Poetry
Poems in any style, form, or language.
A youth-led global literary magazine
For every language.
For every voice.
Write in the language closest to you. Our international translation team helps bring your story to readers around the world.
Read in:
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Stories cross borders. Language should never be the wall.
Our mission
No language, culture, or story should be left unheard.
Words Without Walls is a youth-led global literary magazine created to celebrate writing across cultures and languages. We welcome work from writers around the world, including writers who are more comfortable expressing themselves in their mother tongue.
Accepted pieces can be published in their original language alongside an English translation, with full credit to the writer.
Issues
Read writing from around the world.
Each issue of Words Without Walls brings together original writing across languages, cultures, and communities. Where possible, multilingual pieces are presented in their original language alongside an English translation.
INAUGURAL ISSUE
WORDS
WITHOUT
WALLS
3W
WITHOUT
WALLS
Issue 01
Our first collection is coming soon.
We are currently finalising submissions for the inaugural issue. Once published, you will be able to explore poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, cultural reflections, and translated work from contributors around the world.
Issue 01 coming soon →Submissions
Write what matters to you.
You do not need to write in English. You do not need previous publication experience. You only need an original piece you want to share.
Short fiction
Stories that carry imagination, memory, culture, or place.
Creative nonfiction
Personal essays, reflections, memoir, and lived experience.
Cultural writing
Work exploring identity, tradition, family, language, and community.
文 · A · أ · अ
Translation team
Your mother tongue belongs on the page.
Our dedicated international team of volunteer translators and editors works with accepted pieces written in languages other than English. The goal is not to flatten your voice into English, but to help readers access it while preserving the original work.
“The language closest to home can also be the language that travels furthest.”
International writing competition
Enter for USD $5.
Write for something bigger.
Our inaugural international writing competition invites writers to share original work with a global audience. The USD $5 entry fee supports fundraising for literacy education among disadvantaged children.
Your entry can help another young person gain greater access to books, learning resources, and the opportunity to discover their own voice.
Enter the competition
$5
one small entry fee
∞stories worth sharing
Competition archive
Meet the voices that stood out.
Winning and shortlisted entries will be published here after judging, so readers can discover the work recognised in each competition.
School Chapters
Bring Words Without Walls to your school.
Build a student-led community celebrating the languages, stories and cultures within your school, while connecting your writers to a global literary network.
Chapter applications will move to a dedicated application form once finalised.
Publish beyond your school
Nominate outstanding writing for our Best of the Chapters anthology section and connect student voices with an international readership.
Write in any language
Encourage students to create in their mother tongues, supported by our international translation community.
Lead something of your own
Run workshops, multilingual writing initiatives, cultural storytelling projects and collaborations with chapters around the world.
Built for schools
Chapters are free to establish, student-led and supported by a faculty sponsor. Activities may align with elements of IB CAS or Duke of Edinburgh requirements, subject to approval by your school.
For teachers & schools
Everything you need to explore the program.
Read our public 2-page School Chapter Info Sheet for the chapter model, possible activities, school structure and launch process. For further chapter information, or to request the Chapter Handbook and Media/Brand Kit after approval, contact our team.
wordswithoutwallsmag@gmail.comHow it works
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Explore
Read the public Chapter Info Sheet and discuss the program with your school.
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Apply
Submit a short chapter application with your proposed student lead and faculty sponsor.
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Get approved
Approved chapters receive the private Chapter Handbook and Media/Brand Kit.
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Launch
Build your community, run activities and connect your writers to the wider 3W network.
Our Chapters
A growing network of young writers.
As chapters officially launch, participating schools will be featured here.
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First chapters coming soon.
Watch this space as the network grows.
Be part of it
Writers need readers. Stories need translators. Ideas need people.
Submit
Send us your original writing in any language.
Submit work →Join the team
Help edit, translate, design, promote, or support a growing international literary community.
Apply to join →Start a school chapter
Build a student-led writing community at your school and connect it to writers around the world.
Explore school chapters →Partner
Schools, cultural groups, youth organisations, and literacy initiatives are welcome to collaborate.
Partner with us →