A goal of the Writing for Children Competition is to discover, encourage, and promote new writers of children's literature across Canada. The Writers Union of Canada initiated the Competition in 1996, and in 2014 CANSCAIP took on this initiative.

This contest is open to unpublished writers who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents who do not have a contract with a book publisher.

Submit the entire work if a picture book (no illustrations) or a chapter for longer works, up to 1,500 words, fiction or non-fiction.

Two winners will be awarded $1,000 for a picture book/early reader entry and for a chapter book/middle grade/young adult entry. Eight additional finalists in these categories will also be selected.

CANSCAIP will submit the entries of the winners and finalists to three Canadian children's publishers for consideration. Some winners and finalists in the Writing for Children Competition have had their entries published.

All entrants will receive feedback from the readers who evaluate the entries. This feedback is a unique, useful and potentially important benefit of entering the Writing for Children Competition.