‘Everyone has a story to tell, a lesson to teach, and wisdom to share… Life is a beautiful masterpiece bound together by your experiences. Open up and share your story; become an inspiration to others…’, so goes the saying by Melanie Koulouris. If you believe this quote wholeheartedly, and if you have a story you wish the world to hear, then here’s something you need to know. Guideposts, a motivational magazine, wants you to share your inspirational real-life story of hope and faith, and will pay you $250 to publish it. If you’re interested, then read on and find out how you can have your story published, inspire and motivate other people, and earn a little something for it all.
What is Guideposts?
Guideposts is ‘a motivational magazine that inspires and guides millions of people on living a happy and successful life’. It is owned and operated by an organization of the same name that was founded by Norman Vincent Peale and his wife Ruth Stafford Peale in 1945. The magazine is a leading publication with an annual readership that spans millions of people across the United States.
Guideposts features ‘articles and first-person stories written by people from all walks of life, meant to inspire and nurture the personal growth and spiritual needs of the magazine’s devoted readers’. Topics regularly covered in the magazine ‘show you how to balance your faith and values with everyday life, nurture your spiritual values, and help you reach out to others’.
The eponymous organization also publishes other magazines including Mysterious Ways, Mornings with Jesus, Angels on Earth, Strength and Grace, and All God’s Creatures. It also has its own website.
What is Guideposts looking for?
Guideposts want you to ‘share your true story of hope and inspiration’ for a chance to have it published in the Guideposts magazine, one of their other magazines, or on their website. They are looking for ‘true stories about people who have attained a goal, surmounted an obstacle, or learned a helpful lesson through their faith. A typical story is a first-person narrative with a spiritual point that the reader can apply to his or her own life. The story may be your own or someone else’s’.
In writing your story, Guideposts want you to observe the following guidelines:
- The emphasis should be on one person and told from the vantage point of the individual most deeply affected by the experience. Focus on one specific event rather than an entire life story. Bring only as many people in as are needed to tell the story.
- Give all the relevant facts so that the reader can clearly understand what took place. Let the reader feel as if he or she were there, seeing the characters, hearing them talk, feeling what they felt.
- Show the positive and specific change in the narrator that occurs as a result of the experience, a message or insight that readers can apply to their own lives.
Full-length stories are about 1,500 words. Guideposts insist that you do not send essays, sermons, or fiction, and emphasize that they almost never use poetry and do not evaluate book-length material.
How much can you earn with Guideposts?
The Guideposts website no longer quotes the figure for the actual fee; it only mentions that payment is made upon publication. However, based on Internet research, the previous payment was $250. This may or may not still be the case.
Why should I write for Guideposts?
First, for the rare chance to inspire other people through your story. Everyone has a story to tell, and yours is something that the world needs to hear about. Share your experience, and share hope and motivation. Through your story, you can help people find the positivity, courage, and inspiration to attain their own goals, overcome obstacles, and learn valuable lessons they can apply in their own lives.
Second, for the experience. If you’re considering a career in freelance writing, then having your literary piece published in a magazine with a long history and millions of readers will certainly help build your experience, as well as help you gain recognition and authority. It can also open up a world of freelance writing opportunities for you.
Third, for the fee. Earning a little something from sharing your story has emotional and financial benefits. The additional income can help you achieve your financial goals if you put it to good use and help ease your money constraints, especially if you’re currently in a tight spot.
How do I submit my story?
Guideposts has an online submission form that you need to fill out if you wish to submit your story for consideration. The button below will take you to that submission page.
Note that owing to the high volume of submissions Guideposts receive, they are only able to respond to your story if you have been accepted for publication. If you have not heard from them in two months, they encourage you to submit your story elsewhere.
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