ALIVE

AMERICA
106 W. 56th St.
New York, NY 10019
(212)581-4640

AMERICA is interested in receiving imaginative poetry since we publish poetry in almost every issue of our magazine. Those who wish to submit poetry are encouraged to read several back issues of AMERICA in order to see the types and length of poetry we tend to publish. Poems of 30 lines or less probably have a greater chance of being accepted. Payment will be sent on the date of publication. Poetry not accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope most likely will not be returned.

Send poems to: Patrick Samway, S.J.
AMERICA
106 West 56th Street
New York, N.Y. 10019

In addition, AMERICA sponsors annually, funds permitting, the Foley Poetry Award. Each contestant is asked to submit only one poem of 30 lines or fewer for consideration. No poems will be returned. Only typed, unpublished poems not under consideration elsewhere will be considered. The winning poem, will be published in the issue of AMERICA dated either the last week of May or the first week of June. To read previous winners of this award, please consult past issues of AMERICA published during the first week of June. Cash prize: $500. Deadline: Poems should be submitted between January 1st and April 25th (if envelopes containing
poems for consideration of this award do not have "The Foley Poetry Award" clearly indicated, then the poem will be reviewed as an ordinary submission).

Send poem to: Patrick Samway, S J.
The Foley Poetry Award
AMERICA
106 West 56th Street
New York, N.Y. 10019

HINTS FOR CONTRIBUTORS
PREPARING THE MANUSCRIPT

1. The manuscript should be double-spaced. A single-spaced manuscript is almost impossible to edit.
2. Place the title of the article, your name and your address on a separate cover sheet. Do not put your name on the text page of the article, so that it may be read with impartiality.
3. Send your manuscript to us flat, not folded. If you wish us to return the manuscript to you if not accepted for publication, please include a self-addressed return envelope and sufficient postage. Unaccepted manuscripts without return envelopes will not be returned.
4. Please provide two or three lines of identification (residence, occupation, evidence of competence to write this article, recent publication of a book, etc.)

HINTS FOR COMPUTER USERS
If you have prepared your manuscript using a computer and word processing software, keep the electronic version of your manuscript until you receive our response. If your article is accepted, we will request a copy of the computer file for our use in preparing your article for publication.

SOME POINTS ON ACCURACY
1. Carefully check the typing, expression of thought, dates, names, titles, statistics – anything when errors are likely to creep in. Quotations especially need to be verified.
2. Follow one dictionary consistently for spelling and hyphenation. A typical example of inconsistency would be to use the following words indiscriminately in a single article: bed-room, bed room, bedroom.

USE OF QUOTATIONS
1. Do not overload your manuscript with quotations, and avoid long quotations unless truly necessary.
2. Short quotations (a line or two) should be put in quotation marks and included in the text.
3. Longer quotations should be typed in solid blocks of indented lines, without quotation marks.
4. Identify exactly the sources of all quotations. Give the full name of the author, the title of a book or poem, the occasion and date of a speech, etc.

STYLE, PUNCTUATION, ETC.
1. America follows The New York Times Manual of Style and Usage as its principle guide.
2. Be conservative and consistent in punctuation. Avoid whatever impedes smooth flow of the text.
3. Do not use erudite terms (e.g., kerygma, parousia, etc.) without an explanation. Technical philosophical and theological terms, foreign expressions and the like should either be avoided or explained in the text.
4. Do not use italics often. In typewritten manuscripts, indicate italics by underlining.
5. Do not divide a word by hyphenation at the end of a line. Instead, start the whole word on the next line.

LENGTH
Published articles are usually two or two-and-a-half magazine pages in length (1,500-2,000 words). Anything over thee magazine pages is considered long. Occasionally we publish longer articles, and there is no rigid norm for length, but we rarely publish anything as long as 5,000 words. Manuscripts that would require extensive cutting or editing are usually not accepted.

ANGELS ON EARTH
16 E. 34th St.
New York, NY 10016

Editorial Guidelines
Angels on Earth publishes true stories about God’s messengers at work in today’s world. We are interested in stories of heavenly angels and stories involving humans who have played angelic roles in daily life. The best stories are those where the narrator has been positively affected in some distinct way. Look for unusual situations; we have a surplus of stories about illness and car accidents. We are also especially on the lookout for recent stories.

A typical Angels on Earth story is a first-person narrative written in dramatic style, with a spiritual point that the reader can "take away" and apply to his or her own life. It may be your own or someone else’s story. Observe the following as you write:

1. The emphasis should be on one person, and is usually told from the vantage point of the individual most deeply affected by the angelic experience. But don’t try to tell an entire life story; focus on one specific life event. Bring only as many people as needed to tell the story so the reader’s interest stays with the dominant character.

2. Decide what your spiritual point will be. We like to see a positive and specific change in the narrator as a result of the angelic experience. Don’t forget: We want our readers to take away a message or insight they can use in their own lives. Everything in the story should be tied in with this specific and inspiring theme.

3. Don’t leave unanswered questions. Give all the relevant facts so the reader can clearly understand what took place. Let the reader feel as if he or she were there, seeing the characters, hearing them talk, feeling what they felt. Use dialogue, set scenes, build tension – dramatize the story. Show how the narrator becomes a new, or different, person.

The best rule of all: STUDY THE MAGAZINE!

Payment for full-length stories (1,500 words) usually ranges from $100-$400, and is made when the story is approved and scheduled for publication,

We are always looking for quotes, anecdotes to use as fillers, and material for our short features (50-250 words):
--"Messages": brief, mysterious happenings, or letters describing how a specific Angels on Earth article helped you. Payment is usually $25.
--"Earning Their Wings": unusual stories of good deeds worth imitating. Payment is usually $50.
--"Only Human?": short narratives in which the angelic character may or may not have been a human being. The narrator is pleasantly unsure and so is the reader. Payment is usually $100.

Please do not send essays, sermons or fiction. We rarely use poetry and we do not evaluate book-length material. Manuscripts must be typed, double-spaced, and accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. Send submissions to: Angels on Earth, 16 E. 34th Street, New York, NY 10016. Allow three months for reply.

THE BIBLE ADVOCATE
P.O. Box 33677
Denver, CO 80233-0677

Identity
The Bible Advocate is one of the oldest religious magazines in America, founded in 1863. The Bible Advocate Online has been on the Internet since late 1996. Both are published monthly (except July/ August) by the Bible Advocate Press, the publication agency of the Church of God (Seventh Day) General Conference.

Readership
Our readers have a wide range of denominational and religious backgrounds. About half of them are not members of the Church of God (Seventh Day).

Editorial Focus
The Bible Advocate is geared more for Christians, with articles on Bible doctrine, current social and religious issues, Christian living, Bible topics, textual or biblical book studies, prophecy, personal experience, and testimonies. We also print sermons, fillers, opinion pieces, and poetry (traditional, free, and blank verse).

The Bible Advocate Online features articles on current social and religious issues, Bible topics, and personal experience that are more inclusive of non-Christians. Personal experience stories show a person's struggle that either led him to faith in Christ or deepened his walk with God. No opinion pieces or poetry.

Payment
We pay an honorarium, on publication, of $15 per printed magazine page, up to $35, for print and electronic rights. Online articles run $15-$35, depending on published length. For poetry, we pay $10. However, for opinion pieces, we only pay in copies of the magazine.

Rights
We buy first and one time rights. We also accept reprints and simultaneous submissions.

Format
Articles should be double-spaced on white paper, one side only, with a one-inch margin on each side.

Writers should include their name, address, telephone number, and Social Security number in the upper left-hand corner of the first page. The word count and indication of rights offered should appear in the upper right-hand comer of the first page.

Submissions
Please include an SASE or SASC with all hard copy submissions. Unsolicited manuscripts will not be returned unless accompanied by an SASE or SASC. Computer submissions on disk are welcomed if the material is compatible with our system. Please include a hard copy and indicate the name of the word processing program, version number, and file name. The Bible Advocate is produced in Microsoft Word 5.1 on Macintosh computers. A 3 1/2 inch disk in Microsoft Word 3.0 or 4.0 is transferable to our format, as well as most newer well-known software programs. Writers may also submit via e-mail at cofgsd@denver.net. No fax or handwritten submissions, please.

Documentation
When stating important facts likely to be questioned, please list your sources so we can verify if necessary. When preparing a manuscript, writers should reference all Scripture quotations and enclose them in parentheses. Specify the main translation used, and note specifically where any other translation is used.

Quoting Copyrighted Material
When quoting extensively from books or magazines, or when quoting any portion of song lyrics, writers are responsible for securing permission from authors or publishing companies. The permission notice must appear at the end of the manuscript.

Length
--Feature articles: 1500-2000 words (longer articles may be serialized)
--Opinion pieces: 500-700 words
--Fillers: 100-500 words
--Poetry: 5-25 lines
Online:
--Feature articles, personal experience: 1500 words

Contact
Address manuscripts to the Editor, Bible Advocate, P.O. Box 33677, Denver, CO 80233-0677. Allow 4-6 weeks for a response.

Tips
Articles must be in keeping with the doctrinal understanding of the Church of God (Seventh Day). Therefore, the writer should become familiar with what the Church generally accepts as truth as set forth in their doctrinal beliefs.

We reserve the right to edit manuscripts to fit our space requirements, doctrinal stands, and Church terminology. Significant changes are referred to writers for approval.

BRIO MAGAZINE
8605 Explorer Dr.
Colorado Springs, CO 80920

BRIO Magazine is published monthly for teen girls. Its goal is to teach creatively, to entertain and challenge the girl toward a healthy self-concept and a closer relationship with Jesus Christ. BRIO is a four-color, fast-paced publication that uses articles and stories written in a compelling, bright, out-of-the-ordinary style. Any teen girl must be able to pick up BRIO and understand its contents without first having to learn "Christian lingo."

BRIO rejects many freelance pieces simply because it’s obvious the writer has not really studied the magazine. Please thoroughly acquaint yourself with three issues before submitting material.

NON-FICTION
About 50-75% of BRIO is staff-written or assigned. The free-lance material we accept includes:

1. Biographical articles and/or interviews with teens or adults who teens admire.
2. Fun, action-oriented articles on subjects teen girls are into: "How to Look Slimmer by Wearing the 'Right' Clothes"; "Better Eyes"; "Organizing Your Locker," etc.
3. How-to articles: How to talk with members of the opposite sex, how to relate to parents, teachers, or others in authority, how to handle spending money, etc.
4. Ordinary teens doing extraordinary things. Do you know a teen who has an unusual job? Or one who’s boldly taking a stand on his/her campus? Perhaps you know a teen guy or girl who was injured and is making an incredible come-back. We’ve covered a professional batboy, a teen girl who’s a nanny for a contemporary Christian singer, a gal who recovered from Lyme disease. We’re interested in the unusual.

FICTION
We're looking for stories with realistic character development, good dialogue, fresh teen lingo, and a plot that teen girls are immediately drawn into. Romance stories, sibling rivalry, and situations faced daily by teen girls are especially welcomed. Submissions may contain a spiritual slant throughout the story or toward the end, but should not be "preachy." Fiction should be well developed and may contain up to 2,000 words.

HUMOR
We use cartoons, short pieces, humorous accounts of things that happen at school, home, on vacations, or at church. Don't try to weave in spiritual content here unless it comes naturally; just be funny.

PAYMENT
BRIO will pay 8-15 cents per word upon acceptance, depending on how polished the manuscript is and how much our editorial staff has to work on it.

FORMAT
All submissions must be double-spaced and typed on clean, white paper. Enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope with sufficient postage if you would like your submissions returned.

Allow 4-6 weeks for review.

Address all submissions to:
Susie Shellenberger, Editor
BRIO
Focus on the Family
8605 Explorer Drive
Colorado Springs, CO 80920

CATHOLIC DIGEST
P.O. Box 64090
St. Paul, MN 55164
(612)962-6739 fax: (612)962-6755
EMail: cdigest@stthomas.edu
Website: www.CatholicDigest.org

What material Catholic Digest uses

Non-fiction articles: 1,000-3,500 words on almost any topic. Our readers have a wide range of interests – religion, family, science, health, human relationships, nostalgia, good works, and more.

