APF Writer Guidelines

(Updated February 20, 2019)

Content and Ownership

The Adventist Peace Fellowship (APF) welcomes news and commentary from around the world about peacemaking and social justice in broad Adventist perspective, including: material written by individuals who identify with the Adventist tradition on peace and justice themes as well as stories about Adventists making a practical difference in the world. We are especially interested in original content and reports from Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Articles submitted to the APF should be brief (generally between 250 and 1,000 words in length) and written using gender-inclusive language that assumes a readership from diverse religious traditions (or from no religious tradition at all).

While there is an endless supply of peace and justice material that may be of general interest to Adventists (e.g., world news, nonprofit updates, activist wisdom), the APF blog does not generally republish or cross-post these stories since we believe we can make the strongest contribution by focusing on the unique contributions and challenges of Adventist peacemakers.

Writers retain all rights to their work and are free to publish their material in other outlets.

Jargon

Use language that can be easily understood by both a Seventh-day Adventist and non-Adventist audience. Avoid terms or abbreviations that may be confusing (e.g., GC, NAD, TOSC) unless you define them first.

Tone

Use respectful language that builds bridges rather than walls. Strong opinions can generally be written in a way that shows respect for dissenting parties.

Politics

APF does not endorse any political party. APF does not favor one country over another. Therefore, writers are asked to deal with topics and issues rather than promote one political entity over another or make sweeping generalizations or accusations about a political entity (whether local, national or international). That is, policies and actions can be critiqued without demeaning entire parties or countries.

Photographs and Graphics

Be very careful when posting photographs or graphics you did not create. Be aware of copyright and fair use laws before posting anything you did not create.

Learn more here:

• https://www.howtostartanllc.org/guide-to-copyright/

• http://fairuse.stanford.edu/overview/fair-use/

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_use

• http://www.stockphotorights.com/faq/#ficc

• http://www.stockphotorights.com/faq/#copy

Even if a photograph is in the public domain, be sure to credit the source. Wikimedia Commons is a good place to find photographs:

• https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Commons

The North American Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church has a Flickr account that can be used – https://www.flickr.com/photos/nadadventist/. Again, give credit.