Article Submissions Policy

Thank you for your interest in writing an article for testimony. First, we request that a query letter be submitted, outlining the topic that you would like to write about, including a brief summary and the overall thesis of your submission.

In this query letter, it is important to include a possible title of your article and the approximate word count. Please note that there is no guarantee of publication, but be assured that all queries we receive are reviewed on an individual basis. Unsolicited manuscripts are generally not accepted or returned. Also, please find attached some guidelines on how the article should appear when sent to us (if it is selected for publication).
Upon our review of your query letter, you will then receive a follow-up letter informing you of our editorial decision whether or not to further pursue an article. If we decide that the topic should be explored further, you will then be invited to submit an entire article and given more specific guidelines regarding word count, writing style, etc.

Once we receive your full article, we may ask for references from your church to ensure that you are in good standing. Also, we may be following up with you to clarify certain details within the article.

An honorarium is given to all published writers, along with a few copies of the particular issue which includes your article. Please note that if an article is formally published in print or online, testimony reserves the right to allow other Christian online publications to post stories to their websites upon request.

Thank you once again for your interest and we look forward to receiving your query letter.

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Additional Guidelines
In details of punctuation, capitalization, and preferred usage the Canadian Press Manuals, Caps and Spelling and Style Book serve as the standard.

Should an article contain numerous or lengthy quotations from a previously published work, it is the responsibility of the writer to insure that the piece is accurately quoted and to secure the necessary permissions. Please indicate when a publisher has given specific directions with regards to crediting a work.

No simultaneous submissions. We do accept reprints from non-overlapping publications.

Footnotes and Attribution
List all sources, especially when citing statistics or specific data naming the publication, author, title, and date published. Eg,

·       From a magazine:
Rick Hiebert, "Tell Us About It," The Pentecostal Testimony, Vol 77 No 5 (May, 1996), p. 4.

·       From a book:
Paul Johnson, Modern Times, (New York: Harper & Row, 1983), p. 427.

·       From the Scriptures:
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16 NIV).

Tips for Writers
We recommend you observe the "20 Rules for Good Writing" published by the Writer's Digest School.

1.        Prefer the plain word to the fancy.

2.        Prefer the familiar word to the unfamiliar.

3.        Prefer the Saxon word to the Romance.

4.        Prefer nouns and verbs to adjectives and adverbs.

5.        Prefer picture nouns and action verbs.

6.        Never use a long word when a short one will do.

7.        Master the simple declarative sentence.

8.        Prefer the simple sentence to the complicated.

9.        Vary your sentence length.

10.     Put the words you want to emphasize at the beginning of your sentence.

11.     Use the active voice.

12.     Put statements in a positive form.

13.     Use short paragraphs.

14.     Cut needless words, sentences, and paragraphs.

15.     Use plain conversational language. Write like you talk.

16.     Avoid imitation. Write in your natural style.

17.     Write clearly.

18.     Avoid gobbledygook and jargon.

19.     Write to be understood, not to impress.

20.     Revise and rewrite. Improvement is always possible.

Used by permission of Writer's Digest School, 9933 Alliance Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45242.