Writer Guidelines

The following are general guidelines for submissions to The Witness. We have published thousands of voices since our inception in 1917, and hundreds of original articles, essays and poems each year. Since we constantly receive inquiries from writers who have recently discovered our unique publication, please use these guidelines in considering what to send and how to contact us.

1. Although most of the articles that appear in The Witness have been requested from particular contributors, we do occasionally publish unsolicited manuscripts. We accept features, viewpoints, theological commentary, and other pieces such as poetry from a broad range of cultural and regional perspectives. We seek writing that addresses issues of faith and social change both inside and outside the Anglican Communion. We encourage writers who are describing social or other problems to consider suggesting creative solutions to those problems. We encourage the use of gender-neutral language.

Contact the editor first if you are interested in writing an article. Article length is generally 800-1200 words. Send finished pieces to the editor at the postal address below or preferably, by email to editor@thewitness.org (if possible, as an attached Microsoft Word document). Mailed manuscripts should be typed and double-spaced. Emailed entries should have the words "Witness article submission" in the email subject line. If you are unfamiliar with The Witness, please read some of our articles published online, specifically the ones organized under the topics that you are writing about (i.e. "Africa," "Criminal Justice," "Indigenous Peoples," "Lectionary Reflections," "Reviews: Books and Films," etc.)

Note: we are unable to consider or respond to authors who send us more than two pieces at the same time or whose pieces are substantially over 1200 words. Because of the volume of submissions, we are not always able to respond to authors whose pieces we are unable to use; if you have not heard back from us in three weeks, please assume that we were unable to use your piece.

2. We are pleased to often serve as the first source of publication for international writers from outside the West. Since sometimes English is a second, third, or fourth language, it is helpful when such submissions are first reviewed by a person for whom English is a primary language, before being submitted to The Witness.

3. We often feature book or film reviews. Lengths vary from about 600 to 1,000 words. Send these to the attention of the editor at the postal address below, or email them to editor@thewitness.org.

4. The Witness offers lectionary reflections on the on the Sunday readings from the Episcopal/Anglican common lectionary. Lengths range from 500 to 900 words. Contact the editor if you are interested in providing a reflection; lectionary assignments are normally made several weeks in advance. We generally do not publish sermons after they have been delivered. Sermons may be rewritten as articles, however, for purposes of submission.

5. We encourage readers to send in unpublished poems. Send these to the attention of the editor at the postal address below or email editor@thewitness.org. We look for poems that are justice-centered, that celebrate life and beauty in a way that links personal experience with larger social issues. We also welcome poems geared toward particular seasons (i.e. Advent) or significant days (Hiroshima anniversary, MLK Jr. Day, etc.). In general, we do not publish unsolicited prose fiction.

6. Unsolicited postal submissions should be accompanied by a self-addressed envelope with the correct return postage. We attempt to respond as quickly as possible, but due the small size of our staff, the reading of manuscripts sometimes takes eight weeks or more. We greatly appreciate your patience. If we like your article, we may ask to hold it for possible publication in a future issue.

7. The editor reserves the right to edit and shorten articles as necessary. If we make major changes in content, we will consult with the writer.

8. Please include a two or three sentence bio with your manuscript or email, along with your address, telephone number, and email address. You may submit a photo too, which should be sent digitally. If you do not wish your email address to be published, please note so.

9. We assume all articles, reviews, and poetry submitted are original and unpublished, and submitted exclusively to us. If your material is copyrighted, we assume you are authorizing us to publish it. Unless otherwise indicated, we also assume full reprint permission (in all media including various electronic media) of any item we publish. We reserve the right to accept or reject any article submitted.

10. Since The Witness offers free content, we are unable to pay Witness contributors.

Thank you. We look forward to hearing from you.

The Witness
55 West 116th Street, #444
New York NY 10026, U.S.A.
Tel: (212) 426-9881
Email: editor@thewitness.org
Web: www.thewitness.org