How to Write and Submit a Story or Article
The website (africase.lds.org), the Liahona, and the Area Newsroom welcome submissions for possible publication. We are looking for upbeat, faith-promoting stories. True stories are not sermons, histories, instructions, or announcements. They have a beginning, middle, and end, with the overall purpose made clearly apparent in the first sentence or two.
Write your story
The audience for our Church publications varies widely in experience, education level, and background. Writers should use language, stories, and examples that will be meaningful to people from different cultures. Strive to:
A well-prepared manuscript is complete. Do not leave any part of it unfinished, expecting to complete or revise it later. Should your document be accepted for publication, it will go through a correlation and editing process that may shorten, sharpen, and focus the work. For that very reason, you need not worry too much about proper spelling, grammar, or punctuation in your original submission. The editors can fix it. Stories of 500-650 words are ideal for the website and Liahona; articles of 250-400 words are more appropriate for the Newsroom. Please understand that any accepted article may appear in one or more of these publications.
- Write at the lowest level of formality and difficulty suitable for the intended audience.
- Choose words that are familiar, precise, and concrete. Write (as you speak) in the active voice (“I attended the temple”) with subject first, then verb, then object. Avoid the passive voice (“The temple was attended by me”).
- Keep sentences relatively short, but vary their length and construction.
- Make sure that each sentence expresses only one well-focused thought.
- If you make an assertion (“The people in our branch were very kind”) support it with proof in the form of details, examples, or dialogue: (“They supplied hot meals for three full weeks after Caleb’s accident. Each morning, a different sister came to our house to fetch and care for our two older children. We were not left alone in the surgical waiting room, either. Branch members arrived and softly sang hymns to comfort and sustain us. We requested ‘I Need Thee Every Hour’ many times”). Yes, it will be longer, but it will be better.
Provide one or two appropriate photos to be sent electronically with your story
This is not required, but accompanying photos are very helpful. The best ones are clear and focused with simple backgrounds. Provide some identifying words after the end of your manuscript to identify the people in photograph #1 or photograph #2 (eg “left to right, Brother Kapenda, Sister Kapenda, and Joseph”).
Always photograph members in good standing whose lives and modest attire represent Church standards. Look for modest clothing, jewellery, hairstyles, and makeup. Avoid photos with hand gestures, funny faces, and “goofy” behavior. Be especially careful photographing children. Refer to https://www.lds.org/topics/service/create/photo-standards?lang=english for more information on submitting photographs.
Submit your article on a fully-completed Article Submission Form
You need send only one submission form to have your article considered for the ASEA’s website, Liahona magazine, and Area Newsroom. Copy the form below and paste it into a blank email, which you will send to the specific email address noted below.
Article Submission Form (* indicates required field)
Your name:*
Article Name or Title
Author/s Name *
Author/s’ Title
Article Description (no more than one or two sentences)
- Copy the entire Article Submission Form above (including these instructions) and paste it into a new email document.
- Fill in the Form’s required information.*
- Submit no more than one article per email.
- Type AfricaseCommunications@gmail.com in the email’s “To:” line.
- Put your last name into the email’s “Subject” line.
- Add the keyword $Preview after your last name in the “Subject” line.
- Attach the article along with one or two pictures, using standard email procedures for attaching documents to the email.
- Before you press the “Send” button, read the following Permission and Release form carefully:
Permission and Release for Written Work, Images, Artwork
I hereby grant to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and any of its subsidiaries permission to use the (copyrighted) material listed above in digital, written or other format. I am granting the Church permission for non-exclusive rights to use the written work(s), image(s), and/or art object(s) in the project described above and future projects as needed: I certify that no other individual or parties hold an interest in the work(s) described above and that I hold all rights to the works listed. I hereby certify and covenant that I am of legal age. (A parent or legal guardian must sign for a minor.)
If you are in agreement, press the “Send” button.
- You should receive an automatic reply to your email, acknowledging that your submission has been received.
- Please understand that the Communications Committee has full discretion on whether or not to publish the article.