Catholic Digest article rates: $100 for reprints, $200 – $400 for originals. For re-use in electronic form, we pay half of all traceable revenue derived from use to owner/author. Online-only articles receive $100, plus half of any traceable revenue from electronic use. Two copies of the issue are included with payment if published in Catholic Digest. Finders' fees are $15 per article published.

Send submissions to: Articles Editor, Catholic Digest Publications, P.O. Box 64090, St. Paul, MN 55164, or by E-mail to: CDigest@stthomas.edu

If submitting by mail, enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE).

Fillers: Catholic Digest features four regular fillers each month plus a variety of other fillers.

OPEN DOOR – Statements of true incidents through which people are brought into the Catholic faith, or recover the Catholic faith they had lost. (200 – 500 words)
SIGNS OF THE TIMES – Amusing or significant signs. Give exact source.
IN OUR PARISH – Stories of parish life. (50 – 300 words)

One of the following:
PEOPLE ARE LIKE THAT – Original accounts of true incidents that illustrate the instinctive goodness of human nature. (200 – 500 words)
PERFECT ASSIST – Original accounts of gracious or tactful remarks or actions. (200–500 words)
HEARTS ARE TRUMPS – Original accounts of true cases of unseeking kindness. (200 – 500 words)

Other fillers: jokes, short anecdotes, quizzes, and informational paragraphs. (one-liners to 500 words)

Catholic Digest filler rates: To authors, we pay $2 per published line (full-page width) upon publication. For this payment, your filler may be published in any Catholic Digest publication, including but not limited to Catholic Digest, Catholic Digest Reader Large Print, and HEAVEN, our online Web site (http://www.CatholicDigest.org). Two copies of the issue are included with payment if published in Catholic Digest. Finders' fees are $5 or $10, depending on length.

Send submissions to: Filler Editor, Catholic Digest Publications, P.O. Box 64090, St. Paul, MN 55164, or by E-mail to: CDigest@stthomas.edu

If submitting by mail, enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE).

Tips on selling a manuscript to Catholic Digest

Before you submit a manuscript, study a copy of Catholic Digest for article tone and style, or check HEAVEN (http://www.CatholicDigest.org).
We favor the anecdotal approach. Stories submitted must be strongly focused on a definitive topic. This topic is to be illustrated for the reader by way of a well-developed series of true-life, interconnected vignettes.
--Most articles we use are reprinted – they have appeared in another periodical or newspaper. But we also consider original submissions.
--Don't query. Send the article itself.
--We don't consider fiction, poetry, or submissions simultaneously sent to other publications.
--Include your name, address, and telephone number on each submitted page.
--If you are submitting an article for reprint consideration, you must include the name, address, and editor of the original publication source, the copyright line from the original source, and the page number and date of the original publication.
--If you are submitting an original manuscript by mail, please send a double-spaced, typewritten photocopy and, if possible, an ASCII text file saved on a 3.5" diskette. E-mail submissions should be included in the text of your message rather than as an attached file.

CHALLENGE
1548 Poplar Ave.
Memphis, TN 38104-2493
(901)272-2461

Challenge is a 24-page monthly magazine which focuses on the interests of young men while supporting a missions program. Most of these youth are members of a Southern Baptist church and are involved in Challengers, a weekly missions education organization sponsored by the Brotherhood Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention. Participants in the Challengers program are divided into 2 groups (primarily 7th-9th and 10th-12th grade) and may also meet together. They are 12 to 18 years old.

Each Challenge magazine features theme-related articles on Southern Baptist missions work and regular columns on individuals and Challengers units. These are staff written or written on assignment. Challenge also includes three or more teen interest articles in each issue. These articles are usually accepted by free-lance writers. Magazine circulation is approximately 32,000.

FREE-LANCE ARTICLES WE USE
Sports: We look for good sports articles. They may feature individual players, teams, particular sports or sports in general. We are favorable to articles featuring outstanding athletes who also give a strong Christian testimony, especially those who are Southern Baptist. We also like how-to pieces on particular sports, and those in which an expert tells how to participate and excel in his or her sport. Most manuscripts that we accept are between 700 and 900 words.

Personalities: We like to see articles on men who excel in their field and have an effective Christian testimony, preferably Southern Baptist.

Issues: We recognize the rapid personal changes that youth encounter during adolescence. It can be a period of difficult choices, of testing values and of questioning authority, mixed with a time of maturity, success and freedom. We want to give them hope and desire to offer guidance as we explore and confront teenage issues. We seek to highlight wholesome advice, realistic guidelines and Christian principles. Some topics may be too intense for our purposes.

Interests: We look for articles that seek to encourage, help, instruct and/or motivate teenagers. Topics such as parent and peer relationships, cars, career possibilities, college and others that utilize their special interests are beneficial.

Culture: The Challengers program has a strong emphasis on understanding different cultures. Many of these articles are assigned. However, we will consider articles on ethnic cultures, sections of the U.S., and/or other countries.

Hobbies: Each month we seek one short article on how-to's, hobbies, crafts, or recreation. Sports, outdoor recreation, camping and ecology articles would be particularly appealing and helpful to our readers. An expert's advice will catch the editor's attention. These articles should be 300 to 400 words in length.

TIPS
Consider the types of subjects our readers enjoy: Interest and How-to articles such as Choosing the Best College, Christian Athletes, Tips on Golfing, Setting Goals, Overcoming Anger, How to Improve Study Skills, How to Share Your Faith, etc.; articles that deal with Issues such as Dating, AIDS, Drug Abuse, Peer Pressure, Suicide, Loneliness, Communicating With Your Parents, Helping Friends in Crisis, etc.; and Seasonal articles such as Back to School Blues, Summer Excitement, The True Meaning of Christmas, etc.

ABOUT SUBMISSIONS
We expect all manuscripts to be typed (preferably double-spaced) on one side of white 8 1/2 x 11 paper. Each should carry the writer's name and address, and be accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope for the return of the manuscript and/or a response. Because of production guidelines, articles need to be 700 to 900 words in length, except where noted.

We use photo essays and articles about teenagers and teen activities slanted heavily toward teenagers' interests.

We start magazine production six months ahead of each issue date. Keep this in mind when sending seasonal materials.

We do not use fiction or "preachy" articles.

We reply within a month. Payment is made upon acceptance, six months prior to publication. Bylines and attributions are given, and the writer is sent a complimentary copy of the issue that contains his/her article(s).

We pay five cents per word or as arranged with the editor.

PHOTOS
We accept 5 x 7 or 8 x 10 black and white, glossy photos. Color transparencies are also acceptable. Good photos increase our interest in buying an article. The Brotherhood Commission cannot accept responsibility for lost or damaged free-lance materials and is not committed to accept any materials.

We pay $5-$10 per photo for good quality photographs or as arranged with the editor.

SAMPLE COPIES
A sample copy of Challenge is sent upon request. Please include a 9 x 12 SASE ($.75 postage).

Thank you for your interest in Challenge. Please send your materials to:
Editor, Challenge
Brotherhood Commission, SBC
1548 Poplar Avenue
Memphis, TN 38104-2493
901/272-2461

THE CHRISTIAN CENTURY
407 S. Dearborn St.
Chicago, IL 60605-1150
(312)427-5380 fax: (312)427-1302
EMail: ccentury@aol.com

The Christian Century is an ecumenical weekly that examines developments in the contemporary church and probes the religious and moral issues of modern culture. We are interested in the continuing task of appropriating and embodying Christian faith amid the cultural realities of our time.

We seek manuscripts that articulate the public meaning of faith, bringing the resources of religious tradition to bear on such topics as poverty, human rights, economic justice, international relations, national priorities and popular culture. We are also interested in articles that examine or critique the theology and ethos of individual religious communities. We welcome articles that find fresh meaning in old tradition and which adapt or apply religious traditions to new circumstances.

Authors should assume that readers are familiar with main themes in Christian history and theology; are unthreatened by the historical-critical study of the Bible; and are already engaged in relating faith to social and political issues. Many of our readers are ministers, or teachers of religion at the college level.

Manuscripts should be typewritten, and double-spaced. The Century does not use footnotes or endnotes. Citations of other texts should be kept to a minimum and included in parenthesis within the text.

Feature articles should not exceed 3,000 words; editorials, reports and personal reflections should not exceed 1,500 words. For feature articles we pay about $125. If you are not familiar with the Century, we encourage you to examine a copy before submitting your manuscript. If you would like your manuscript returned, please enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope.

Please send your manuscripts to the address listed below.

Attn: Manuscripts
Christian Century Magazine
407 South Dearborn Street, Suite 1405
Chicago, Illinois 60605-1150

Guidelines for Poetry
The editors of The Christian Century regret the necessity for this impersonal reply to your inquiry. We appreciate your interest and invite your poetry submissions.

Manuscripts should be typed and double-spaced with no more than one poem per page. We prefer shorter poems (under 20 lines). Please include your name, address, and phone number on the first page of each poem, and enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

We suggest reading the poems in the past several issues in order to gain a clearer idea of the kinds of poetry we are seeking. We read with interest and care all poems submitted for possible publication. The editors look for poems that are not statements but experiences, that do not talk about the world, but show it. We want to publish poems that are grounded in images and that reveal an awareness of the sounds of language and the forms of poetry even when the poems are written in free verse. The language must be absolutely fresh, avoiding cliches and formula phrases at all costs. Above all, the poems must be interesting.

We regret that staff limitations make editorial comments on rejected poems impossible.

We shall be happy to hear from you.

Jill Pelaez Baumgaertner
Poetry Editor

Guidelines for Fiction
The Christian Century is an ecumenical weekly that examines developments in the contemporary church and probes the religious and moral issues of modern culture. It has recently begun publishing short fiction and invites your short story submissions.

Manuscripts should be typed and double-spaced and should not exceed 3,000 words. We pay about $200 upon publication. Please enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope if you would like your manuscript returned.

We suggest reading the stories in several past issues in order to gain a clearer idea of the kind of fiction we are seeking for the journal. We read with interest and care all stories submitted for possible publication. The editors are looking for contemporary moral and religious explorations that continue in the broad tradition of such writers as Flannery O’Connor, John Updike, Sue Miller and Toni Morrison. We are interested in stories with real literary merit, stories that avoid sentimentality, predictability and obvious messages. Though good fiction does not have to have a conventional plot, we prefer stories in which something happens and that reach some kind of resolution, rather than just presenting "a slice of life."

We regret that staff limitations make editorial comments on rejected stories impossible.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Trudy Bush
Fiction Editor

Guidelines for Artists
--All art should be bold, clear with a minimum of detail. Line drawings, etchings, wood block prints reproduce well on our newsprint.
--Subjects for art include religious themes, people, political subjects, scenes, general miscellaneous items such mail boxes, plants, designs, food, etc.
--Photos should be black and white.
--All art submitted must be accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope.
--The Christian Century purchases one-time rights for all artwork.

Address all art submissions to;
Manuscripts
The Christian Century
407 S. Dearborn Street
Chicago, IL 60605

CHRISTIAN HOME & SCHOOL
3350 East Paris Ave. SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49512
(616)957-1070 ext. 234 Website: www.gospelcom.net/csi

Manuscripts can range from 750 to 2,000 words and should be typed (double spaced), with the author’s name and address at the top of the first page. Include a sentence or two about yourself for us to use as a contributor’s note; this could include humor. Please keep a copy of your manuscript.

Christian Home & School has a circulation of 58,000 and is designed for parents in the United States and Canada who send their children to Christian schools and are concerned about the challenges facing Christian families today. These readers expect a mature, biblical perspective in the articles, not just a Bible verse tacked onto the end. Use an informal, easy-to-read style rather than a philosophical, academic tone. Try to incorporate vivid imagery and concrete, practical examples from real life. The style of our articles varies from a reflective or humorous first-person account of a single incident relating to a topic to a more comprehensive, more objective discussion of a topic in general. A sidebar that contains further suggestions or resources related to your subject is often helpful

Suggested topics are on the reverse side, but don’t limit yourself to these ideas. (The first 13 topics are new to the list.) We are interested in articles that deal with timely issues that confront Christian parents – profiles, reviews, or special features (no poetry or short stories, please). In addition to articles about practical concerns of Christian family life, we will consider first-person articles about the challenges of living the Christian life, and historical/biographical profiles of influential Christian individuals. Christian schooling and the relationship of parents and Christian schools are particularly interesting to our readers. Each year we also include seasonal articles dealing with such topics as the beginning of the school year, Christmas, Easter, end of the school year, graduation, summer activities, and vacations.

