Submit a Story
Writer Guidelines
SPU Voices exists to highlight stories of people in the Seattle Pacific community. Voices is published by Seattle Pacific’s University Communications department, and content published here will adhere to the same high standards in writing quality and editorial voice as other SPU publications, including Response.
Audience
Our target readership is made up of thoughtful members of the SPU community, including alumni, parents, current students, administrators, faculty, and staff. Our community comes from diverse backgrounds and experiences and spans a variety of life stages, and we aim to provide content that is relevant to each.
Tone
Voices articles should be written in a manner and tone that is engaging and respectful. Though not all SPU students and alumni are Christian, our University’s Christian identity drives us to engage thoughtfully with our world and seek positive change. SPU is grounded in a statement of faith acknowledging our campus-wide commitment to Christian orthodoxy, evangelicalism, the Wesleyan tradition, and ecumenical faith. Voices will not publish content that contradicts that statement of faith. We are open to discussing controversial issues but our scope is limited to the SPU community, and we may decline to publish any article that we deem not beneficial to that community.
What a Voices article should do
An ideal Voices piece could highlight something about student life, academics, unique or thought-provoking faith engagement, pursuing service and justice in Seattle and beyond, career and internship exploration, or another aspect of the Seattle Pacific experience. It could also illuminate the way an alumnus is living out the SPU mission, working to engage culture and change the world.
Articles will be factually sound and will cite sources and statistics. Writers will approach any complex issue with a posture of respect and intentionality, continually seeking growth and deeper understanding. Articles that overly simplify or stereotype complex issues will not be published.
Types of Voices articles
We are primarily looking for three types of content:
- First-person reflection: What clubs or involvement opportunities have been meaningful to you? How were you influenced by a campus event or training? How do you engage with global and local issues you’re passionate about? These stories are told in your voice, and your memories and insights bring your unique perspective life on campus.
- Reported story: This format seeks to educate and inform, but does not include the author’s firsthand perspective or opinions. Instead, you’ll interview 2–3 people, who could include students, faculty, and others affiliated with SPU, and conduct background research to write a piece that presents new information in a factual and relevant manner.
- Interview: The interview format presents a brief discussion between two people that highlights one person’s unique experience or contribution to the SPU community.
Writing guidelines
The first step to write for Voices is to submit a pitch. Send an email to editors at voices@spu.edu with your idea, why it’s a good fit for Voices, and why you are qualified to write it. Your pitch does not have to be long — around 200 words is fine. Please include it in the body of the email, not as an attachment. If applicable, please include a sample of previously published work.
If we like your pitch, we will ask you to write a draft. You can expect this draft to be edited. We want to ensure that all of the content we publish online or in print can be easily read and clearly understood by the widest audience possible, so our team of professional editors will work with you to ensure that your piece clearly conveys your meaning. However, it is important that the piece published on Voices reflects your thoughts and intentions accurately — so please talk with us if you feel it is not accurate.
Who can write for Voices?
Students, alumni, faculty, and staff who are a part of the Seattle Pacific community are welcome to submit a pitch. With SPU Voices, we are especially seeking to publish the work of students across a variety of academic disciplines and areas of interest. Prior journalism experience is not required, but if you have experience writing for similar publications or have studied the principles of journalism, please include this information in your pitch.