" Contest Guidelines are now posted! Entries accepted February 9 - 27th!
by krayla
Young writers in 3rd-5th Grade may now view the 2015 "Write On!" Short Story Contest Guidelines! The "Write On!" Short Story Contest is now three years old and has received a total of 200 submissions from previous years! Keep the stories coming, writers of Ann Arbor and beyond!
"Write On!" will begin accepting submissions on Monday, February 9.
Need some help getting started? Check out the Writing Resources page. For more information about the contest, please visit the contest home page.
Happy writing!
Blog Post
"It's All Write!" Contest Guidelines are now posted!
by krayla
Teen writers interested in entering the "It's All Write!" Teen Short Story Contest may now view the 2015 Guidelines! The guidelines have all of the most important information about submitting to the contest.
The "It's All Write!" Teen Short Story Contest has now been running for 23 years! Last year received the largest number of submissions at 358 stories. Teens all over Ann Arbor, Michigan, and even across the world choose to participate each year.
"It's All Write!" will begin accepting submissions on Tuesday, January 27. For more information about the contest, please visit the contest homepage: itsallwrite
Happy writing!
Blog Post
Young Naturalist Awards Contest 2015
by krayla
The American Museum of Natural History will once again host its popular Young Naturalist Awards contest this year for all students in grades 7-12 who are interested in science and nature. Young scientists can go outside and explore (in the backyard, at the park, at a pond, or even one of the Great Lakes, for example) to pose a question, create a hypothesis, and start collecting data. Then students write about their research in a thoughtful essay, including photographs or visuals and reflections on the outcome. In addition to all the outdoor fun, winning entrants will receive cash prizes, online publication, classroom resources for their teacher, and an all expenses paid trip to the Museum! Students may submit their essays from January 1, 2015 through March 1, 2015. Check out the American Museum of Natural History's website for more information!
Need help getting started on your submission? The first step is getting outside and exploring! You can even explore the great outdoors right near your favorite AADL branch: visit the beautiful Stapp Nature Area by Traverwood, the native plants of Malletts Creek, or the wetland areas of Pittsfield! Those looking to do background research can check out this list of books on nature. Library users can also check out items like binoculars, a birdsong scanning wand, a portable digital microscope, or the hybrid powered environmental quality meter from AADL's fantastic science tools collection for their research!
Good luck and happy exploring!
Blog Post
Failure IS An Option
by aadl staff
Gary Shteyngart will be at the Downtown Library on Tuesday, October 21 at 7 pm talking about his wildly funny book Little Failure.
Tweet to @aadl your "little failure" using the hashtag #LittleFailure for your chance to win a Failure Is An Option t-shirt.
Winners will be chosen at random and must be present at the event to win.
Media
9th Annual AADL LEGO Contest and Awards Ceremony Slideshow
Did you attend the 9th Annual AADL LEGO Contest? Take a look at our highlight reel and see what you missed. Then start planning your own project for next year's contest--or just remember to mark your calendar to go and check out all of the amazing LEGO creations that will be there!