We pay $75 – $150 upon publication, depending upon the length of the laid-out article, and prefer to buy first rights only.

If you would like a sample copy of our magazine, please send us a 9 X 12 self-addressed manila envelope with four first-class stamps affixed. For more information, contact Roger W. Schmurr, senior editor.

Some possible topics for future issues of Christian Home & School:

--What do you do when your child uses bad language?
--What volunteers do in Christian schools and why?
--Identifying the needs of, challenging the potential of, and cooperating to help the gifted child
--Cliques: how preteens deal with them
--Tracking in school: Does it help or hurt students?
--Peer pressure: counteracting the worst and using the best
--How do Christian schools handle special education and why?
--Teaching kids about diversity
--What children should be taught about politics and government
--Preparing your child for independency
--Raising world citizens: helping children develop an international perspective
--How to use music in the cognitive and spiritual development of a child
--What music, movies, TV shows, etc. are influencing teens now?
--Teaching your child patience
--What can parents do to foster a good school spirit?
--What educational roles do the home and church play in the life of a Christian school student?
--Rewards for good behavior: Are they bribes?
--Should I teach my child to be assertive?
--How can the extended family help me in my parenting responsibilities?
--How can you open the world to your kids and yet fend off unwelcome influences?
--Sex education at home, church, and school
--Parenting a strong-willed child
--Steering your driven child
--How do you handle a tattletale?
--What should I teach my adolescent about dating?
--Keeping Christian school students involved in their communities
--Is slowing or speeding up schooling good for a child?
--Co-parenting after divorce
--Resolving sibling rivalry
--How parents can help their children succeed in school
--How to avoid nagging
--Blending two families after remarriage
--Teaching children about money: allowances, spending, saving, giving, family budget, etc.
--The role of fantasy and imagination in the development of children
--How to talk to your child about bad things: e.g., drugs, AIDS, and violence
--Sexual abuse of children: recognizing and dealing with it
--Raising secure children: helping children feel spiritually, physically, and emotionally safe
--When parents fail: living with the mistakes we’ve made
--The danger of living through your children parents and their children's achievements
--Too much too soon? Pushing early childhood development
--Children's friendships: best friends, how friendships change
--Kids and work: from household chores to their first paid job
--Nurturing creativity in children
--Dealing with family crises: death, divorce, serious illness, unemployment
--Learning styles: recognizing and responding to them
--How changing family situations affect schools and kids
--Tensions between schools and working parents

CHRISTIAN PARENTING TODAY
4050 Lee Vance View
Colorado Springs, CO 80918
(719)531-7776 fax: (719)535-0172
EMail: cptmag@aol.com

Everything You Need to Know About Writing for CPT

Let us introduce ourselves.
Between the covers of Christian Parenting Today, you'll find positive, practical articles that bring a Christian perspective to important family issues. Our ultimate goal: to affirm parents with a biblically based, inspirational, informative and authoritative magazine that guides them through all stages of their children’s lives.

Writer, meet our reader.
You’ll find CPT on coffee tables and kitchen counters in all kinds of Christian homes. Our parents may be in traditional family units, single parents, or parents in blended families. Their kids range in age from newborns to teens. The families may have one or two incomes. Their children may be educated in public, private or home schools. Yet these diverse parents have in common a sometimes overwhelming job--rearing godly children in a world that seems to threaten instead of nurture the ones they love. Our readers care deeply about time-tested moral and spiritual values. They want creative, contemporary, problem-solving advice and encouragement from experts who share their Christian perspective.
* 90% are female
* 67% are employed
* median age: 35
* 80% have attended college/grad school
* they have an average of 2 children

Are you a CPT author? Our best writers:
* identify with our reader on a personal level
* have expertise relevant to the topic
* are sincere, down-to-earth and realistic
* are willing to work with demanding editors
* have studied several issues of CPT, closely examining the types of articles we publish and our approach to topics.

Do you have what we’re looking for? A great CPT manuscript:

* has a distinctively Christian perspective (when appropriate to the topic)
* has a strong parenting angle
* brings fresh ideas to familiar parenting issues
* anticipates readers’ questions
* offers multiple resources to assist readers
* does not condescend or sermonize
* is brought to life by "real people" (the voices of everyday parents and kids)
* is authoritative, based on current research from reliable, respected sources
* does not unnecessarily offend or distance any part of the Christian community
* has a reader-friendly, personal, having-coffee-at-the-kitchen-table tone and style
* is tightly written
* suggests rather than insists
* contains practical, doable, vividly explained suggestions; multiple options
* acknowledges the variety of parenting styles, circumstances and personalities
* employs devices that engage the reader (sidebars, anecdotes, self-quizzes)
* offers developmental information and age-specific angles

Articles on these topics will grab our attention:
* practical parenting issues
* health, nutrition and safety
* teaching values/morals
* discipline
* physical development
* social issues
* education
* spiritual development
* activities for kids
* extended families
* blended families
* fathering
* marriage
* money management
* emotional needs
* special-needs kids
* grandparents
* seasonal events for families
* working parents
* humor

We’ll also look at:
* "My Story": a first-person account of how one family faced and overcame a parenting challenge. Should inspire and appeal to a broad audience. (800-1500 words)
* "Parent Exchange": a problem solving idea that works. Pays $40 on publication. Submissions are not acknowledged or returned. (25-100 words)
* "Life In Our House": an insightful anecdote about a funny thing said or done at home. Pays $25 on publication. Submissions are not acknowledged or returned. (25-100 words).
* We do not accept poetry, devotionals, fiction or diatribes.

How to submit your article:
CPT accepts both queries and manuscripts. Queries are preferred, except for humor, inspirational or "My Story" articles. Submit seasonal material six to eight months in advance. We will not respond to submissions unaccompanied by a SASE.

When submitting queries, please include:
* a clear statement of purpose
* a working title
* a tentative outline
* anticipated length
* your qualifications for writing the article
* a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE)

When submitting manuscripts, please:
* Include your name, address, social security number and rights offered.
* Type double-spaced on white bond paper with wide margins.
* Limit your manuscript to 2500 words (most published are 1200-2000 words).
* Outline your qualifications for writing the article.
* Do not send photos, slides, artwork or electronic submissions.
* Include an appropriately sized SASE bearing adequate return postage.
* Allow six to eight weeks for our response.

In addition:
* We discourage simultaneous submissions.
* We occasionally accept reprints from non-competing magazines. Send a fresh manuscript, a photocopy of the published piece, and the name and date of the publication it appeared in.
* Manuscripts requested via query are requested on speculation only.
* Authors receive a contract on acceptance; payment is usually on publication.

If you would like a sample copy of our magazine, please send a 9 x 12 SASE bearing $3.00 postage.

Our staff:
* Editor: Brad Lewis
* Associate Editor: Colin Miller
* Art Director: Derek Wesley Selby
* Assistant Editor: Erin Healy

CHRISTIAN READER
465 Gundersen Dr.
Carol Stream, IL 60188
(630)260-6200 fax: (630)260-0114
EMail: creditoria@aol.com
Website: www.Christianity.net

Christian Reader accepts fewer freelance articles than many other magazines since most of our articles are reprints or staff-written. But in each issue (6 per year), we feature several outstanding original pieces. While competition is keen (we receive an average of 40 unsolicited manuscripts a week), you can tailor your submissions to meet our needs by observing the following guidelines.

The Christian Reader audience is truly a general interest one, including men and women, urban professionals and rural homemakers, adults of every age and marital status, and Christians of every church affiliation. We seek to publish a magazine that people from the variety of ethnic groups in North America will find interesting and relevant.

We welcome both original and reprint materials on a wide range of subjects (see topics on back), though first-person nonfiction stories are our staple. We do not accept juvenile material. Fiction is almost never used. Poetry only occasionally. Payment is made upon acceptance for original material; upon publication for reprint material. Christian Reader retains the right to edit material for length or content.

While query letters are accepted, article manuscripts are preferred. In general, they should be no longer than 1,300 words and should be computer-generated (no disks please) or typed. A cover letter or entry at the top of the manuscript should provide the following information:

Your name
Date
Phone number (day and evening)
Fax number (if available)
Rights offered (first rights preferred; if reprint, give publication and date)
Type of submission (non-simultaneous strongly preferred)

Note: Enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope if you wish to receive an acceptance/rejection letter. (If you want the manuscript returned, indicate that and enclose appropriate return postage and envelope size.) We respond to most submissions within two weeks, but please allow up to two months processing time.

Mail to:
Editor
CHRISTIAN READER
465 Gundersen Dr.
Carol Stream, IL 60188
E-mail: CReditoria@aol.com

TYPES OF ARTICLES SOUGHT BY CHRISTIAN READER
Stories
ACTION DRAMA: real-life; also missionary; first or third person
CHARACTER DRAMA: conversions, recovery, relationships, etc.
LESSONS FROM LIFE: winsome, poignant, but not moralistic
REAL-LIFE PARABLE: a short true story with an implicit moral lesson
FICTION: CR almost never uses fiction
HUMOR: quality humor is hard to write and highly valued by CR editors
CELEBRITY PROFILE: Christian and "cross-over" personalities
SEASONAL: Christmas, Easter, Mother’s/Father’s Day, etc.; best if submitted at least
nine months in advance

Interesting & Artsy Stuff
POETRY: very limited use, especially if maudlin
PHOTOGRAPHY: used mainly in our In Sight column – a "big picture" with a 150-word caption; photo must be arresting and shot artistically; photo subjects range from human interest to current events, and should have a Christian angle
HISTORY/ARCHAEOLOGY/SCIENCE: written factually and popularly with a Christian angle
TRIVIA: fun, quirky, or interesting facts about life and Christian culture

Topics
FAMILY: stories, how-to’s
ROMANCE & MARRIAGE: stories, how-to’s
SEX: Christians perspectives and benefits of purity
SOCIAL ISSUES: compelling, informative, and fresh perspectives on cultural, moral, social issues such as gambling, euthanasia, abortion, racial injustice, etc.– written for the popular audience, usually with statistics or personal accounts that illustrate the subject

Spiritual Reflection
CHURCH LIFE: no yawners, please
EVANGELISM/MISSIONS: stories, how-to’s
MEDITATION/DEVOTIONAL: shorter than most articles; must be fresh, contemporary, personable
PRAYER: stories, how-to’s
PERSONAL GROWTH: stories, how-to’s
OTHER: general articles on spiritual living

CHRISTIANITY TODAY
465 Gundersen Dr.
Carol Stream, IL 60188-2498
fax: (630)260-0114
EMail: ctedit@aol.com
Website: www.christianity.net/ct

WHAT WE LOOK FOR IN CHRISTIANITY TODAY ARTICLES:

A. Good Ideas.
1. fresh, creative ideas that plow up new ground.
2. that fit the purpose and stance of CHRISTIANITY TODAY.
3. that are useful to the reader; that answer the question: "Good for what?"
4. that contain new insights, wisdom, judgment, analysis, interpretation.
5. that are interesting to CHRISTIANITY TODAY readers.

B. Evidence of Hard Work.
1. not superficial generalities.
2. strong supporting evidence for the article’s major proposition.
3. careful diagnosis and solutions.
4. related to the real world.
a. not limited to academic research.
b. related to real problems and needs.
5. correlation with and applications of Christian values and principles.

C. A Strong Logical Case.
1. point-by-point, with transitions.
2. shows the reader where you are going and why.
3. makes clear what you are trying to prove.

D. Compelling Opening and Conclusion.
1. introductory paragraphs that hold attention.
2. an ending that summarizes and provokes thought.

E. Careful Craftmanship.
1. high regard for language and style, words, punctuation, grammar, etc.
2. colorful, vivid, moving language.
3. simplicity, clarity, readability.
4. no technical jargon or professional academic language.
5. adherence to our word limits, usually 1,500 to 3,000 words. The Speaking Out columns use 800-word articles. Book reviews are usually commissioned. Letters of inquiry are requested before these are sent out.
6. fresh, clean legible manuscript copy, typed double-spaced. We prefer exclusive original submissions. If you have sent your manuscript to another magazine, please advise. Word processor printouts, as long as they are clear, are acceptable. We prefer these to be on 8-1/2 x 11 inch sheets.

