I feel so relieved and grateful for having found Teen Ink. I'm someone who has always been hugely passionate about reading,writing and encouraging others to do so,therefore leading me to this splending platform that upholds the same values and much more!It wasn't like I found Teen Ink overnight—I spent many months searching the web for websites that would publish my work,or even just give me feeback on what I could do better. And I did find many,but there was always something about them that wasn't user friendly—whether it be the ridiculously tiring signing up process or the delayed responses to questions or even worse no response at all. I was just getting more and more exasperated and desperate day by day. That is until I stumbled upon Teen Ink. 

 When I first pressed the link to Teen Ink I was very skeptical because I had already checked out many other websites and none were promising,but I must say I was extremely surprised. Not only was the signing up process super straightforward and short,but the platform as a whole was beautifully structured and easy to navigate. I found myself instantly interested,and I sent my first couple of submissions...! Only a couple of days later, I received a mail from Teen Ink about something called 'Editor's Choice', with my heart thudding in anticipation I pressed it and found out that it was rewarded to me by the editor for outstanding work. This not only encouraged me to continue,but made me feel like I had some substance in my writing that could inspire many more. What's more,finding encouraging comments from other teenagers below my pieces of work,is one of the best feelings ever,because knowing that your writing inspires them is a testament to you and your hard work.However, what pleasantly surprised me the most is the fast responses from the editors when you email them with questions or any comments,they always get back to you and make sure your query is fully tackled. This made me feel valued and part of the Teen Ink community,also explaining why it continues to thrive year on year.

So thank you so much Teen Ink! You're ultimately fuelling generations of teenagers that feel included,confident and delighted in sharing their work on this platform.