Outspoken
Writer's Guidelines
Outspoken, the newsletter of BMC, features articles of interest to the lgbt (lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender) Brethren and Mennonite community and its supporters, as they relate to current events, Brethren and Mennonite theology, and lifestyle issues.
We’re interested in the following types of articles:
First-person articles—these articles might be about personal experiences or “think pieces” on lgbt and Brethren and Mennonite issues. How are you responding to events in the news, government, society, or your church or spiritual group? How do you deal with the world, with your church, as a lgbt person or one who supports the lgbt community?
Theological/philosophical articles—these pieces explore issues of the gay Brethren and Mennonite community as relates to biblical/spiritual issues. How are lgbt issues addressed by biblical or spiritual foundations?
Opinion pieces, humorous articles, or other types of feature you feel might be appropriate for this BMC publication are welcome.
We are also looking for writers who would be amenable to being assigned stories.
If any of this sounds interesting to you, please contact publication editor Randall Friesen at
bmceditor@hotmail.com
Audience
When submitting content for Outspoken, keep in mind the readership:
- The gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender community
- The Brethren/Mennonite/Mennonite Brethren communities
- Those who attend church and those who do not
- The straight/supportive community
- BMCers as well as readers who are unfamiliar with BMC
Every institution has its language, lingo, anagrams, colloquialisms, and “in” language that may be difficult for outsiders to understand. Outspoken makes every attempt to allow readers at all levels in all communities to feel part of and understand the work of BMC.
Outspoken reflects the voice of BMC. We are interested in articles that explore the power and gifts the lgbt community brings to the church and society. We are less inclined to justify our existence than we are to discover the myriad ways lgbt people enrich religious and cultural institutions.
Text
All text submissions should be submitted as word processing documents. Please keep formatting to a minimum as Outspoken uses its own style sheets.
Separate paragraphs with line spaces, not indents.
Set off italics with slash marks. For example, /Outspoken/ newsletter would italicize the word “Outspoken.”
Please do not use boldfaces or all caps. Italics are preferable.
The average full-length feature length is approximately 1,000 to 1,500 words. Outspoken reserves the right to edit for length or appropriateness.
Submit or query to Randall Friesen at bmceditor@hotmail.com.
Photos
All photos should be submitted with a complete caption describing the image and listing full names of people represented in the photo so they may be easily identified.
Photos should be submitted as jpeg files with a resolution of 300 dpi. This is very important since a dpi less than 300 results in a bitmapped image.
Though photos in Outspoken will run in black and white, you may submit in either black and white or color.
Submit photos via email to Randall Friesen at bmceditor@hotmail.com.
Happenings
“Happenings” is a regular column highlighting significant events in the lives BMCers, such as weddings/commitment ceremonies, awards/graduations, job changes/promotions, births, deaths, etc. Please email your news to bmceditor@hotmail.com. If you would also like to include a photo, please email that as well. Just make sure it is scanned at 300 dpi and send it as a jpeg.
Small Group or Church Events
When submitting announcements for events, please keep in mind that Outspoken is distributed every 3-4 months. Check with the editor for production schedule. Please give the full name of the organization as well as a contact person so we can verify the event.
Letters to the Editor
Outspoken welcomes letters to the editor, whether they be comments, criticism, praise, or further commentary. We reserve the right to print letters either in the hard copy version of Outspoken or the online version unless you request us not to. All letters must include your full name and location, though we will omit those if you request anonymity. Email letters to the editor to bmceditor@hotmail.com.
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