CHRISTIANITY TODAY expects query letters before manuscripts are sent.

1. Material should not be submitted without first becoming thoroughly familiar with the magazine's content over a period of time.
2. Outline your article proposal. State your subject, theme, proposition and your main points.
3. Outline your research, experience, qualifications.
4. Tell us something about yourself. Why are you qualified to write this particular article?

Payment: Essays purchased at $75.00 and up for columns, and $100.00 and up for articles. Reimbursement upon acceptance.

QUERIES AND/OR MANUSCRIPTS WITHOUT A SASE WILL NOT BE ANSWERED OR RETURNED.

CT is NOT a market for fiction or poetry.

CORNERSTONE
939 W. Wilson
Chicago, IL 60640-5718
(773)989-2080 fax: (773)989-2076

These are the writers' guidelines for Cornerstone magazine. Our purpose is to communicate doctrinal truth based on Scripture and to break the "normal Christian" mold with a stance that has cultural relevancy. We appreciate your interest and hope you will find these guidelines helpful.

Articles
The kind of article we are looking for is the well-documented piece dealing with contemporary issues. This kind of writing takes time to prepare, i.e., research, interviews. We may use one unsolicited manuscript per year with up to 4,000 words maximum and pay 8-10 cents per word.

Opinion Pieces/Reviews/Cartoons
We welcome various opinion pieces, personal testimonies, cartoons, and reviews. These items should be between 500 and 1000 words, and, again, we pay 8-10 cents per word. We also publish book and music reviews. These should feature a recent publication or artist focusing on the work and/or the artist's worldview and value system.

Fiction
We are looking for high quality fiction with skillful characterization, plot development, and imaginative symbolism. We welcome material which touches on current social and theological issues. We are open to all types of fiction from the traditional to experimental pieces. Manuscripts should be from 250 to 4,000 words, though this can be negotiated. We, again, pay after publication 8-10 cents per word.

Poetry
We accept avant-garde, free verse, haiku, light verse-though we have no room for epic poetry. We usually print 5-6 poems per issue at $10.00 per 1-15 line poem, $25.00 per 16+ line poem. We are looking for good use of imagery, words that elicit a sensory response in the reader, a poem that has memorable quality.

Response Policy
Due to the volume of material we receive, we cannot return your work, so never send us your only copy because we discard those manuscripts that we do not wish to hold. We will contact you only if we would like to hold your work because it might fit well in a future issue of Cornerstone so please do not send a SASE. Our response time is generally three to six months.

Mark your envelope "Attn: Joyce Paskewich, Submissions Editor" or for poetry "Attn: Tammy Perlmutter, Poetry Editor." (You are also welcome to fax your submissions oar fax number is 779-989-2076.) because Cornerstone publishes only 3-4 issues/year, we use very few of the freelance manuscripts submitted, but rest assured, all material sent to Cornerstone is read and considered.

We look forward to hearing from you soon.

DECISION
1300 Harmon Place
Minneapolis, MN 55403-1988
(612)338-0500 fax: (612)335-1299
EMail: decision@graham-assn.org

Before sending Decision your manuscript, consider...

Our Purpose
1. To set forth to each reader the Good News of salvation in Jesus Christ with such vividness and clarity that he or she will be drawn to make a commitment to Christ.
2. To encourage, teach and strengthen Christians to walk daily with Christ and to reach out to others for Christ.

Our Audience
Decision's content is directed to youth and adults in every walk of life around the world.

Our Approach
We look for articles that give hope to the readers – hope as it is found in the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Be positive – not preachy. Don’t tell the readers what they should do; rather, show them what you did in your situation. The readers should see how Christ is making a difference in your everyday life, how you are applying biblical truth. Then, even if their situations differ from yours, they will take away lessons for their own lives. This "take-away" factor is important to us.

Our Editorial Needs
Personal Testimony
Write your conversion testimony in the first person, conveying what Christ has done in your life. Include in the account what life was like before you became a Christian, but focus on the circumstances in which you invited Christ into your life and on what is happening at the present time. Or you may want to write another person’s testimony obtained be interview or cassette tape; also written in the first person ("as told to"). Length: 1,200-1,400 words.

Personal Experience
How have you applied biblical principles to everyday living or to a crisis experience? Tell your story so that the readers can identify and apply the same principles in similar situations in their own lives. Length: 1,200-1,400 words.

Short Pieces
Write a concise narrative relating anecdotes or incidents from life; include a personal spiritual application, especially one pertaining to evangelism. Length: 400-1,000 words.

Where Are They Now?
If you made a decision for Christ as a result of a Billy Graham Crusade, telecast, film or "The Hour of Decision," or through reading Decision magazine, tell us about it – and what you are doing now. A good place for a beginning writer to start. Length: 600-800 words.

Teaching
Illustrate biblical principles with personal anecdotes in articles dealing with spiritual growth, Bible doctrine and implications of the Christian faith for one’s life and work. For experienced writers, pastors, teachers and those mature in the Christian faith. Length: 1,200-1,700 words.

Poetry
Poetry guidelines are available upon request with a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

Your Submissions
1. Please do not send queries. All completed manuscripts are given consideration.
2. Study Decision's content, emphasis, style and article length before submitting material
3. Type your manuscript in standard manuscript form: double-spaced; name, address and telephone number in top left-hand corner (include fax number if available); word-count and rights offered in top right-hand corner. If your article is "as told to," also include name, address and telephone number of the person who is the subject of the story. If your article is available on disk, please note that in your cover letter but do not mail the disk.
4. When using Scripture quotations, specify the version. Sources must also be given for quotations or general comments attributed to other persons. When a quotation is directly from a book or a magazine, please photocopy the page from which the quotation is taken, the title page and the copyright page, and include with your manuscript.
5. Decision prefers first rights. We will not consider simultaneous submissions.
6. Decision does not publish fiction. We do not publish personality profiles, except as they relate to persons prominent in our Christian heritage.
7. Seasonal material should reach us 10 to 12 months prior to publication date.
8. Keep at least one copy of your manuscript for your files.
9. The amount of payment varies according to the extent of required editing and the published article length. Payment is made on publication. Address your manuscript to:

Bob Paulsen, Associate Editor

Decision
1300 Harmon Place
Box 779
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55440-0779

Important: If you want to have your manuscript returned, enclose a self-addressed envelope and full postage. Canadian and other foreign postage cannot be used when mailing from the United States. (International coupons are acceptable.) DECISION assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited material. If you prefer not to have your manuscript returned because it is on your computer, tell us.

Decision magazine is published monthly by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Decision is also available in Braille and on cassette tape for the blind.

THE DOOR
P.O. Box 1444
Waco, TX 76703-1444
EMail: 103361.23@compuserve.com

The easiest way to get into The Door is to write something funny. Not funny ha ha. But funny HA HA HA. Laugh-out-loud-funny. We’re not looking to mildly amuse here.

So what do we consider funny? Whatever makes us laugh. The best way to determine that is to read several issues of The Door. If you’ll do that ahead of time, you’ll realize that we no longer accept poetry, first-person essays, sermonettes, and articles that won’t make any sense unless you grew up in the Church. Second, our thrust has always been to use humor and satire to point out the absurdities of people who either use religion to enrich their own savings accounts or use religion to convince/brainwash others into following their peculiar agendas. This means any kind of religion. We’re not particular.

(Exception #1: If your article is funny enough, forget the above couple of paragraphs. Humor rules.)

Here is an important point: we don’t want to be exclusive. The new owners are serious about making fun of pomposity and self-righteousness wherever it is found, including all other religions, faiths, and credos. (That includes the New Age, Wicca, Druidism, Buddhism, Zoasterism, and any other -ism you can think of.)

And that means your article have to be funny to both someone with only a vague, nodding acquaintance with religion in general and to a born again/Sunday School/Training Union/Bible Sword Drill/Youth Choir/Southern Baptist Deacon. The Door is a religious jargon-free zone.

(Exception #2: If your article is funny enough, forget the above paragraph.)

If you’ve got an article that qualifies, send it to: Robert Darden, Editor, P.O. Box 1444, Waco, TX 76703-1444.

If you’re computer-empowered, e-mail it to: 103361.23@compuserve.com. (Compuserve folks just e-mail it to 103361,23.)

If not, we currently use WordPerfect 5.1 for DOS, running on IBM machines on Double Density (DD) disks – not High Density (HD) disks.

If you can’t do either of those things, go ahead and send it on hard copy. But be forewarned: it won’t be very long before we’re going to have to accept stuff electronically – exclusively.

If your piece meets the above requirements, just send it our way. It’s hard to tell from a query letter if an article is Door funny.

Also: put your name, address, social security number, and telephone number on both your cover letter and the first page of your manuscript, no matter how short or long it is.

Oh yeah – grab a copy of The AP Style Book at your local used book store. That’s the stylebook we’ll be using from now on.

And always, always, ALWAYS, ALWAYS include a self-addressed, stamped (SASE) envelope if you’re making any kind of submission and want either a response or your stuff back. We’re simply getting too much stuff to return articles, disks, photographs, drawings, or whatever without return postage attached.

Speaking of drawings, we love single panel gag cartoons. No need to send originals – good quality photocopies will do. Just write "Please Do Not Fold – Artwork Enclosed" on the outside of your oversized envelope.

A couple of final tips: we don’t commission articles or interviews. We like ’em, we buy ’em. We don’t, we send ’em back.

Payment and author’s copies are sent within a couple of weeks after publication.

And, of course, enclose that mandatory SASE.

We generally try to respond on submissions within a month or so. Robert Darden screens all articles. Ones he likes he takes before the Star Chamber/Trinity Editorial Board, which is generally comprised of Ole Anthony, Skippy R., and whoever doesn’t have kitchen duty that night. The board hashes 'em out, argues over ’em, consults chicken entrails, casts lots, and eventually comes to a consensus. These articles go into our "accepted" pile where they are considered with each upcoming issue of The Door. Articles that don’t survive the process are returned to their authors.

In other words, the entire process is completely arbitrary. Just because we didn’t buy your article this time doesn’t mean we won’t go scalded ape crazy over your next one and practically throw money at you.

So fire away. We’re looking forward to hearing from you.*

*The Door is 90% free-lance written and proud of it.

EVANGEL
Free Methodist Publishing House P.O. Box 535002
Indianapolis, IN 46253-5002
(317)244-3660

Evangel is a weekly publication of Light and Life Communications that is geared toward adults. All submissions should reflect the needs, interests, and struggles of adults striving to maintain a vital relationship with Christ in the midst of everyday experiences – or seek to know Christ in these same experiences. (In general, stories should be aimed at young to middle-aged adults.)

We accept both fiction and non-fiction work. Material can range from first person stories to Christian growth and living articles to devotional articles. Material should not be preachy or overly predictable. First-time rights are preferred, although second rights and reprints will be considered.

Materials should be limited to 1,200 words or less. We can use a larger quantity of short articles compared to long ones.

Short anecdotes, and humor articles are welcome, although use is less frequent. Poetry is used on a very limited basis. We do not follow a theme list but do print seasonal material.

Submissions
All material must be typed on 8 1/2 x 11-inch white paper. In the upper left-hand corner of the first page, include your name, address, phone number and social security number. In the upper right-hand corner, specify the number of words in the manuscript, what rights you are offering and if the piece is fiction or nonfiction. One-third of the way down the page, give the manuscript title and your name. All subsequent material must be double-spaced, with one-inch margins. Number your pages.

Poetry must be typed on 8 1/2 x 11-inch white paper. In the upper left-hand corner of each page, include your name, address, phone number and social security number. In the upper right-hand corner, specify what rights you are offering. One-third of the way down the page, give the title and your name. All subsequent material must be double-spaced, with one-inch margins. Submit no more than five at a time.

Always include a word count, and a cover letter introducing yourself and your work.

If you produce your material on computer, please indicate what program and platform (IBM/Mac) you use. If we accept your article, we may ask you to provide a computer disk. When preparing computer manuscripts:
--Do not justify margins.
--Use single spaces after periods and colons.
--Use tabs to begin paragraphs (not 5 spaces).

Allow six to eight weeks for response. Send seasonal material at least 9-12 months in advance. Always include a stamped, self-addressed envelope for reply/return of manuscript.

Address all submissions to:
Evangel
Light and Life Communications
PO Box 535002
Indianapolis, IN 46253-5002

Payment
Rate of pay is four cents per word as published. Minimum payment is $10.00. Your check and complimentary copy are sent on publication.

