Submissions

Writer Submission Guidelines

Group Publishing, Inc.
1515 Cascade Avenue, Loveland, CO 80538
[phone]

Submission Contact: [e-mail]

Church Resource and Curriculum Writer's Guidelines
Group Publishing's mission is: To equip churches to help children, youth, and adults grow in their relationship with Jesus.

We publish resources for Christian education in local children’s ministry (both single-author royalty books and multiple-author compilations assigned on a work-for-hire basis).

Submitting a Church or Curriculum Resource Proposal
If you have a submission that meets the criteria listed, we would like to know about it. You're welcome to submit a resource proposal that includes:

• a cover letter briefly summarizing your resource idea and telling about your background;
• an outline of how you' d structure the resource;
• an introduction to the resource explaining how it can be used easily in a ministry setting and why people need or want your resource (write this as if the buyer were reading it while he or she browses in a bookstore); and
• a sample which could include one or more of the following:

1. two sample chapters (written and formatted in such a way that any average church leader could read, understand, and implement your ideas with his or her group);
2. two sample sessions or studies (if it's a resource Bible Study, events, meeting ideas, and so on);
3. about a dozen sample experiences/ideas (if it's a resource of short ideas, worship, devotions, skits, or the like);
4. a CD/DVD clearly labeled to match a manuscript with a Web link, if applicable (for media proposals). If you send in a media piece without the other bulleted items listed above, it will likely be rejected. 

If you would like your submission returned, please include a postage-paid, self-addressed envelope. If postage is not included, your submission will be recycled 30 days from the date on your cover letter. 

What We're Looking For
We ARE NOT acquiring young adult or romantic fiction, fantasy or science fiction novels, general Bible studies, autobiographies, or poetry. Our resources are often leader/teacher-oriented, though we do also publish family--oriented resources. The DNA of all Group’s resources are that they’re R.E.A.L.—relational, experiential, applicable, and learner-centered.

Children's Ministry
• Bible lessons & Bible-based activities
• crafts
• object lessons
• devotions for Sunday School classes
• leadership
• family ministry
• volunteer management

Consumer Resources
All consumer resources should reflect the core values of the Lifetree Family brand and the 4 Acts of Love. Our focus is building a foundation of healthy, loving relationships and exploring spiritual growth through the context of relational experiences. (See website for more information.) We do not publish fiction, autobiographies, or poetry. We would consider submissions for the following:

• family devotions and activities (age specific is best)
• books for grandparents
• experiences for families

Writing Group Books
Group Publishing, Inc. receives hundreds of resource proposals each year. These questions are designed to help you evaluate your own idea the way our editors would.

• Is it original? Is the idea for the resource yours alone? What makes you the best person to provide this resource for ministry leaders?
• Is it practical? Group publishes resources that our readers—youth workers, parents, Sunday school teachers, and Christian education directors—can pull off the shelf and use immediately.
• Would its sales benefit from your ministry influence or special efforts? How are you uniquely positioned to market this resource? What kind of platform do you have that would help its sales?
• Is it need-oriented? People buy ministry resources that meet their needs. What needs does your proposal address? Why would people feel compelled to buy and use it?
• Does it reflect biblical principles? Group is an interdenominational Christian publisher and everything we produce reflects that perspective.
• Is there anything else out there like it? Is there any competition for this resource? What else has been published that is similar to your idea, and how will yours be superior and unique enough that people will buy it over anything else? Tell our readers something they don't already know in a way that they've not seen before.
• Is it clear and easy to use? Does it make its point concisely? Are instructions easy to follow?

Writing Group Curriculum
At this time, Group is not adding any freelance writers to our team for curriculum or VBS, nor are we entertaining curriculum or VBS proposals. But we encourage you to learn more about Group’s philosophy by reading Why Nobody Learns Much of Anything at Church: And How to Fix It or The Dirt on Learning by Thom and Joani Schultz.

DON'T FORGET TO SEND A POSTAGE-PAID ENVELOPE IF YOU WOULD LIKE YOUR SUBMISSION RETURNED. ANYTHING NOT RETURNED 30 DAYS FROM THE DATE ON YOUR RESPONSE LETTER WILL BE RECYCLED.

Mail your submission to:

Group Publishing, Inc.
ATTN: Submissions
1515 Cascade Avenue
Loveland, CO 80538

or

E-mail your submission to: [e-mail]

Children's Ministry Magazine Submission Guidelines
Thank you for your interest in contributing to Children’s Ministry Magazine and childrensministry.com. At this time, we are not accepting submissions. Please feel free to check back on this page as we will open submissions from time to time during the year.

GROUP Magazine Submission Guidelines

Important Notice:
Effective with our Winter 2016/2017 issue, we will no longer be publishing GROUP Magazine. The “voice” of GROUP will be shifting to our digital platform, YouthMinistry.com. At this time, we are not accepting submissions. Please feel free to check back on this page as we will open submissions from time to time during the year.