SHINE brightly Writers’ Guidelines
2015/16
SHINE brightly is a magazine for girls ages 9 to 14 published by GEMS Girls' Clubs
(Girls Everywhere Meeting the Savior), an international ministry that starts Biblebased club programs in churches and Christian organizations. The goal of GEMS is to
help bring girls everywhere into a living, dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ.
SHINE brightly Mission
We believe when young girls are equipped, motivated, and passionately engaged in
living out their faith in Jesus Christ they have the potential to be world changers.
Our mission is to bring girls into a dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ—a
relationship that empowers them to see how God can work through individual
personalities, situations, and talents. Christ was an activist. He did not neglect the
needs of the people as He brought His message. We strive to encourage girls to look
more like Christ by reaching outside of themselves to serve the needs of others—at
home, at school, in communities, and across the world.
Included in SHINE brightly:
We are looking for stories, articles, interviews, quizzes, games, puzzles, and crafts
that are fresh, that present the Christian life realistically, and that cause young
readers to see how Christian beliefs apply to daily life.
We accept articles that relate to girls ages 9-14 and the experiences they connect
with. Most of their time is spent at school, in sports, involved in afterschool
activities, with friends, dealing with peer problems/pressure, with family, in church
groups, and learning to reach out beyond their small world.
Manuscript topics should build girls up in Christian character, but they should not
be preachy. Pollyanna endings, where everything turns out perfectly, are not always
realistic and our readers want realistic stories. Our readers have a great sense of
humor, so your manuscripts should be fun as well as educational and inspirational.
Stretch our readers by challenging them to new vision, new experiences, and setting
new goals.
Each season SHINE brightly dedicates its pages to the exploration of issues girls deal
with each day and an Annual Theme. The new theme is Choose Truth (See below.)
SHINE brightly fills up quickly, so get your manuscripts in early. We read
manuscripts each week. You can expect to hear from us within eight weeks.
Fiction: Our readers like stories with adventure, fantasy, and mystery, stories about
animals, and situations they can relate to in their daily interaction with family and
friends. Each season we focus on a different theme, which can be found below. We
are interested in seeing how each Annual Theme connects to our overall mission—to
equip, motivate, and inspire girls to be activists for Christ. Stories should be realistic
and need not always have a happily-ever-after ending. Stories with religious clichés
are not of interest to us. We have found that there is a great void when it comes to
adventure and mystery stories for girls. Whether fiction or actual accounts, we are
looking for stories that highlight our theme within the context of an exciting story.
Length: 700-900 words.
Nonfiction: Nonfiction articles about topics that interest our readers include:
animals, sports, music, movies, musicians, personal care, fashion, famous people,
interaction with family/friends/siblings, exciting and fun service projects, dealing
with schoolwork, and crafts. Length: 200-800 words.
The SHINE brightly Challenge Topic: Vocation
We’re looking for fiction, non-fiction, inspiring biographies, activities, and sidebars
that weave the topic of vocation into each issue. We want our readers to explore
their gifts and how they can use them to glorify God here and now but also as they
explore future career opportunities. We want to help girls figure out what vocation
means, what it means to dedicate their life to a calling, and how they can make a
difference using their gifts.
Monthly Themes
We will also be intentionally focused on issues girls face every day. We will explore
issues like self-worth, bullying, contentment, being yourself, and media
discernment. See the monthly themes below.
Annual Theme: Choose Truth
Theme Verse
Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path (Psalm 119:105).
Theme Concept
The Bible is like no other book! It’s God’s story, and it reveals His character and His
heart. In short, it’s truth! The storyline of the Bible is redemption, and all of its pages
point to Jesus. Each story uncovers His radical love and His plan to rescue us.
The Choose Truth theme will challenge women and girls to be lifelong hearers and
doers of His Word. We will learn to take God at His Word by studying it, clinging to it,
and digging into its richness. And in the process we will walk in its light and pass on
a contagious love for it to the next generation.
Theme Aims
 To teach girls that the Bible is God’s story; it’s all about His plan to rescue us.
 To show girls that God’s Word is a light to guide our steps.
 To stir a contagious desire to be lifelong hearers and doers of His Word
General Submissions and submissions regarding Choose Truth and vocation
will be accepted until January 2016. For a month-to-month schedule of how the
issues girls deal with will be featured, check out the deadlines below.
September 2015
Deadline: March 11, 2015
Topic: Friend issues
At this age, girls begin developing friendships that can last a lifetime. This issue will
help girls navigate disagreements, gossip, and what it means to be a good friend.
October 2015
Deadline: May 4, 2015
Topic: Bullying
Bullying is real, and to combat it we have to equip girls with an action plan and
provide them with tools they can use whenever and however bullying arises. This
issue will look at how to love your neighbor as yourself and work to overcome
bullying.