Photography
Good-quality black-and-white or color photographs relating to your article are welcome. Rate of pay is $10.00 per selected photo. Include photo credit.

Complimentary Issues
If you would like to examine the style and content of Evangel, sample issues are available when accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope (business size). Write "guidelines request" on your envelope so we can sort it from the submissions.

Evangel Mission Statement
The Evangel, a weekly adult publication seeks to increase the reader's understanding of nature and character of God and the nature of a life lived under the lordship of Christ. Devotional character, it directly and unashamedly lifts Christ as the Source of salvation and hope.

Hints:
--Evangel is limited in space.
--Don't ramble, stick to your thesis or theme.
--Don't be unnecessarily redundant.
--Brevity and simplicity of content makes for a more readable piece.
--Material not accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope is not returned and may not receive a reply.
--Rhyming poetry is seldom seriously considered.
--Failure to include your social security number results in delayed payment of published piece.

FAITH TODAY
MIP Box 3745
Markham, Ontario, Canada L3R 0Y4
(905)479-5885 fax: (905)479-4742
EMail: ft@efc-canada.com
Website: www.efc-canada.com

So you want to write for FAITH TODAY!

We’d like that too. Careful study of these guidelines will help you hit the target.

Like most magazines, FAITH TODAY has a very specific mandate and seeks to serve a particular segment of readership. The better you understand us and our audiences, the better your likelihood of writing to match our needs.

HISTORY
When FAITH TODAY was being shaped, the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada did not want to produce a house organ that would voice the organizational views, but develop a vehicle of broader ministry to the Christian community. Organizers wanted it to fill a niche that existing publications did not cover. In terms of expounding and teaching specific biblical doctrines and interpretations, denominational publications handle a good deal of that type of material as well as covering denominational news. In areas of encouragement, inspiration and support in Christian living (things that know no national boundaries), many Christian publications from the United States serve the purpose well. But two areas those groupings left blank:
1. News of the Canadian church - events, people and trends that cross denominational boundaries;
2. Examination of contemporary Canadian issues in which corporate faith intersects with society. In helping Christians deal with matters such as church and state, education, media, or moral aspects of public policy it is important to have a Canadian vehicle because our systems, structures and laws are different from those of the United States.

Hence a publication was created to fill that gap. It began in 1983 as an occasional publication called Faith Alive. In 1986 it took the name FAITH TODAY and began publishing bi-monthly.

PURPOSE
FAITH TODAY is an interdenominational, evangelical news/feature magazine that informs Canadian Christians on issues facing church and society and on events and trends within the church community. It seeks to stimulate thought and dialogue in these areas. It has a special emphasis on offering a Canadian perspective.

AUDIENCE PROFILE
Canadian evangelicals active in the church
75% attend church more than once a week
27% are clergy
an additional 44% are involved in lay leadership
Average age 49.5, 44% are between 35 and 54.
65% have post-secondary education
66% live in urban areas
66% are male

STYLE
FAITH TODAY seeks to report, not exhort; and to reflect evangelical thinking rather than direct it.
Our approach is informational, analytical, journalistic. We need articles founded on sound research and substantive interviews. We try to avoid academic, theological, and essay/commentary styles. We strive for an objective, not subjective, viewpoint, and include a variety of divergent views. We hope that by informing readers we give them the tools not only to think though the issues for their own conclusions, but to better understand views they disagree with, whether to refute them to deal with people who hold differing views.

Report, do not Exhort
Reflect evangelical thinking, do not Direct evangelical thinking
Write objectively, do not Write subjectively
Write journalistically, do not Write pastorally or advocatorily
Inform/analyze, do not Opine
Write in third person, do not Write in first person

EDITORIAL NEEDS
Cover Stories are usually planned by the editorial staff and assigned to established FT writers. Theme lists are available on request and queries relating to a specific cover theme will be considered at the planning meeting for that edition. Cover stories generally require heavy interviewing and other research. We do not look for opinion or position pieces here unless we are putting two opposing views head to head.

Features of up to 1,500 words on current topics that relate to faith in Canadian society rather than dealing with the personal Christian walk. We look for comprehensive national coverage. A feature is not just a long news story; it must incorporate context and analysis. Query first (to managing editor). Recent examples: how copyright law affects the church; the emergence of ministries directed toward the business environment; Christian understanding and application of civil disobedience.
(Tips: analysis is not opinion. Analysis involves probing the philosophical questions and several levels of "why;" analysis explores the rationale behind the facts; it examines the ramifications and significance.)

News. Concise, hard news of events, actions and trends of interest across Canada. Beats include but are not limited to education, evangelism, social issues, native concerns, missions, ministries, churches, media, revival, politics/government, and youth. We do not carry advance stories on coming events unless there is some other angle than the event itself. Stories must have a clear religious angle with national appeal. No cheerleading; no rewriting press releases. All sides of a story must be represented. We often rely on freelancers to suggest stories, especially from other parts of the country. We appreciate tips, even if you cannot write the story.
We prefer pyramid style. Must be written in third person. Up to 350 words. Photos important. Query first (to news editor)--by phone if the story is time-sensitive. Query deadline: six weeks before the issue date.

Profiles. Word pictures of Canadian evangelicals outstanding for some aspect of their faith in practice. Should capture the essence of the person’s character--not simply recount what the person has done. Select people of whom, at the end, the reader might say, "I want to be that kind of Christian." (Not, "I wish I could do something that significant.") This is a tricky distinction, because what a person does flows out of what kind of person he/she is. We are trying to capture the is, and the activities should be portrayed simply as the result of that. Give a balanced picture of the individual--no halos please. Query first (to managing editor). Photo required.

World page. On a semi-regular basis FAITH TODAY carries a short feature that provides an update or insight into the church in a specific country. How is the church doing? What are the struggles and issues in that particular context? What are the encouragements? It should look at the church scene as a whole, not any one denomination or ministry. Preferred length is 700 to 800 words. A good action photo is always an asset.

Columns. Well-argued, freelance opinion pieces on topics of current interest are welcome for the guest column. Other columns are assigned by editorial staff to specific beats.

WHAT WE DON’T NEED
--Generic Christian living material
--Devotionals
--Bible studies
--Personal perspective on contemporary issues
--Personal experience stories/testimonies
--Seasonal material (Christmas, Easter, etc.)
--Serialized articles
--Poetry
--Fiction
--We do not accept reprints or simultaneous submissions

PAYMENT
Fee is determined for each story based on research required, estimated time frame, length, experience of the writer. Ranges from $60 for the simplest news story to $700 for the most complex cover story.

SUBMISSION FORMAT
Manuscripts must be typed, double-spaced on one side only of white paper.
We can accept material on diskette in ASCII (Generic), WordPerfect (5.25" or 3.5" floppy) or Macintosh (3.5" floppy)
Include title, author’s full name, address and telephone number, preferred byline, approximate word count
Include Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope (SASE) with sufficient Canadian postage. Manuscripts without SASE may not be returned. Faxed queries (i.e. lacking an SASE) may not be answered except to give an assignment.
Manuscripts containing factual, spelling, typographical, or grammatical errors are unimpressive.

EDITORIAL RIGHTS
- to edit, abridge and condense as required.
- to allow six to eight weeks for review and reply on manuscripts/queries.
- to assign an article "on spec" to new writers, meaning we are interested enough in the idea to want to see a developed article but we are not willing to commit to purchase until the writer has demonstrated an ability to match FT’s requirements.

QUERY LETTER GUIDELINES
Keep it brief.
Include a thesis statement, brief outline. For news stories brief information on the event is sufficient.
Indicate research done or planned, and sources you intend to interview.
Project approximate length and completion date. Summarize your writing qualifications, including your understanding of the evangelical community.
Attached one or two published clips only if they are of the style of material you are proposing to write for FT. (E.g. if you are proposing a feature article, don’t send a sample of your personal writing experience writing.)

GUIDE
55 W. Oak Ridge Dr.
Hagerstown, MD 21740
fax: (301)790-9734

Writing an Inspirational Story for Guide
The aim of Guide stories is to show Christian character-building principles in practice. Stories in the devotional category deal with more overt spiritual themes, as compared with other categories, such as personal growth or adventure. Topics such as answers to prayer, Biblical narratives, mission stories, and Bible study would be just a few examples of devotional stories. Don’t limit yourself to "traditional" themes, however. Show how God is at work in both the common and unusual circumstances of life.

Before writing any Guide story, we encourage you to ask for the Holy Spirit’s involvement. Here are some other tips to keep in mind when writing a devotional story:

1. Think true first. Spiritually life-changing events that really happened to Guide-age persons (10-14) are often the most powerful. (Of course, a fictional approach may sometimes be the most effective choice for an assigned topic.) Use a style – or a combination of styles – that will keep the reader interested and believing.

2. Grip your reader. A devotional story has the potential to become a spiritual sentimental journey, or at least a ho-hum read. That doesn’t cut it with kids. The last thing Guide-age readers want is to become a bored and boring Christian. Prove to them that it doesn’t need to be that way.

3. Use lots of dialogue and word pictures. Show the reader what it’s like to live an exciting Christian life, don’t tell them about it.

4. Where it works naturally, expose a helpful spiritual principle that the reader can put into practice in his or her life. Make your story make a difference.

5. Put a twist on the ending. Surprise the editor – and reader – by not making the story line an exercise in predictability.

A final note. After you’ve finished your story, please set it aside for at least two days (preferably a week). Then give it a final editing and send it in. Finishing a story the night before deadline usually won’t reflect your best effort.

Writing a Humor Story for Guide
In a world of too much sorrow, Guide seeks to touch young readers’ lives with a measure of joy. Well-written Christian humor can accomplish that, and more. It can serve as a needed "zone of comfort" in dealing with certain topics. One of these areas is in the realm of growing up, spiritually, physically, and emotionally. Humor can provide a sense of relief by showing that everybody, including adults, goes through ups and downs on the roller coaster of life.

Christian humor, as used here, refers to tasteful, character-building humor. Comedy can be a form of Christian humor. More often, Guide humor involves a lighthearted story line that goes beyond one-liners to exposing a character-building principle. (Well-written one-liners in a story line can reach kids, but it takes a special talent to make it work effectively.) Experiment with wordplay that’s written at our readers’ level of understanding.

There is a wide range of possibilities for writing humor appropriate to Guide. In fact, most Guide-age readers appreciate a lighter approach to topics that are typically perceived as being "heavy," or embarrassing. Frequently, a humorous slant may actually prove to be the most effective choice when writing in the three other categories in which Guide publishes weekly (devotional, personal growth, and adventure).

At the beginning of any writing project, we hope you’ll invite the Holy Spirit’s participation. Here are some other specific tips on writing humor for Guide:

1. Write what’s funny to kids. Often, what adults think is "cute" is just plain dumb to Guide-age readers. Learn what makes kids laugh within a Christian context. You may wish to pick up a book or tape at your local Christian bookstore by well-known Christian comedian Ken Davis. One of his best-sellers is I Don’t Remember Dropping the Skunk, But I Do Remember Trying to Breathe (Zondervan). While everyone isn’t a comedian, it may help give you a flavor for tasteful youth-oriented humor.

2. Expose a spiritual or character-building principle. While there may be appropriate forums where laughter alone is the goal, Guide’s mission is to paint inviting portraits of the Christian life. Go beyond laughs to building up kids for the kingdom, and touching their lives with hope.

3. Show the reader laughter and joy through dialogue and word pictures, and please don’t "report" on what somebody in the story line thinks is hilarious. If a character is "doubled over in laughter," don’t include that kind of description. Let the reader decide if something’s funny.

4. Keep it believable. When writing humor, it’s easy to wind up in left field – or the bleachers beyond. Write well; that may or may not mean wacky. (Guide-age readers often do enjoy wackiness. For our purposes, though, we’d like to have some substance involved. We’d hate to accuse a writer of substance abuse.)

5. Surprise the reader with your ending. Give them the satisfaction of having learned something new, or at last having seen something from a new perspective.

Finally, after you’ve finished your work, please set it aside for at least a week, then give it a final editing before sending it to us. Overnight, faxed stories often reflect a less-than-best effort.

