Writing / Writing guidelines
Writing Guidelines
To learn more about writing for the periodicals, please see our writing guidelines below, which include details about writing for specific types of submissions (e.g., testimonies, articles, poems, etc.) and general guidelines that apply to all pieces.
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Specific content type guidelines
Testimonies of healing
As you think about sharing your healing, Article VIII, Section 24, of the Manual of The Mother Church is an invaluable guide.
When submitting a testimony for publication, here are some additional points to consider:
- Keep the testimony as much as possible in your own words rather than relying too much on quotes.
- Indicate clearly that the healing is complete and that it has been permanent.
- Testimonies typically range from 400 to 1,000 words in length. If your piece is selected for editing, an editor can help you shape and condense or expand your testimony when necessary.
Articles
Articles typically develop one key metaphysical concept the author learned in their study of Christian Science. Often a personal healing example is included to illustrate the idea.
When submitting an article, please consider:
- A central spiritual insight to build an article on
- An understandable presentation of the true nature of God and of our spiritual identity
- Your own natural, unique voice—inspiration, experience, demonstration
- Quotations from the Bible and Mary Baker Eddy’s writings that naturally support your point
- Length—ideally between 400 and 1,800 words
- Being as concise and focused as possible
Columns
Specific types of articles that center around a topic or theme are grouped into columns and are regularly featured in the periodicals. Some examples of columns are Spiritual Short, Of Good Report, and How I Found Christian Science. The array of columns our magazines feature vary over time, and you can see the complete list of current columns in the Journal, Sentinel, and Herald. Our staff editors can help identify when a submitted piece fits a current column, or you may choose to write a piece intended for a specific column from the outset.
The guidelines for writing articles (above) are relevant to column pieces as well. If you’d like to receive even more specific guidance about how to write for a current column, please reach out to our Editorial Team and someone will be happy to provide you with more information, like word count.
Poems
The editors look for original poems that offer healing inspiration to readers. We are open to all types of poetry, including contemporary styles, such as free verse and prose poetry, and traditional styles, such as sonnets and odes. Authors can feel free to explore rhyming, rhythm, meter, syllable count, punctuation, number of lines, number of stanzas, and line formation. Keep in mind that the form should reflect the tone and subject of the poem. Some poems may also require more collaborative work with the editors.
When submitting a poem, consider the following questions:
- Does your poem share a distinctly Christian Science message?
- Does your poem keep with one clear theme or topic?
- Does your poem move the reader to a new or deeper spiritual perception?
- Is your poem loving and inclusive?
- Is your poem understandable? Are the references and context clear?
- Is your poem accessible to those who may not be familiar with poetry or Christian Science?
- Is each word necessary to further the message of your poem?
To see previously published poems from The Christian Science Journal, Sentinel, and Herald, please go to the Advanced Search on JSH-Online and choose “Poem” from the “Article Type” drop-down list. Or see our latest book on poetry, Boundless Light, available online or at any Christian Science Reading Room.
Christian Science Perspective
The goal of The Christian Science Monitor's daily “Christian Science Perspective” (CSP) column is to offer spiritual insights on contemporary issues, providing a distinctly Christian Science perspective that shows how an understanding of spiritual reality brings tangible blessings, including healing. We welcome prose as well as poetry submissions!
- It's helpful to introduce ideas about God, prayer, etc., gently, rather than assuming that readers have a knowledge of Christian Science or an understanding of why one would consider prayer to be helpful.
- Target word count for articles: 500–650; 750 is generally the maximum.
Image and Inspiration
If you would like to submit a photo you have taken to JSH for consideration for the "Image and Inspiration" column, please send it to sentineldesign@csps.com. We ask that you submit no more than three photos at one time. We will be in touch only if one of your submissions is being considered for use in an upcoming issue.
When submitting a photo, please consider:
- Photos need to have balance and a strong focus of interest.
- We recommend 300 DPI 8 x 10 or larger for the highest resolution.
- You must hold the copyright and, if your photo is accepted for publishing, sign our copyright release form.
