Print and Web Submission Guidelines

Guidelines for submitting content.

It’s All About the Story.

Thank you for your interest in writing for Message. Here are a few guidelines to follow as you write:

Target Audience: Our target reader is an 18 to 35 year-old urbanite who may not be religious, but is seeking spiritual fulfillment and answers to life’s dilemmas.

Style and voice: Use a compelling, active voice with a contemporary story. Write naturally and conversationally. Please substantiate and document your assertions and facts with references or citations that are not more than three years-old. We prefer for you to run each citation into the body of your article, rather than provide footnotes. For issue-based stories, please include quotations from experts and relevant sources, providing enough information for us to verify. When citing Biblical passages, please include the citation to the version quoted. We prefer you use the New King James Version (NKJV) of the Bible, but feel free to use the version that is best for you.

Topic Areas: We love compelling, comeback stories, inspirational and captivating profiles, well-crafted, timely features and insightful Biblical analysis. Black history/human interest, social justice, health, financial, professional, and relationship stories with a strong Biblical foundation will always be considered.

Rights: Your submission and our acceptance of your article will give us first rights to publish it in Message, messagemagazine.com or any of our online platforms, and any other promotional materials we may produce. Upon acceptance of your article we will ask you to submit a Writer’s Publication Agreement acknowledging these terms of agreement and completed W-9.

Finally, we want God to use your article to bless the reader. We encourage you to pray over your idea, your interviews, your research, and your writing. Our Creator God is sure to supply what you need.

Here are some areas for which we regularly need content:

Eye On the Times

Religious liberty, social justice, human rights and health news

  • 300 words
  • Note: Supporting info-graphics welcome!

Optimal Health

Health News, how-tos and healthy habits

  • 550 words

Note: Exact, supportable citations

Feature Articles

Spiritual, uplifting comeback stories, testimonials, answered prayers, profiles of inspirational people, helpful community programs.

  • 300-900 words

Have an idea you think is right for Message?

Contact us:

Carmela Monk Crawford, Editor

editor@messagemagazine.com