writing guidelines

We are currently looking for occasional guest contributors who will post entries on certain topics that are specific to their past or current experience or area of expertise. If you feel you have a past experience or specific spiritual lesson to share, you may be considered as a guest contributor.

Submit an inspirational entry of your choice in accordance with the guidelines, including proper formatting (see below). Writings not in the proper format will not be considered. Topic may be chosen from suggested topics of interest or may be unique to you. All correctly formatted entries will be considered and writers who are selected will be notified in 4-6 weeks. Your topic should reflect your area of experience, passion or ministry platform. Your submission is your intent to allow us the permission to use on our site. She Seeks does not currently compensate writers for the use of their devotional. All devotional inquiries and submissions should be directed to Nicki at sheseeksdevos@proverbs31.org.

Devotional guidelines:

Devotionals should be 500 words total or less in length and should be inspiring, yet conversational in tone. She Seeks exists to be a relevant conduit by which young women can be encouraged to develop a greater commitment to authentic relationships on their seeking journey, with priority given to their relationship with God. No reasonable question or topic will be off-limits, and tough subjects will be tackled. Devotionals should be approached with the goal of transparency and openness and with the age and life season in mind. Motivation is to reach the seeking woman to have a greater understanding of who Jesus is and how He can change their life. Devotionals should be creative, interesting, motivational, relevant, bold, and completely relatable. Think outside of the box!

Inspirational Entries (devotionals) will be featured online for one week and will be viewed by readers from all over the world. As a contributing writer, please have your topic thoroughly researched and prayed over, as you will be called upon to help answer reader’s questions and give counsel to their comments throughout the week your devotional is featured. Our goal in devotionals for the She Seeks reader is to give them truth through the writing, and then help them gain better understanding and offer guidance as they process through what they have read. Sometimes this will take some additional Biblical guidance, and topics are meant to encourage honest feedback. As writers, please be sensitive to the fact that not all readers will be believers in Jesus Christ…will be of the same religious preference…and will be at the same spiritual point on their journey. In order to minister to these women, we have to be willing to put on their shoes and speak to their heart without judgment. Please keep “churchy” lingo to a minimum, as they may not understand it. (Words like God, Jesus, and the Bible, are not considered churchy lingo.) Also, any topics covered need to be universal women’s issues rather than role specific issues (such as wife, mom, etc.).

** Please note: All devotionals will be professionally edited before posting.
** All devotionals including guest contributors, will also be run on Crosswalk.com.

Writing format:

Devotionals should be written in a basic font format (i.e., Tahoma, Cambria, Times New Roman) and should be submitted to Nicki at sheseeksdevos@proverbs31.org in a Microsoft Word document or plain text document. Devos written in another format will not be considered until they meet standard format guidelines. Format is as follows…

(left justified – 12 point font)
~ title of entry (all lowercase – keep it brief, journal-like, and VERY creative!) (bolded)
~ one sentence descriptive tagline about author (no name), starting with “an inspirational entry from…” (bolded)

(two spaces)

~ Body of Devo: 300-500 words (open with a statement, thought, or question that will “hook” the reader’s attention.) * Tip: Be sure your devotion has a clear, single message that flows from the key verse to the end.

(two spaces)

~ Resources…
List at at least one relevant/applicable Scripture passage or verse here.

(two spaces)

~ Something Else…
Support media (utube video link, etc.), song or relevant book on subject (if applicable)

(two spaces)

~ 10-20 word descriptive tagline (i.e., personal likes, favorites, description of personality, etc.)

For Example:

simple, yet catchy title.
an inspirational entry from…(whatever words describe you that make you relatable as a writer – i.e., “a recovering perfectionist” if your devo is on perfectionism.)

Start devo here. Make it interesting, relatable, and honest. Keep it at 300-500 words, if possible.

Resources…
The Bible

Something Else…
A song lyric, a line from a poem or link to a relevant youtube video, etc, that helps solidify the point of your devo.

Short, descriptive tagline with name of writer here, not professional accomplishments. (i.e., Lisa Whittle is a woman who loves honest hugs, people who give a care, and super cute shoes on sale. You may include a one-line resource or website address after this, if you prefer. Keep in mind our goal of relatability, even in naming your resource. (i.e., Lisa’s written a book you may want to pick up and read if you like things put in simple terms: Behind Those Eyes: What’s Really Going On Inside the Souls of Women. Look her up at www.lisawhittle.com.)

Suggested Topics of Interest:

Issues will be covered from the perspective of the single woman, the woman without children, and the woman who is living on her own.