Editing
Work with a staff editor to edit your piece
“... it shall be the duty of the Directors to see that these periodicals are ably edited and kept abreast of the times.”
—Mary Baker Eddy, Manual of The Mother Church, p. 44
On this page
What to expect
Your staff editor will be in touch via email or phone. Together, you can have honest dialogue about editing suggestions and work to clarify metaphysical ideas. The editing process is a prayerful partnership that requires humility from both you and your staff editor. It includes many opportunities for spiritual discernment and listening.
Editing process for Journal, Sentinel, and Herald
Get started:
Typically, 1–3 months after your piece has been accepted for editing, you’ll receive an introductory email and initial edit from a staff editor. This waiting period is because editors are working on multiple issues at once.Work with your staff editor:
Participate in a collaborative process which may include editing main ideas, metaphysical concepts, writing structure, word choice, etc.Agree on edited piece:
You and your staff editor will work together to agree on an edited version of your piece.Wait for additional reviews:
As your piece makes its way toward publication, it will be further reviewed by other editors and copy editors.Finalize your piece:
In the final stages before your piece heads to print, there may be last-minute changes and edits for you to review and sign off on.
Check out our writing guidelines
You may find it helpful to review our complete writing guidelines to better understand how our Editorial Team approaches editing different submissions.
View the full writing guidelines
Inspiration to consider
From the Manual of The Mother Church
From the periodicals
- “Writing and editing—letting the Christ lead” by Barbara Vining
- “When I write, why do I need to be edited?” by Kim Crooks Korinek
Insights from contributors
I appreciated how the Editor took time to make sure my "voice" was being honored and how we worked in collaboration rather than them just telling me "this is how it's going to go."
–John
The continual revising of the manuscript allowed me to see the truth more clearly and articulate it more purely. There is a humility needed to let go of any human will and to let God reveal His message in the best form. I also appreciate the quiet listening for God's final approval.
–Tori
Questions about the process?
Email us and hear back from our Editorial Team within 3–5 days.
Next steps
After editing, you can prayerfully support the publishing process while waiting for your submission to run in an issue.