General writing guidelines
Consider a variety of readers
The Christian Science periodicals are intended to serve a worldwide community of thinkers. Our readers and listeners come from a broad range of religious, cultural, national, and geographic backgrounds, and they are at all levels of spiritual understanding, from the newcomer to the longtime student of Christian Science.
What they have in common is an innate spiritual sense—which we all have—that enables everyone to understand spiritual ideas. The challenge and the joy of sharing your inspiration in the periodicals is to speak to this diverse community in a way that meets each thinker’s needs.
One of the best ways to do that is to imagine talking to a friend about Christian Science. What would you say about the true nature of God and of every individual’s spiritual identity to someone who is intelligent and spiritually receptive but not necessarily acquainted with Christian Science—or with any religion?
You don’t need to “water down” the metaphysics; it’s possible to convey deep spiritual ideas to a wide audience by giving clearly reasoned explanations in jargon-free language. Writing that clearly communicates the Science of the Christ to newcomers usually speaks most effectively to experienced Christian Scientists too. Stay open to expressing ideas in fresh, unexpected ways that will be compelling to those who are already familiar with Christian Science.
Focus on one idea
Writing communicates best when it focuses on one central idea. Trying to cover too big a subject or too many points in one article is like trying to hit a lot of targets with one arrow. Instead, take aim at a single helpful insight and develop that in depth, and readers are more likely to get the point.
One of the most helpful things an article in the Christian Science periodicals can do is offer a spiritual thought model on a topic of concern to readers. What does God know about that subject? A clear view of what’s spiritually true about an aspect of God’s creation can be so inspiring that it heals instantly.
Speak from the heart
Logic alone won’t convince people of the reality and power of God. They also need to feel the love in what you say to be convinced of its truth. So every article should speak to the heart, not just to the intellect. Don’t be shy about sharing from your own experience, in your natural voice. A sincere, authentic tone will resonate more deeply with readers than an approach that is academic or preachy. As Mary Baker Eddy says in her Message to The Mother Church for 1900, "Sincerity is more successful than genius or talent" (p. 9).
Share how you applied Christian Science
Readers want to know how they can prove for themselves the practicality of Christian Science in daily life. It’s instructive to share a healing experience in your article so they can see the truth about God and His children that you prayed with, and how that transformed your thought and brought about the healing. But even if you don’t include a personal example, the thought process that brings healing should be apparent enough that readers feel empowered to take what they’ve learned from your piece and apply it in their own lives.
Show the connection between your ideas and the Bible and Mary Baker Eddy’s writings
One of the most valuable things an article or testimony can do is inspire readers to get better acquainted with the Bible and Mary Baker Eddy’s writings. Although including citations in your article or testimony is not required, feel free to use quotations from these books that naturally support your point. That said, try to keep the piece in your own words as much as possible.
Consider the mission of the periodicals
As you write for the various periodicals, it’s inspiring to think about the spiritual mission of each one. Here is what their founder, Mary Baker Eddy, says in an article titled “Something in a Name” (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 353):
I have given the name to all the Christian Science periodicals. The first was The Christian Science Journal, designed to put on record the divine Science of Truth; the second I entitled Sentinel, intended to hold guard over Truth, Life, and Love; the third, Der Herold der Christian Science, to proclaim the universal activity and availability of Truth; the next I named Monitor, to spread undivided the Science that operates unspent. The object of the Monitor is to injure no man, but to bless all mankind.
Edit your piece to the best of your ability
Reading your piece from the perspective of someone reading it for the first time can be helpful. To prepare your piece for submission, you might read your draft aloud to catch mistakes, or ask a friend or family member to provide feedback. It can also be helpful to double-check any quotations. If you provide information or quotes from research in sources other than the Bible and Mrs. Eddy’s writings, please provide documentation (book title and page number, or website) so the accuracy can be confirmed by the Editorial Team.
Questions about the process?
Email us and hear back from our Editorial Team within 3–5 days.
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