Writing a Personal Growth Story for Guide
The Guide-age years (10-14) can prove to be turbulent on many fronts. Friendship, family, peer acceptance, self-esteem, and body changes are just a few areas in which a young person needs constant reassurance. Guide’s personal growth stories are aimed at providing hope, from a Christian perspective, for facing life’s storms as a young person in today’s world.

As with any story, we encourage you to invite the Holy Spirit to become involved in your writing project. Here are some other helpful hints to keep in mind when writing a personal growth story for Guide:

1. Get "inside the head" of today’s 10-14 year-old. Perhaps more than any other area, writing life-changing personal growth stories demands knowing what kids are really feeling. Talk to them, and to those who know them well, to find out. The magazine, Junior High Ministry, along with the book, Junior High Ministry, by Wayne Rice (Zondervan), while dealing with the upper end of Guide’s readership, are nevertheless good resources to consult.

2. Choose a story line that hasn’t been beaten to death. Examples of overused personal growth story lines include a best friend moving away, or a kid hitting a ball over the fence into the grouchy old man’s yard. You can do better than that.

3. Move beyond "moody." It may be OK for your story line to involve a lot of emotion, but kids also need bunches of action and drama. Keep it believable, but moving right along. Give concrete help, and a healthy dose of hope. Try to show between the lines how knowing Jesus can make a difference in dealing with everyday hassles.

4. Show the kid solving his problem, don’t report on it. Use dialogue and word pictures freely.

5. Keep it believable. True stories tend to be the most authentic; fiction may be required to get a specific point across. Use the combination that will best touch the reader’s heart.

6. Give a fresh twist to your ending. Don’t give your reader the satisfaction of knowing what’s coming.

Finally, please set your story aside for at least a day or two (a week is better) after you’ve finished it. Then give it a final editing before sending it in. Last-minute "overnighters" often reflect a less-than-the-best quality.

Writing an Adventure Story for Guide
Young People (and adults too!) love adventure. Guide adventure stories allow the reader to vicariously experience the excitement of making new discoveries while seeing character-building principles in action.

An "adventure" may occur in different settings. Naturally (pun intended), the great outdoors provides a rich arena in which to develop an exciting story line. But an action-packed adventure can also take place in an urban setting.

True adventures are typically more believable than fictionalized accounts. But to communicate specific character-building concepts, as may be required on occasion in a writing assignment, a well-written fictionalized approach may be most appropriate.

The most important thing you can do when starting a writing project is to ask for the Holy Spirit to be involved. Here are a few more specific tips to keep in mind when writing an adventure story for Guide:

1. Meet your readers’ hopes. A helpful acronym to keep in mind while developing an adventure story line is "M.A.D." This stands for (1) mystery, (2) action, and (3) discovery, elements that appeal to Guide-age readers. Also, a touch of suspense keeps kids interested.

2. Expose a spiritual or character-building principle. This happens most effectively through dialogue and action. Show us what’s happening through word pictures, don’t tell us about it through lengthy description.

3. Avoid overused, predictable story lines. Ones we see often are hiking adventures, river rescues, and kids snooping through abandoned houses. Similarly, don’t fall into the "formula" story line trap. Example: two kids go rock climbing, one slips and falls, the other overcomes self-doubt and fear to seek help and becomes a hero in the end. You get the idea – so please come up with a new one. NOTE: If you have a true adventure that seems to fall into a formula pattern, give it a fresh feel and let us have a look at it.

4. Write believably. A true story may be the most powerful; a fictionalized account may be needed to communicate a theme. Use the mode – or a combination of styles – that reaches deep into a young reader’s life.

5. Keep your protagonists Guide-age (10-14)

6. Put a new twist on the ending. Make it a surprise!

Finally, after you’ve finished your story, please set your work aside for at least seven days, then give it a final editing before sending it to us. Frankly, we’re not wild about overnight faxed-in stories. We prefer receiving final drafts!

GUIDEPOSTS MAGAZINE
16 E. 34th St.
New York, NY 10016-4397
Website: www.guideposts.org

Guideposts magazine, A Practical Guide to Successful Living, is a monthly inspirational, interfaith, nonprofit publication written by people from all walks of life. Its articles present tested methods for developing courage, strength and positive attitudes through faith in God. Our writers express viewpoints from a variety of Protestant, Catholic and Jewish faith experiences.

A typical Guideposts story is a first-person narrative written in simple, dramatic, anecdotal style with a spiritual point that the reader can "take away" and apply to his or her own life. The story may be the writer's own or one written in the first person for someone else. Even our short features, such as "His Mysterious Ways," "What Prayer Can Do," "Angels Among Us" and "The Divine Touch" use this format. Writing a short feature is often the easiest way of making a sale to Guideposts.

Please observe the following in writing your Guideposts story:
--Don't try to tell an entire life story in a few pages. Focus on one specific happening in a person's life. The emphasis should be on one individual. Bring in as few people as possible so that the reader’s interest stays with the dominant character.
--Decide what your spiritual point, or "takeaway," will be. Everything in the story should be tied in with this specific theme.
--Don't leave unanswered questions. Give enough facts so that the reader will know what happened. Use description and dialogue to let the reader feel as if he were there, seeing the characters, hearing them talk. Dramatize the situation, conflicts and struggle, and then tell how the person was changed for the better or the problem was solved.
--Most important: Study the magazine.

PAYMENTS
--Full-length manuscripts (750-1500 words): $250-$500, occasionally higher.
--Shorter manuscripts (250-750 words): $100-$250.
--Short features and fillers (under 250 words): $25-$l00. These include "What Prayer Can Do" and heavenly encounters such as "His Mysterious Ways," "Angels Among Us" and "The Divine Touch."

We do not use fiction, essays or sermons, and we rarely present stories about deceased or professional religious people. We do not evaluate book-length material.

Manuscripts must be typed, double-spaced and accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Send submissions to The Editor, Guideposts, 16 East 34th Street, New York, NY 10016. We receive thousands of unsolicited manuscripts each month, so allow two months for a reply.

INSIGHT
55 W. Oak Ridge Dr.
Hagerstown, MD 21740
(301)791-7000 EMail: lpeckham@rhpa.org or insight@rhpa.org
Website: www.rhpa.org

We're glad you're interested in writing for INSIGHT, a Christian magazine for teens. Here are a few things to keep in mind when writing for us: (1) We print mostly true stories with a teenager's point of view. (2) We look for good story-telling elements such as an attention-grabbing opening, realistic dialogue, and believable characters. (3) We ask that stories take a positive, Christ-centered approach to topics of teen interest and concern. (4) We require that stories be written in simple, current language. (5) We buy mostly pieces that fit into the following column formats. Be sure to look at same current issues before starting.

On the Edge. True "drama in real life" stories. Can be written in third person (someone else's story) or first person (your own). 800-1500 words. Please include real photos of the people and incident if possible. Payment: $75-$125.

It Happened to Me. Personal experience stories written in first person. Should tell about an unusual experience that taught a lesson or had a lasting impact. Please include a photo of the author if possible. Word count: 600-900 words. Payment: $50-$100.

So I Said... True, short stories or opinion pieces written in first person. Focuses on common, everyday events and experiences that taught the writer something edifying. If it's a story, it must include dialogue, in which the writer states what he/she has learned. This is an opinion piece preferably communicated through narrative. 200-400 words. Payment: $40-60.

How I Became Friends With God. True, first-person accounts describing how the writer became friends with God. Might define one dramatic incident causing a spiritual change, or describe a gradual process. Should help readers see the importance and need of a friendship with God. Include a sidebar with a few specific recommendations for finding and growing closer to God. Should focus on the teen years. Please include a photo of the writer. Length: 600-900 words, including sidebar. Payment: $50-$100.

Service with a :-). Journalistic reports or stories of service activities ranging from volunteer projects to mission trips and student missions. Any type of service is acceptable. Photos and quotes of participants are important. 600-1500 words. Payment: $50-$125.

Please send manuscripts typed and double-spaced. With each submission include your name, address, phone number, and Social Security number (for payment). Also please supply biographical information about yourself and a photo if possible. Submission constitutes permission to edit.

Send manuscripts (with SASE if return desired) to:
INSIGHT
55 West Oak Ridge Drive
Hagerstown, MD 21740-7301

MOODY MAGAZINE
820 N. LaSalle Blvd.
Chicago, IL 60610
(312)329-2164 fax: (312)329-2149
EMail: moodyedit@aol.com
Website: moody.edu

Our Purpose: Published six times a year, Moody magazine exists to encourage and equip Christians to live biblically in a secular culture. That process involves articles that focus on our application of God’s Word for doctrine, reproof as needed, correction, and instruction in righteousness.

Our Readers: Moody readership encompasses more than 250,000 conservative evangelicals each issue (circulation 112,000) focused in the United States and Canada. The average reader is married, a college graduate, and active in his church. Less than 20 percent are pastors. The male-female ratio is 41-59.

Our Contents: Moody primarily seeks practical, popular-level articles that focus on the application of scriptural principles in daily life. Other articles report on current events and issues from a scriptural perspective.

Writing for Moody: Because we assign each issue’s package of cover articles – and because we seek to present a variety of topics in each issue – we do not offer an editorial theme list. Instead, we look for free-lancers to query us about individual article proposals.

Feature Articles cover a broad range of topics, but have one common goal: to foster application – by a broad readership – of specific scriptural principles. While many of our authors use a personal narrative style, we are also open to articles that take an anecdotal reporting approach. Length: 1,200 to 2,200 words.

Do’s and Don’ts:
How-to’s: Rather than directive how-to’s, we prefer articles that show how you (or other believers) have learned to approach a situation scripturally and the difference that has made.

Exhortations: Similarly, we do not seek articles declaring a certain issue is a problem Christians should address. We prefer a journalistic approach that shows examples of believers who are already taking a positive, scripturally based response.

Inspirationals: Our goal for narratives is not simply to describe a dramatic or inspirational event, but to show the process of one seeing the need to apply the truth of God’s Word to an aspect of everyday life– and then following through with that application.

Profiles: We prefer not to spotlight individuals or the work of individual ministries. We would, however, consider a journalistic article that reports how several different people or ministries across the country are responding to a particular concern or need.

No biographies. historical articles. or studies of Bible figures.

Narrative article topics: Moody especially seeks narrative accounts showing one's realization and application of specific, scriptural principles in daily life. In generating ideas for such articles, we recommend a writer consider:
– what has God been "working on" in your life in the past few years?
– how have you been learning to apply a new realization of what Scripture is commanding you to do?
– what difference has this made for you and those around you?

Departments:
News Focus – An in-depth, thoroughly researched journalistic account of a current news event or
trend. Query by e-mail, fax, or letter to the News Editor. Length: 1,000 to 1,400 words.

First Person – This is our gospel tract, the only article written specifically for non-Christians. A personal testimony (we also accept "as told to’s"), its objective is to tell a person’s salvation testimony, primarily through anecdotes, in such a way that the reader will understand the gospel and consider trusting Christ as Savior. Avoid cliches and Christian jargon; they defeat the purpose of communicating to non-believers. We prefer no testimonies of entertainers, athletes, public figures, and new Christians (received Christ less than two years ago). Length: 800 to 900 words.

First Person essential points (devote about one-third to each):
1. Conflict. What kept this person from Christ?
2. Conversion. Must include (with verse references):
a. Christ’s death for his sin.
b. Repentance from sin.
c. Faith in Christ alone for salvation.
3. Change. How is this person a new creation in Christ? This must relate to the introductory conflict.

Show how Christ has resolved or is resolving the conflict.

Our Procedure: Moody does not accept unsolicited manuscripts – they will be returned unread with a form letter that explains our submission procedure. Writers must first write a query letter and secure permission to forward their manuscripts. Query response is usually in four to six weeks. Do not query by telephone, fax, or e-mail unless urgent subject matter requires an immediate editorial response.

Query Letters: In your letter, which should be only one page, include:
– a working title
– suggested length
– your article’s topic, intended reader application, and scriptural basis
– a representative sample paragraph
– your qualifications to write on this subject
– your writing experience.
Always include a self-addressed stamped envelope. Please, no simultaneous or reprint queries.

Deadlines: Moody begins editing each issue five months prior to the date of publication and plans each issue several months in advance of that. For seasonal material, query nine months in advance.

