Write For Us

AI and Plagiarism policies

Friends Journal has a zero-tolerance policy for AI and plagiarism. Please don’t use writing tools integrated into writing programs (such as Grammarly or Gemini in Google Docs). Our editors will work with you to make you sound your best!

We use outside services to check submitted material for evidence of AI usage and plagiarism. The Authors Guild has a useful document, “AI Best Practices for Authors.”

We also do not use or accept AI-generated images.

General Submission Guidelines

Many issues of Friends Journal are set aside for specific themes. Every 18 months or so we poll readers and dream up ideas for future issues (you can see the current list on our submissions page).

We also keep four issues a year open: no theme and no expectations. Most of our unsolicited articles go into a “General Submissions” list that we hold for these issues. Sometimes a choice is easy: we’ll get a blockbuster article that we know we just have to print. But just as often we’ll run some quiet piece of Quaker life that is offered to us without regard to our schedules.

The first bit of advice is to give our editorial submission guidelines a good once-over. The introduction to what we’re looking for is instructive.

We prefer articles written in a fresh, non‐academic style. Friends value an experiential approach to life and religious thought. Our readers particularly value articles on: exploring Friends’ testimonies and beliefs; integrating faith, work, and home lives; historical and contemporary Friends; social concerns and actions; and the variety of beliefs across the branches of Friends.

You should also study our tips for writing for Friends Journal. This is our list of the most-common pitfalls for incoming submissions—problems like length, structure, and tone.

The next thing to ask when writing or pitching an article to us is “why Friends Journal?” There are very few places where someone can write on the Quaker experience and see their work published. This scarcity weighs on us as we select an open issue’s mix. Authors don’t need to be Quaker, but the piece should have a strong Quaker hook. We’re not above doing a control-F on a submission to see how many times “Quaker” or “Friends” is mentioned. If it’s just a tacked-on reference because you’re shopping a piece written for another publication, it probably won’t work for us.

When you’re ready to send us something, please use the Submittable service so that we will have all of your information on file. “General Submissions” is the category for material that we consider for non-themed issues.

Link to share: Writing for General Submissions

Pacifism and the Quaker Peace Testimony Today (Sept. 2026, due 6/22/2026)

The Quaker peace testimony is sometimes presented as an eternal constant, declared in 1660 and set in stone ever since. History, however, shows us that it has waxed and waned in importance over time. Most strikingly in the United States it ebbed during “popular” wars, such as the U.S. Civil War and World War II, which saw large numbers of Quaker men volunteer to fight.

It has since been reaffirmed by many Friends, especially in the 1970s and ’80s, but other causes have been receiving more attention since then. Is the peace testimony expanding to include these other movements, or getting lost in the shuffle?

There have always been critiques of our strong stance on peace, but today many of these are coming from inside our ranks. Some Quaker critics have argued that our insistence on nonviolent organizing tactics is naive in situations in which there are clear aggressors or mismatched militaries. Some Quaker activists have called for bolder protests that blur the line of traditional nonviolent techniques. In a closely watched case last year, many U.S. Friends rallied behind a 20-something Friend accused of violent assault in a political protest. What is acceptable Quaker action these days? 

We also want to hear how Quakers in Latin America, Africa, and elsewhere are applying the peace testimony to counter domestic violence, election violence, and wars in their own countries. What tactics and tools have been working to maintain peace? What has been working to convince others to choose the way of peace?

Every new generation has had to wrestle with applying the peace testimony to their own spiritual and political circumstances. What we’re hoping for in this issue are difficult, honest conversations. Is it time to strongly reaffirm the peace testimony? Do we need to challenge some of the assumptions and race and class biases of earlier Friends who codified it? How does it speak to our condition—and our world—today?

Quaker Fiction (Nov. 2026, due 8/17/2026)

Every November we publish annual issue of Quaker Fiction. It’s open to all genres—crime, fantasy, romance, science fiction, horror, young adult, and more. Surprise us with your work!

For this special issue, we’re seeking short stories from 500-2000 words, and flash fiction of less than 500 words. We’re seeking stories of Quakers and their experiences.

We welcome submissions from Friends and non-Friends alike. While we’re casting a wide net, we’re not the right market for erotica or extreme horror. We are also not a market for fan fiction or other works that use other folks’ intellectual property. We are a queer-affirming publication and will not be accepting any work based in homophobia, transphobia, or general racism, sexism, bigotry, or fascism.

Fast facts

• Submission length: 500-2000 words
• For our fiction issues we use a slightly modified version of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) Model Magazine Contract, Version 3.1.
• Pay: $0.12/word

Nontheist Friends (Dec. 2026, due 9/21/2026)

We invite articles from Friends coming from nontheist, atheist, or agnostic perspectives. We’re interested in both the theology (non-theology?) of belief and also the experiences of being a part of the Friends spectrum.

Quakers and Social Class (Jan. 2027, due 10/19/2026)

Social inequality is once again on the rise throughout the world. How do Friends address the challenges of income inequality and poverty. How do we support one another in challenging times?

Ecology and Eco-Spirituality (Mar. 2027, due 12/21/2026)

How do we incorporate ecology into our theological worldview?

Friends in Africa (May 2027, due 2/22/2027)

Every May we spotlight a part of the world and this month we’re looking at Africa. What is the state of Quakerism in Africa? What challenges does it face?

Friends and Communication and Tech (June-July 2027, due 3/22/2027)

Our lives are ever more entwined with technology. What are the positives and pitfalls of this? Are there ways we should unplug some of our lives? How does the rise of AI affect our spiritual lives and our communal Quaker life?

Learning to Be Quaker (Sept. 2027 due 6/21/2027)

How do we teach Quakerism to newcomers and youth? How are we sharing what it is to be a Friend?

Quaker Fiction (Nov. 2027, due 8/23/2027)

Every November we publish annual issue of Quaker Fiction. It’s open to all genres—crime, fantasy, romance, science fiction, horror, young adult, and more. Surprise us with your work!

For this special issue, we’re seeking short stories from 500-2000 words, and flash fiction of less than 500 words. We’re seeking stories of Quakers and their experiences outside of what is true of the world we inhabit today.

We welcome submissions from Friends and non-Friends alike. While we’re casting a wide net, we’re not the right market for erotica or extreme horror. We are also not a market for fan fiction or other works that use other folks’ intellectual property. We are a queer-affirming publication and will not be accepting any work based in homophobia, transphobia, or general racism, sexism, bigotry, or fascism.

Fast facts

Pay: $0.12/word

For our fiction issues we use a slightly modified version of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) Model Magazine Contract, Version 3.1.

Quakers in Pop Culture (Dec. 2027 issue, due 9/20/2027)

It’s always wild when Quakers show up in TVs and movies. How are we depicted? And how do we ourselves use the tools of pop culture to share and understand our faith?