A LITERARY JOURNAL PUBLISHING STANDOUT TEEN WRITERS AGES 13-19
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“False narratives are often the first shots of war. But these clear-eyed reflections from four Ukrainian teenagers show the truth about war’s personal toll—and the sacrifice and courage to pursue better futures.”
- David Weinstein, Founder, Write the World LLC. Read David's full letter here.
DIANA (Ukraine)
Since Ukraine has been invaded, I feel that my inner world has been invaded as well.
WRITE THE WORLD TEAM
A writing prompt encouraging young writers to reflect on turmoil and tranquility.
ROMAN (Ukraine)
For more than a week I have not been able to hear the voices of my relatives.
WRITE THE WORLD TEAM
Questions to help young writers think and write about the issues addressed in these pieces.
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Write the World’s global community of 35,000+ teenage writers from 100+ countries is reflecting on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and sharing their pieces with one another. Recently, WtW invited Ukrainian teens to write dispatches about their daily lives. This special edition of Write the World Review features the first group of four.
War memoirs by teenage authors are a genre that pits fear against hopeful courage. From The Diary of Anne Frank (1947) to I am Malala (2013), war memoirs demonstrate teenagers’ tenacity to navigate bullets and find paths to survival. Coming of age during bloody conflict irreversibly exposes life’s precariousness. In response, these Ukrainian writers portray remarkable courage: to escape abroad (alone) to pursue their education; to leave behind everything they know and love; and to organize demonstrations in a faraway city to raise awareness for those suffering at home.
False narratives are often the first shots of war. But these clear-eyed reflections from four Ukrainian teenagers show the truth about war’s personal toll—and the sacrifice and courage to pursue better futures. If you're a teacher, please examine our reflection questions and prompts to guide further classroom engagement.
Finally, as with Anne Frank and Malala, writing offers shelter from chaos. A safe harbor to reflect on external havoc and internal pain. These four young Ukrainians are reaching back across the distance that separates them from people and places they love—the divide between comforting past and uncertain future. These writers ask us, as readers, to help bear the weight of the history they are enduring. They take us with them on the crowded train from the familiar to the unknown.
- David Weinstein, Founder, Write the World LLC
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Write the World Review is an online journal showcasing work from the best international young writers on Write the World. It includes journalism, poetry, short fiction, personal narrative and reflection, travel and food writing, film and book reviews, and much more. If you are 13-18, we welcome your submissions.
The journal is an extension of Write the World, our vibrant online community where young writers can draft and publish work, respond to weekly prompts in a variety of genres, exchange feedback, enter monthly competitions, join writing workshops, receive help with college essays, and much more. Write the World also provides resources for teachers to create engaging writing communities within their classrooms. Sign up here to learn more.