Poetry and Fiction: Moody does not print poetry. Although we print little fiction, we will consider well-written contemporary stories that are directed, like our non-fiction, toward showing scriptural application. Dialogue, action, and descriptions must be crisp and believable. Avoid cliched salvation accounts, biblical fiction, parables, and allegories. Length: 1,200 to 2,200 words.

Manuscript Format: Print-outs must be double-spaced. Include a 3.5-inch floppy disk in any popular word-processing format as well as text-only version.

Include on the first page the approximate article length, your name, address, day phone, and Social Security number. Return the Writer Information Sheet sent in response to your query. Always include an SASE for the return of your materials should your manuscript not meet our needs.

Payment and Rights: On acceptance, Moody pays 15 cents a word for sharp, well-edited queried manuscripts. Moody buys First North American Serial Rights. Once the work has been published in an issue of Moody magazine, Moody retains the non-exclusive right to re-publish that work in electronic form, without further compensation to the author. Moody may authorize electronic "readers" worldwide to print a copy of the work for personal use; however all requests for commercial reprints shall be referred to the author. All other rights return to the author once the article has been published.

Manuscript Policy: We examine all manuscripts on speculation. A positive response to a query does not guarantee purchase.

The author grants MOODY the right to edit and abridge the manuscript and warrants that it has not already appeared in print and that it has not been simultaneously submitted to other publications. Further, the author warrants that nothing in the article infringes the copyright ownership of any person, firm, or corporation, and that he is its sole and true author.

MY FRIEND
50 St. Paul's Ave.
Jamaica Plain, Boston, MA 02130-3491
(617)522-8911 Website: www.pauline.org

My Friend is a 32-page monthly Catholic magazine for boys and girls. Its goal is to celebrate the Catholic Faith--as it is lived by today's children and as it has been lived for centuries. Its pages are packed with fun, learning, new experiences, information, crafts global awareness. friendships and inspiration. Together with it's web-page KidStuff (www.pavline.org). My Friend provides kids and their families a wealth of information and contacts on every aspect of the Faith.

Non-Fiction
Approximately 60 percent of each issue is written by staff or contributing editors. We are looking for fresh perspectives into a child's world that are imaginative, unique, challenging, informative, current and fun. We prefer articles that are visual, not necessarily text-based-articles written in "windows" style with multiple points of entry.

New policies:
Science articles are written on commission, except for the rare article they are written by scientists.

Biographies are accepted if they emphasize the, childhood.of the subject and are written from a slant that emphasizes a theme or a particular issue. A biography should be written by someone who shows a rich mastery in the field in question. It should not be re-written from an encyclopedia. Please accompany biographies with a bibliography.

Lives of saints for the year 1998-1999 are included under the feature Shoelaces and have been assigned.

Doctrinal articles are written by staff members.

Fiction
We are looking for stories that immediately grab the imagination of the reader. Good dialogue, realistic character development, current lingo are necessary. Fictional can entertain, inspire or teach. Fiction stories do not have to do all three. We have a need for each of these types at different times.

At this lime we are especially analyzing submissions for the following: intercultural relations, periodic appearance of a child living with a disability or a sibling of a child or adult with a disability, realistic and current issues kids face today.

We are interested in fiction that features children of a different culture, for the purpose of helping children appreciate others and grow up seeking peace.

We will be running a new series on issues that children face in their life now and that are mirrored in society at large.

My Friend is presently in search of jokes for its puzzle pages.

Crafts and Science articles are on assignment basis only.

Manuscript Format
Manuscripts must be typewritten and double or triple-spaced with a "ragged" right margin. The author's name, address, telephone number, date of submission, and the approximate word count of the material should appear on the first page of the manuscript. Title pages are not necessary. Please include SASE with all submissions. Those without an SASE will not be returned, Sample copies of the magazine may be requested by including $2.00 and a self-addressed stamped envelope.

Because we prepare each issue six months in advance, publication may take, place up to one year after date of acceptance. Reprints and simultaneous submissions not accepted.

Rates end Payment Policies
We buy First Worldwide Publication Rights for print and on-line editions of My Friend. Fillers: starting at $5,00, Stories and articles: starting at $20.00 to $150.00 maximum. Payment is made upon completion of the issue in which the article appears (six months before publication date). Each author receives two complimentary copies of the issues in which his or her material is published. We retain the right to change payment rates without notice, unless agreement has been made in advance for an article, series, etc.

Because of the number of manuscripts we receive daily, only infrequently do we accept unsolicited manuscripts. We accept less than 1% of the fiction we receive and less than 10% of the non-fiction.

SIGNS OF THE TIMES
P.O. Box 5353
Nampa, ID 83653-5353
(208)465-2500 fax: (208)465-2531
EMail: mmoore@pacificpress.com

DESCRIPTION
Signs of the Times is a 32-page monthly Christian magazine, published by the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Its intended audience is the nonchurchgoing North American public.

PAYMENT
For first North American rights, we pay up to 25 cents per word. We’ll do our best to let you know whether or not we’ve accepted your manuscript within a month of our having received it. Payment is made as soon as the manuscript has been edited.

ARTICLE LENGTHS
Better living: 1,500 words (including sidebars)
Doctrinal and/or topical: 1,000 or 2,000 words (one or the other)
Personal experience: 700 words
Personality profile: 1,500 - 2,000 words (including sidebars)

Manuscripts should be typed, double-spaced, and include a large SASE. Send them to:
Marvin Moore, Editor
Signs of the Times Magazine
Pacific Press Publishing Association
P.O. Box 5353
Nampa, ID 83653-5353

Artwork and photos should be sent to: Merwin Stewart, Designer, Signs of the Times Magazine (as above)

FIFTEEN REASONS MANUSCRIPTS GET REJECTED BY SIGNS OF THE TIMES:
--Wrong genre. We don’t do poetry. We rarely publish fiction. And since we prepare our magazine six months in advance of its mailing date, we can't cover late-breaking news.
--Wrong assumptions. We’ll publish articles on almost any topic – Christology, current events, death, the environment, faith, family, health, salvation... if it’s of interest to God, in other words, it's of interest to Signs of the Times!
--Before submitting your article, however, you might want to acquaint yourself with the basic beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist Church – just to make sure you aren’t assuming something that the Seventh-day Adventist Church does not. An article on "Ten Reasons Why Everyone Should Go to Church on Sunday," for instance, probably won't find a home in Signs of the Times! Neither will an article that assumes its readers are white, middle-class, pro-life Republicans.
--If there’s a single reason why we reject most manuscripts, as a matter of fact, it’s the fact that Signs of the Times is a Christian magazine aimed at non-Christians! We can’t take it for granted that our readers read their Bibles, attend church, or even pray. Granted, we want them to do all these things – and your article should lead them to want to do all these things. But do approach these subjects in a way that will interest our readers.
--Lack of spirituality. No, this doesn’t contradict what we just said. We don’t want to be "preachy," but we do want the reader to learn more about God – or their duty to Him – as a result of reading your article. Articles that say little more than "have a nice day" or "celebrate the child within" aren’t enough.
--Lack of expertise. Write about the things you know. Don't write on suffering if you haven’t suffered. Don't write about prayer if you don’t pray. And don’t write about events in Russia unless you can show you’ve done your homework.
--Copyright problems. If your article makes "major use" of another author's work, we can't use it unless you've already gotten permission to do so from that author. Be careful, in other words, when you quote poetry or the lyrics to a song. And long quotations or articles that are little more than a "book report" or a Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations – will get you in trouble every time.
--Prior submissions. Yes, Signs of the Times will purchase second rights – as long as the article has not already appeared in the Adventist, Review, Christianity Today, Guideposts, Moody Monthly, Focus on the Family, or Decision magazine. (If your article has already appeared in these magazines, there’s a good chance that many of our readers have already seen it.)
--Invasion of privacy. Never, ever write about someone else without getting their permission to do so. (Public figures are something of an exception here, but not always.) That cute story about your neighbor’s kid (or that heartbreaking story about an ex-spouse) could land both you and Signs of the Times with a lawsuit for invasion of privacy or libel.
--Jargon. You should write so that the clerk at the corner 7-Eleven could understand you. Language that is peculiar to your church, your profession, or your educational background is out.
--Boring introduction. You have fifteen seconds to capture your reader’s attention. Do it quickly, or not at all.
--Poor organization. A list is fine. Three-points-and-a-thesis is OK. A motivated sequence is wonderful. But make sure it’s clear – readers can't ask you what you meant if you've confused them.
--Lack of specific solutions. For every word you write about a problem, you should write two words about what our readers can do about that problem. Never leave a reader saying, "So what?"
--Lack of benefits. To put it simply, why should anyone read your article – or do whatever it is that you ask them to do in your article? Will they lose ten pounds? Be able to sleep better at night? Rid themselves of acne? Gain eternal life? Make this clear!
--Lack of illustrations. One good example is worth five pages of philosophy. It adds interest. It adds impact. And it gives our readers a better idea of how your article affects people just like them.
--Too long. Check our requirements at the top of this page – and stick to them! 2,400 words is the absolute limit for an article in Signs of the Times – and we only publish twelve articles of that length in an entire year.
--It’s just plain boring. Not that this is ever a problem with your manuscripts – but it’s amazing how many other authors can run into trouble on this point.

PENTECOSTAL EVANGEL
1445 Boonville
Springfield, MO 65802-1894
(417)862-2781 fax: (417)862-0416
EMail: pevangel@ag.org

WHAT ARTICLES WE NEED

1. Christian living. These should help our readers better understand the Bible, develop a richer prayer life, live more victoriously, or overcome personal problems.

2. Stories about soul winning, conversions, answers to prayer, and physical healings. These are often written in the first person. Healings must be endorsed by a minister personally acquainted with the case.

3. Doctrinal. The Evangel is a Pentecostal magazine, so articles on divine healing and the baptism in the Holy Spirit are welcomed. Articles on the Second Coming must be premillennial in viewpoint.

4. Salvation appeal. We need 500- to 800-word articles with strong evangelistic appeal. The articles must capture and retain the interest of the unsaved. The way of salvation should be clearly shown. An illustration or reference to current events makes a good introduction for such an article.

5. Home and family. We need articles that give practical help for Christian parents without being preachy. Articles should include illustrations from life. Emphasize scriptural principles for building a Christian home.

6. Seasonal. Articles pertaining to New Year's, Easter, Father's Day, Mother’s Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc., should be submitted at least 6 months in advance.

7. Current issues. We welcome articles that deal with major current issues. Content, of course, must keep with the doctrinal positions of the Assemblies of God.

8. Regular features. Writers are encouraged to send articles to appear in specific sections such as "News You Can Use."

9. News Digest. On occasion, news pieces and photographs from freelance writers are printed in the News Digest. If you can cover a major event connected in some way with the Assemblies of God or with religious issues, feel free to call the News Editor at the Evangel office in general, stories written on behalf of a church, Bible college, or some other religious institution do not receive payment. If, however, your story requires independent research, payment can be negotiated when your idea is discussed.

10. Human interest. The Evangel does not desire to glorify individuals, but it does want to glorify God for what He is accomplishing through individuals, groups, or churches. We are interested in stories which tell of great feats, sacrifice, courage, victory, etc. Remember, people like to read about other people.

11. Poetry. We discourage submitting poetry since publication of this genre in the Evangel is limited.

TO HELP YOU MEET THESE NEEDS
1. Read the Evangel. Study current issues for slant, content, and style.

2. Be thorough. Give careful attention to sentence structure, spelling, and word selection. When you quote a Scripture passage, check the Bible for wording, spelling, and punctuation. If you use a version other than King James, please indicate which version.

3. Keep the reader in mind. The Pentecostal Evangel is the voice of the Assemblies of God. Choose subjects with this in mind. The Evangel will be read by Christians and non-Christians. We aim to provide spiritual help in every issue.

4. Pray. Your article, if published in the Evangel, will go into homes, behind prison bars, into public libraries, and to many other places. Pray God will help you write something that will bless many readers.

5. If your manuscript is returned. Many manuscripts came to us each week; most must be returned. This does not necessarily mean the work is of poor quality; it may mean we already have similar material on hand or perhaps the article is not suited for the Evangel.
We are unable to give reason for the rejection of a manuscript because of time constraints. Don't be discouraged; try again. Every manuscript is carefully read and appraised before a decision is made.

