Denver Writes' literary magazine, Backspace, is currently looking for fresh, innovative, and creative writing which challenges the status quo and shows insightful understanding of the world. We aim to showcase an array of Denver's best young writers (aged 10-18) and provide a space for young writers to be published in print.

Please read the guidelines below before submitting.

Submission Guidelines

In order to submit to Backspace literary magazine, you must be:

• between 10 - 18 years of age

• live in the Denver Metro Area

Backspace literary magazine accepts the following:

• Prose — up to 2 pieces at a time, 2,000 word maximum

  • This includes both nonfiction (such as memoir and personal essay) and fiction

• Poetry — up to 3 pieces at a time, 2 page maximum (per poem)

• Dramatic writing — up to 1 piece at a time, 5 page maximum

• Visual art — up to 3 pieces at a time, any medium

When submitting, please note:

• Submissions should be in one of the following formats; Word (.doc and .docx) or PDF (.pdf).

• Previously published pieces will not be accepted, so please don’t submit them! We want to showcase new literary work from young writers and artists.

Please send all submissions to backspace@denverwrites.org In the subject line include the type of submission and your last name.

    For example, “Poetry Submission - Smith”.

Backspace has a limited staff and thus response time is slower. If you haven’t heard from us within three months of your submission, please send us an email to confirm we received your submission.

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DISCLAIMER: By submitting your work to Backspace literary magazine, you acknowledge Backspace’s right to publish your piece(s) of writing/art, both in print and electronically. Backspace reserves the right to edit submitted pieces.

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Are you interested in getting more involved with Backspace Literary Magazine?

Backspace is currently looking for teens, aged 12-18 interested in helping compile, edit, organize, and design the literary magazine.

If you are interested, please email backspace@denverwrites.org, with a subject line of “Get Involved”.

Please include your:

• name

• age

• 3 pieces of sample writing (poetry, prose, or dramatic writing that conform to the above stated guidelines)

• previous experience

• your favorite book character and why

Digging Deep: Unearthing the Heart of Your Character @ BookBar, 4280 Tennyson Street, Denver 80212. June 17th - 21st, from 10am-2pm, for ages 12 and up. Instructor: Ingrid Palmer

During this week-long camp, we’ll focus on developing strong characters, writing with emotional intensity, and discussing literature that is gripping and relatable. We’ll talk about motivation, voice, conflict and pacing–all essential components of contemporary fiction–and engage in fun writing activities that will get us thinking about our characters in new ways. But mostly, we will write! This camp is for teens who want to take their story ideas or current WIP to a deeper level by unearthing their characters’ full range of emotions.

Ingrid Palmer is the author of All Out of Pretty (Creston Books 2018), a contemporary YA novel about a 16-year-old honors student who is forced to live with her drug-addicted mother and her mother’s dealer boyfriend. Ingrid has a Master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University and is a graduate of the Denver Publishing Institute. She has worked as an editor-in-chief, an automotive journalist, a proofreader, and a bookseller. Originally from Ohio, Ingrid now lives in the Colorado mountains and is at work on her next young adult novel. Website: ingridpalmer.com, Twitter: @IngPalmer, Instagram: IngyPal, Facebook: ingridpalmerauthor.

Marvelous Mysteries @ Nagel Art Studios (on the DU Campus), 2121 E Asbury Ave, Denver, CO 80210.  June 24th - 28th, from 9am - 3pm, for ages 8-12. Instructor: Rachel Echsner

A group of extremely talented young authors accept the challenge to produce some of the most spectacular mystery writing the world has ever read. Will things play out the way they expected?

Join Denver Writes for a week of marvelous mysteries packed full of suspects, motives, clues and plenty of red herrings. What incredible masterpieces will surface from this week of writing? We’ll leave that one up you to solve.

Grotesquely Gothic: Harrowing Horror 101 @ @ Nagel Art Studios (on the DU Campus), 2121 E Asbury Ave, Denver, CO 80210. July 8th - 12th, from 9am - 3pm, for ages 10 -14. Instructor: Erin Christian

During this camp we will explore classic gothic horror tropes and draft spine-chilling stories to thrill our readers. Not for the faint of heart! Come prepared to make hair stand on end and join the ranks of Edgar Allen Poe, Mary Shelley, and Bram Stoker!

Erin Christian is a graduate of the University of Georgia’s MFA program for Creative Writing, where she interned with The Georgia Review and the UGA Press. She has had her short stories published in a variety of journals, was nominated for a Pushcart Prize, and is a semi-regular competitor in Denver’s Moth StorySlams. Originally from Georgia, Erin now lives in Denver where she teaches high school English and volunteers for a variety of local nonprofits.

HiFi - Scifi: Science Fiction Writing @ BookBar, 4280 Tennyson Street, Denver 80212. July 17th - 21st, from 10am-2pm, for ages 8 - 11. Instructor: Debbie Vance

Calling all future authors! Do you love to create stories? Do you want to learn more about developing real life characters, unforgettable settings and awesome plots? Come join us as we learn what makes a great story, share ideas, WRITE WRITE WRITE and most importantly have fun in the process. For those who choose to share their completed works at the end of the week, we will celebrate all workshop attendees with a public reading for family and friends at the BookBar.

Debbie Vance's fiction has appeared in Black Warrior Review, Crazyhorse, Blue Mesa Review, Flyway, and elsewhere. Her fiction was a finalist for the 2018 Best of the Net Prize and a semi-finalist for the 2017 American Short Fiction Prize, and has been nominated for Pushcart and O Henry Prizes. She received her MFA in fiction from Colorado State University and is at work on a collection of linked stories and a novel. You can find her online @debbieannevance.