Written Submission Guidelines

Article Style Guide

Required Components:

Suggested Article Title (may be edited to fit space and style)

Your Full Name

Byline: 1-2 sentences describing yourself in the third person

Example: "Sophia Fullerton is the administrator at Edmonds Adventist Church and is passionate about Pathfinder Ministry."

General Guidelines:

Articles may be edited for brevity and clarity as well as to fit the style of the newsletter.

In-article headings may be accepted on a case-by-case basis.

Oxford/Serial comma is used.

All references to God are capitalized.

Short bulleted lists are accepted; items that are more than a sentence or two long should be in paragraph format.

Short paragraphs are preferred.

Please proofread your articles prior to submission.

Look at previous issues of GNL to get an idea of the size and style we are looking for.

Event Reports:

Only events that have happened within the past 2-3 months are considered for submission in a given issue.

Keep it clear and concise.

Write in the third person, past tense.

Make sure the who, what, where, and when of the event is in the first paragraph or two.

Opinions and comments from attendees and organizers are encouraged. Put these in quotations.

Don't use "passive voice" ("The seminar was presented by John Smith"), instead use "active voice" (John Smith presented the seminar.").

Miracles and Answered Prayers Column:

May be written in either the first or third person.

Tense must be consistent within the story.

Devotional or Inspirational Articles:

Write in the first or third person.

Avoid using the second person ("you") as it assumes a comanding or presumptive tone.

Message should be consistent with the beliefs of Edmonds Adventist Church.

Family Announcements

These are short blurbs to keep our church family updated on important events going on in your life. These blurbs do not need to be submitted as separate documents. They can be in the body of the email.

Anniversary:

Couple's Names

Anniversary Number (50th, 65th, 80th, etc)

Wedding Date

Birth:

Baby's Name

Date of Birth

Parents' Names

Birthday:

Full Name

Birthday Number (1st, 80th, 100th, etc.)

Date of Birth

Obituary:

Full Name

Maiden Name (if applicable)

Date of Birth

Place of Birth

Date of Death

Place of Death

Family Information (optional)

Spouse's name

Number and names of children and step-children

Number of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, etc.

Life Highlights (optional, 1-3 sentences)

Wedding:

Bride's Name

Groom's Name

Wedding Date

Wedding Location

Couple's New Residence and Contact Info (not published, just for church directory update)