MECHANICS OF PREPARATION
1. Manuscript. Your manuscript should be typewritten (or drafted on a letter-quality or near letter-quality printer; preferably not dot matrix), double spaced, with your name, address, and social security number in the upper left-hand corner of the first page. The approximate number of words should be in the upper right-hand corner.
Keep a copy in your personal file; we cannot be responsible for the safekeeping of manuscripts.
If using a typewriter be sure to type only on one side of the sheet. If using a word processing software be sure to utilize the word-wrap function versus hitting the [Return] key at the end of each line.

2. Saving manuscripts on disk. Save your manuscript as an ASCII text file format on a 3 1/2" disk. Be sure to include a hard copy of the manuscript with your disk. Disks will not be returned.

3. Postage. Your manuscript must be accompanied by a self-addressed envelope and sufficient postage if you need it returned.

4. Article length. These may be from 500 to 1,200 words.

5. Multiple submissions. We are not considering multiple submissions. Please do not submit a manuscript to the Evangel and some other publication at the Assemblies of God Headquarters at the same time.

6. New writers. Please tell us something about yourself.

7. Queries. A query is not necessary, but some writers prefer this process. As a rule, submit your manuscript to us without query.

8. Rate of payment. We pay up to 6 cents a word for first rights articles by freelance writers. Payment is made upon acceptance. The writer will receive a marked copy of the Evangel in which his article appears. Second rights are paid at approximately half of first rights material.

9. Rights. We purchase first or second North American serial rights.

10. Photos. Photo guidelines are available upon request for freelance photographers.

DEVELOPING AN ARTICLE
A. ORGANIZE AND OUTLINE
1. Make a preliminary selection of the content.
a. Determine your purpose and scope.
b. Choose a working title.
c. Make a preliminary outline (whether or not it appears in the finished manuscript).
2. Conduct necessary research.
a. Use personal experiences.
b. Get information through interviews and conferences.
c. Study published and written materials.

B. WRITE THE FIRST DRAFT
1. Interest the reader with a strong beginning.
2. Make the writing flow smoothly.
a. Bridge gaps with good transitions.
b. Use relationship-showing devices.
c. Write paragraphs that are clear and concise.
d. Introduce new ideas with topic sentences.
e. Mark ends of thoughts with summary sentences.
3. Make the writing colorful.
a. Use illustrations. Incorporate dialogue.
b. Integrate anecdotal and illustrative material and the text (refer to them in the text).
4. Leave the reader with a strong conclusion.

C. CHECK YOUR WRITING STYLE
1. Does the article move? Give as much background as is interesting and needful, but don't bore the reader.
2. Is it understandable? Use words that are familiar to the reader. Avoid undefined, technical jargon.
3. Is it lively? Use concrete words. Choose active verbs. Don't overwork adjectives.
4. Is it readable? Watch grammar and spelling. Avoid long, involved sentences. Cut down on the number of parenthetical and qualifying expressions. Avoid cliches.

D. REWORK YOUR MANUSCRIPT
1. Appraise it for content and approach. Does it say what you want?
2. Edit your own material.
3. Check spelling, grammar, scripture references (don't trust your memory).

VIRTUE
4050 Lee Vance View
Colorado Springs, CO 80918-7102
(719)531-7776 fax: (719)535-0172
EMail: virtuemag@aol.com

WHO WE ARE
Virtue weaves the voices and stories of Christian women throughout her pages every issue – women who seek candidly and honestly to inspire, challenge, encourage and affirm one another along their spiritual journey.

The magazine is published every two months (January, March, May, July, September and November) by Good Family Magazines, part of the Direct to Home Division of Cook Communications Ministries (formerly David C. Cook Publishing of Illinois), now in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

The Virtue team includes editorial director Sue Geiman, editor Jeanette Thomason, art director John Hamilton, associate editor Debbie Colclough, editor-at-large Nancie Carmichael and editorial assistant Sherry Dixon-Leonard.

WHERE YOU’LL FIND US
Street address: 4050 Lee Vance View, Colorado Springs, CO 80918
Phone: (719) 531-7776. Fax: (719) 535-0172

ABOUT OUR PERSPECTIVE AND PASSIONS
Virtue readers struggle to understand their lives, their relationships and God. They want to be loved as women, wives, mothers, sisters and friends. Compelled to ponder life’s mysteries in search for Truth, they care as much about timeless things as timely news. Always, their commitment is to the small, yet ultimately meaningful moments that make up our lives.

Our thinking: As Christian women we seek the grace and beauty of God. We explore spiritual perspectives with the goal of personal growth and enrichment. We want to be challenged, enlightened and informed by well-researched material – confronted in a way that makes us feel hopeful and inspired rather than pressured and inadequate. To this end we look for handles on ways to navigate the spiritual journey in a real world. We are inspired by stories that help us explore and discover, but we also seek practical ideas to channel our energy in the pursuit of God.

Although our church, career or outside interests may absorb much of our time and energy, our hearts are focused on people and home (meaning the place where we find refuge). We are in process ourselves and want to be part of God's process in our families and communities. Above all, we desire to know God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit and be used by the Lord to make a difference and influence the world for Christ.

As author Sue Monk Kidd wrote we believe: "God created our lives story-shaped. When our individual stories are shared, we interweave a corporate spirituality that under girds the body of Christ – a place where believers offer their joys, wounds and journeys to one another. Ultimately, we knead our stories into bread to feed one another."

MEET VIRTUE READERS
More than 115,000 women worldwide subscribe to Virtue and pass on each issue, on average, to three other readers. Most (78 percent) are married and have children living at home (34 percent have teenagers, 44 percent have 2-11-year-olds and 8 percent have toddlers); 17 percent are single. Passionate about learning, 81 percent attended college or graduate school, 90 percent read avidly, 97 percent visited a Christian bookstore an average of five times in the last 6 months and 80 percent visited a general interest bookstore an average of two times in the past 6 months. Seventy-three percent are employed and work an average of 35 hours a week.

ABOUT YOUR STORIES
--For the best way of knowing what we look for, see what we’ve done. Write for a sample issue of the magazine. Send a 9 x 12 SASE with $3.00 postage.
--A query letter is required, except for poetry and submissions under departments and guest columns. Send a summary of your article, with a statement on its benefit for our reader, with a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE).
--Our standard length of feature articles and columns is 1,000 to 1,300 words. Department and news articles average 190 to 400 words.
--We pay 15 to 25 cents per printed word; up to 30 cents per word for journalistic reports.
--Assigned articles are paid upon acceptance. Unassigned articles are paid upon publication.
--We buy first rights, on-line rights and rights to reprint material in compilation form.
--We cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited material and authors should retain copies.

DEPARTMENTS AND GUEST COLUMNS
--Good For You. A mix of fitness, nutrition and wellness news – the latest on women’s health. Articles of 200 to 450 words; packed with news, statistics (noting sources), practical tips or resources. Space is precious so we regard highly news readers can use, not just information.
--Equipped for Ministry. A potpourri of newsy, innovative ideas and resources for women in ministry. Articles of 200 to 350 words could profile one ministry or give tips on another.
--One Woman's Journal. One woman's story in 1,200 words of a struggle and how God works in it.
--Women Like Us. Profiles of 500 to 700 words on women doing extraordinary things for God. We want provocative quotes (not cliches) and details giving the essence of what makes this woman extraordinary, unlike any other. We look for how you can show this and not just tell it.
--What’s New. A compendium of news and trends regarding Christian women. Articles of 150 to 400 words; packed with statistics, a variety of sources, practical tips and resources.

FICTION
Virtue publishes short stories on women’s or spiritual issues. Maximum length: 2,000 words. We look for a compelling writing style coupled with meaningful messages that involve provocative thought. We do not publish romance.

WOMAN'S TOUCH
1445 Boonville Ave.
Springfield, MO 65802-1894
(417)862-2781 fax: (417)862-0503
EMail: womanstouch@ag.org

Woman’s Touch

An inspirational magazine for women

Writer’s Guidelines

About Woman’s Touch

Woman’s Touch is a bimonthly inspirational magazine for women published by the Women’s Ministries Department, Division of Church Ministries, Assemblies of God. We are committed to providing help and inspiration for Christian women, strengthening family life, and reaching out in witness to others. Woman’s Touch is the voice of Women’s Ministries across the nation.

The editors of Woman’s Touch would like strong, original articles written from the Christian’s perspective and geared specifically for women. In planning the magazine, the editorial staff follows these general themes:

January/February: Personal growth on spiritual/mental/physical levels.

March/April: Relationships with God and others outside family.

May/June: Family.

July/August: Life in community/society.

September/October: Everyday living/school/careers/finances/crises.

November/December: Holidays/kindness/giving.

Other topics we would like to consider (Articles must arrive 9 to 12 months in advance of publication):

• Aging gracefully—inner beauty/outer beauty/character/health/wisdom/planning ahead

• Blended families

• Careers—your life in the workplace

• Character—the goal of our Christian walk

• Compassion—developing true compassion like Jesus had

• Crafts/decor—unique, relatively simple ideas for home decor

• Death of parent—dealing with

• Depression—(practical) combating on spiritual/mental/emotional/physical levels

• Finding real happiness

• Fitness/exercise/health—various ideas/methods/plans

• Forgiveness

• Friendship—blueprint for successful relationships using patterns from Bible/solving conflicts by the

Bible/being a friend like Jesus/the importance of fun/finding compatible friends/between races

• Getting the most out of your insurance

• Goals for life success—setting/pursuing/achieving

• God’s will—discerning His voice (practical)

• Health—informative and practical short pieces on a variety of health topics/issues

• Kindness—making the world a better, friendly place by our behavior and presence

• Knowing God intimately

• Lightening up sometimes—God made humor and fun for us to enjoy and use!

• Loving our neighbors—unchurched around us/those hit by disaster; etc.

• Marriage/family—various positive angles as well as dealing with various difficulties

• Ministering to others—personal ministry to various groups/needs

• Music—its uplifting value

• Pornography—warning on destructiveness/how to avoid for self and kids

• Practical money management for women

• Recipes—tested, well-loved recipes for food features

• Staying committed to Christ through all kinds of trials/the long haul/good times/hard times

• Temptation—avoiding/winning over all kinds

• Volunteering—touching those around you with practical love and an example of a godly lifestyle

• Witnessing through relationships with unchurched

• Working split shifts with spouse

About Writing Your Manuscript

• We consider manuscripts up to 1,000 words. Longer manuscripts are probably not usable due to our limited space.

• Study our style and content to find what type of articles we use. Subscribe to the magazine or send a self-addressed manila envelope (9 by 12 inches) with 75¢ postage for a sample copy.

• Give the version of the Bible you are using when you quote Scripture. Verify and identify other sources you have used. Confirm all illustrations and references to Scripture, history, nature, animal life, science, etc.

• Woman’s Touch does not accept poetry.

About Submitting Your Manuscript

• Type your manuscript double-spaced. In the upper left-hand corner, place your name, mailing address, city, state, zip code, telephone number and area code, and social security number, which we will need if we purchase your manuscript. Include your e-mail address if you have one. In the upper right-hand corner place the approximate number of words of your manuscript, and printing rights offered (first rights, second rights, reprinted from - -). Also indicate if you have submitted the manuscript simultaneously to other publications. Please enclose a SASE if you would like a response.

• Keep a copy of your manuscript for your files.

• We would also like to know if your manuscript is on computer disk so we may request the disk if we do purchase your manuscript. A 3.5-inch DOS or MAC disk with your article in a Microsoft Word for Windows format is best. Our second preference is Word Perfect 5.0 or 5.1. Please indicate at the bottom of your cover letter if your article is available on disk and in what format, even if it is not one mentioned above. You do not need to send the disk with your initial submission.

• Address manuscripts to Woman’s Touch, 1445 Boonville Avenue, Springfield, MO 65802-1894.

About Your Manuscript’s Evaluation

• All manuscripts will be evaluated. We prefer not to receive query letters.

• We will endeavor to respond within 90 days of your submission.

• Payment will be made on publication of the manuscript. When the manuscript is printed, you will receive two complimentary copies of the issue in which it appears.

• Seasonal manuscripts to be evaluated should reach us 9 to 12 months prior to the holiday or season described.

• The editors of Woman’s Touch reserve the right to edit your manuscript for clarity and space.

Thank you for considering Woman’s Touch for your manuscripts. God bless your writing ministry!

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