Submission Guidelines

We have regular guest posts and we welcome your submissions! We especially appreciate testimonies and devotionals.

Print and Online Submission Guidelines
iFlourish Online welcomes your thoughtful submissions! We appreciate fresh and surprising material that is relevant, humorous and dancing with inspiration.  We are particularly interested in articles where your voice sparkles, your wit dazzles and the truth shines! We want to hear your voice, and the heart of the Lord.

iFlourish Online is continually adding new content. Standard articles should range between 400-600 words.  We continually publish new articles for our online magazine, and therefore have a rolling submission acceptance.  Articles that resonate with our readers in terms of tone, voice and vision will have the greatest opportunity of being published.

Personal stories and journalistic pieces highlighting woman and profiles or testimonies are of particular interest. Feel free to send us accompanying photos/captions that go along with your articles (when applicable).

At this time, iflourishonline is unable to pay for submitted articles. However, we will certainly link or mention your personal blog or websites (and ask that you do the same.)

Please Note: We take each article into consideration. While we may express an interest in an article, we cannot guarantee publication. Even when an article is selected for publication, it may be pulled at the last minute due to space or other constraints. While we try to make sure this doesn’t happen, sometimes it is unavoidable.

We reserve the right to edit all stories for length and content. We also reserve the right to use your story in either or both print or our online. Please understand that by submitting your article you are releasing iFlourishOnline to print your submissions in part or entirety.

If your submission is accepted, an editor will contact you as soon as possible with more information. Please allow 4-6 weeks to hear from us. If you haven’t heard from us in 8 weeks, it is probably safe to assume that you are free to submit your article for consideration in another publication.

No phone calls please.

Writing Tips:

•  iFlourish Online is about ministering and inspiring Christian women.
• Here are some good rules of journalistic writing. http://www.slideshare.net/Brett509/qualities-of-good-writing-journalism

Before Submitting

• Familiarize yourself with our content before submitting.
• Verify factual statements and annotate sources.
• Familiarize yourself with the journalistic truth in writing principles. See here: http://www.journalism.org/resources/principles

Content Guidelines

• iFlourishOnline reflects a Christian World View.
• It encourages and equips women in areas relating to a Proverbs 31 Woman.
• All content must be Biblical, doctrinally sound.
• Content should either inspire the reader or offer suggestions as to how to make life simpler or the world better.

Writing Guidelines

• Use active tense in your writing.
• Include a word count with your submission.
• Include where you are from – city and state.

Formatting

• Keep your submissions on subject.
• Submit all pieces in a Word document, with no fancy formatting or fonts. Basic Times New Roman 12pt. font is fine.
• Do not indent.
• Do not use bullets on your lists.
• Do not use HTML tags in your piece, except for embedded links.

Submission Guidelines

• Include a short (2 sentences) bio, including an email address in which you would like to have correspondence sent and a website, if applicable.
• Link to sources. Always! If you make a statement that isn’t common knowledge, especially statistics, you must back it up with a reference link. Please embed the links

Correct: like this

Incorrect: (http://www.iflourishonline.com).

• Title your submissions. (We reserve the right to change the title if need be.)
• Verify whether your piece is an original submission. While we prefer submissions to be original. However, on occasion, we will re-run articles that exemplify strong character and inspiration.
• If your submission is rejected, please continue to submit future articles. Article acceptance is dependent upon many factors, including timeliness, theme, style, and other editorial requirements that may not reflect your writing ability.

Devotional Submission Guidelines

Devotionals should be 350 to 500 words.

Our format consists of a Bible passage or scripture, followed by a short anecdote, personal experience, or other illustration of what the verse means and how God has used it in your life. End your devotional with a short prayer or a call to action.

Please include a brief (one to two sentence) bio about yourself at the end of your devotional. Also include your contact information somewhere on your manuscript in case our editors need to contact you.

Please submit all pieces in a Word document, with no fancy formatting or fonts. Basic Times New Roman 12pt. font is fine.

We prefer submissions to be original. However, on occasion, we will accept reprints.

We reserve the right to edit all submissions for length and content. We also reserve the right to use your devotional in our weekly inspirational emails, our print magazine, and/or our online magazine. Please understand that by submitting your devotional you are releasing Designed to Flourish magazine and iFlourishOnline to print your submissions in part or entirety.

Helpful Hints for Writing Your Devotional

Always seek God’s direction and what He may want you to write about. Then start with a scripture or Bible passage that is meaningful to you or that God has used in your life. The best devotionals often come from your own experiences. What has God been showing you lately? What has He been doing in your life?

Devotionals can take many forms including object lessons or light-hearted observations from life. However, don’t be afraid to tackle meaty issues that affect women as well (eating disorders, addictions, insecurity, etc.) Have you been through something traumatic and observed how God brought good out of a bad experience or gave you strength to endure a trial? Our goal at Designed to Flourish is to provide women with a weekly dose of God’s Word along with an inspirational message to uplift and encourage them as they walk out their faith.

Consider using a personal story to illustrate what you’ve learned from the Bible passage you have chosen. How does this scripture apply to our lives today? Keep your devotional centered on a single focus. Since devotionals are short, your writing should be clear and concise. Stay focused on one thought and fully develop it. Delete anything that isn’t relevant to your point. Readers should be able to take away a clear, practical truth.

Your devotional should be uplifting and should avoid being “preachy.” Stay positive, offering help and encouragement.

Most of all, take time to pray not only about the message of your devotional but also for the women who will read it. Our desire is that God will speak through each of our writers offering truth, inspiration and encouragement to the women everywhere.

We are blessed that you desire to partner with us in this ministry! Should you have any questions as you write, feel free to contact us. Devotional submissions may be sent to kelly@iflourishonline.com.