Writing for SharperIron

SharperIron is always looking for new writers regardless of age, gender or “flavor” of fundamentlism. The best way to begin is to submit an article to us. Articles should be 1200-1800 words in length and speak to one of three audiences: society at large, evangelicalism, or fundamentalism.

Send articles in publishable format (proofread by several people, spell-checked, grammar-checked, and ready to go). If your article is declined, don’t despair. SI may simply not be the place for your ideas.

Authors must meet these three requirements.

1. Authors must be genuine believers in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
2. Authors must agree with our Doctrinal Statement and identify themselves as fundamentalists.
3. Authors must have a desire to help others live biblically through writing.

File Type

Please e-mail the article to submissions@sharperiron.org as a Microsoft Word (.doc) or Rich Text Format (.rtf) file.

Document Specifications

• Left aligned
• Standard font throughout (e.g., Times New Roman or Arial)
• First lines of paragraphs not indented
• No empty paragraphs between paragraphs
• Italics for emphasis (not underlining, bold or all capitals)
• Headings to divide up the content (bold)

Using Sources

When quoting or paraphrasing another author, cite sources within your article itself whenever possible.

Example of how to include quoted material in an article: John Doe says in his book Modern Praise, “The best praise is the praise on your knees” (p. 25).

Avoid endnotes or footnotes, but if numbered notes are necessary, use endnotes only (not footnotes). The citation format should be author, source title, publisher’s city and state, publisher’s name, date of publication, and pages cited. Example below. Genearlly, follow the MLA style.

When quoting song lyrics that are not in the public domain, secure reprint permission from the song’s publisher first.

For quoted material of more than three lines, please indent the entire section without quotation marks.

Using Scripture

For Scripture quotations, use the version you prefer. Include the version abbreviation in parentheses after the first quoted or paraphrased passage of Scripture. You do not need to include “KJV,” “NASB,” etc. each time you quote a verse unless you switch versions from the previous quote. Include the reference when you quote or paraphrase a verse. Format Bible references as follows:

John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (KJV).

Jesus told Nicodemus God “gave his only begotten Son” (John 3:16, KJV).

Double-check Bible quotes for accuracy. Accurate quoting includes spelling, puncutation and capitalization (note, KJV does not capitalize pronouns in reference to God).
When using abbreviated names for books of the Bible (do this only in parentheses), abbreviate as follows:

Plagiarism

In the Simon & Schuster Handbook for Writers, Lynn Quitman Troyka writes:

Plagiarism is presenting another person’s words or ideas as if they were your own… . You do not need to acknowledge information that is considered common knowledge—for example, that Columbus’s ships landed in America in 1492… . You must, however, acknowledge the source of any words you quote. Along with your documentation, you must always use quotation marks or, if the material is more than three lines, an indented format. You must also acknowledge your source when you paraphrase or summarize someone else’s ideas… . Writing the words of others in your own words does not release you from your obligation to attribute the material to its originator.

Ellipses

According to Troyka,

Use an ellipsis ( … ) to signal omissions from quotations… . If an omission occurs at the beginning of your quoted words, you do not need to use an ellipsis to show the omission. Also you do not need to use an ellipsis at the end as long as you end with a complete sentence… . If you select for quotation two or more sentences separated by material you do not want to quote, show the omission with (1) the period that ends the sentence before the omission and (2) the three spaced periods of an ellipsis.

HTML and Your Article

You do not need to add any HTML into your article. (If you would like to link to another website, include the URL in parentheses.) Format the article as if you were going to print it out and mail it to a magazine for publication. SI will take care of HTML formatting. If you are fluent in HTML and want to lend a helping hand, we’re always grateful.

Biography and Photo

If you have not already submitted one, please send an author bio that includes your educational experience (degrees, institutions of higher learning, etc.), family information, the name of your current ministry position or occupation, and your city and state of residence. If possible, include the URL of any ministry or college website named in the bio. Include a photo in .gif, .jpg or .png format.

Questions?

Feel free to ask. Use the site contact form.