November 2015
Deadline: June 2, 2015
Topic: Be Yourself
We believe each one of our readers is uniquely designed by her Creator. In this issue
girls will discover what that means and how they can embrace who God created
them to be and encourage others to do the same.
December 2015
Deadline: July 1, 2015
Topic: Contentment
Commercial Christmas language is all about what we want and what we receive.
This holiday season we want to reflect on the blessings we’ve been given and find
ways to be content with what we have—because out of a joyful, thankful heart
comes an attitude of service!
January 2016
Deadline: August 1, 2015
Topic: Media Discernment
Between the apps, commercials, TV shows, and Internet sites our girls are exposed
to, it’s hard to discern what is true and what is false. This issue looks at the harmful
and helpful effects of media and how girls can make the most of it.
February 2016
Deadline: August 26, 2015
Topic: Be a Good Leader/Responsibility
Being a good leader is more than standing in front of a crowd. This issue looks at all
the aspects it takes to be a good leader and how we can mimic the best Leader of all.
March 2016
Deadline: September 24, 2015
Topic: Self-Worth/Body Image
We want girls to realize they are God’s beautiful masterpieces and He has created
them in His image. This issue will combat the negative body image messages girls
receive and help them realize that the real value lies in their true, inner beauty.
April 2016
Deadline: October 30, 2015
Topic: Honesty
This issue will help girls understand the repercussions of lying and how honesty is
the right choice, even when it’s hard!
Summer 2016
Deadline: December 1, 2015
Topic: Family issues
Families come in all shapes and sizes! And our readers come from all kinds of
backgrounds—divorce, death, sibling issues, arguments, single-parent homes—and
we want them to continue to understand that no matter what the difficulty, our
families are a gift. This issue will focus on reminding girls that they are not alone
and that God cares for them no matter what situations they might be going through
at home.
SHINE brightly fills up quickly, so get your manuscripts in early. We read
manuscripts each week. You can expect to hear from us in eight weeks.
Criteria for Selection of Manuscripts: Submissions to SHINE brightly are
selected based upon the following criteria:
1. The manuscript must fit with the SHINE brightly mission.
2. The application of Scripture to everyday life.
3. The ability to engage the culture—be relevant today—while still maintaining
and upholding the truth of Scripture.
4. The ability to delight the reader.
5. The ability to cause the reader to evaluate her own life in light of the Truth
presented.
6. The ability to teach a practical life skill.
Preparing Your Manuscript
1. At the top put your name, address, and phone number, word count, the issue
and topic you are submitting, as well as the rights offered.
2. Indicate fiction or nonfiction.
3. Include desired byline.
4. Give sources for all statistical information or quoted material.
Basis for Rejection of Material
1. Inappropriate. Does not show girls how God is at work in their lives and the
world around them.
2. Too young or too old for our 9 to 14 year-old readers.
3. Simplistic, unrealistic, too predictable or the theological perspective differs
too greatly from our own.
4. Does not fit our themes.
5. Duplication of material already published or submitted.
6. Editorial needs filled.
7. Limited need for poetry.
8. Inept writing—poor opening, transitions, grammar. Lacks the drama or crisis
that appeals to our readers.
Submitting Your Manuscript
To honor God by being responsible stewards of His creation, we are no longer
accepting snail mail submissions. Thank you for helping us reduce unnecessary
paper waste. Together we can make a difference Please place manuscript within
body of email. Do not send attachments. Email: shinebrightly@gemsgc.org
Query: We do not accept queries. Please send us a completed manuscript you wish
to have published.
Compensation: Compensation for all pieces that are published in SHINE brightly
is made upon publication. Fiction and nonfiction writers receive 3-5¢ per word up to
$35.00 depending on length, quality, and rights. (See below for list of rights.) Poetry
receives $5.00 to $15.00 depending on length, quality, and rights. Games and
puzzles are paid from $5.00 to $15.00. All published writers receive two copies of
the issue in which their piece is published.
Editing Privileges: The editorial staff of SHINE brightly Magazine reserves the
right to edit any accepted manuscript. This is done with a conscious effort to
preserve both the writer’s style and the intent of material. If editing is extensive, the
edited manuscript will be submitted to the author prior to publication.
Rights: We purchase the following rights:
1. First North American Rights—The author retains copyright, and may submit
the manuscript for publication elsewhere after it appears in SHINE brightly.
SHINE brightly has first time printing rights.
2. Second Rights—Rates are for a previously published article. Author must
own copyright, or submit proof of permission to resell from the copyright
owner.
3. Simultaneous Rights—The author must notify publisher that the submitted
article is being offered in another market that should not overlap our
readership.
For a Sample Copy of SHINE brightly
You may write for a sample copy of SHINE brightly. Please enclose $1.00 and a 9 x
12 inch self-addressed stamped envelope. Mail to:
SHINE brightly
Attn: Hannah/Sample Copy Request
1333 Alger St SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49507