Wayfare values beauty and communion wherever we can find and summon it, especially within varied Christian traditions and holiday observance. Last year we published an Advent series that proved a highlight of the year, and we’re looking forward to expanding our Advent content this upcoming season.
How to Contribute
We invite two submission categories this year: micro essays and family traditions & practices.
Guidelines for micro essays
We are looking for very short, micro essays between 300 and 500 words covering one of the Advent pillars: love, hope, joy, and peace.
Your submission should be tied to a specific piece of art, music, literature, scripture, poetry, or similar cultural expression that has enhanced your understanding of your chosen Advent theme.
In your submission, please indicate which Advent theme you are writing about—love, hope, peace, or joy—and be clear about which specific piece of art, music, literature, scripture, or poetry you are highlighting.
Submissions that do not follow these guidelines will likely not be considered.
The deadline for submissions is Tuesday, October 15, 2024.
Guidelines for family traditions & practices
We love to learn about how individuals and families observe Advent and the Christmas season. If you have a unique or meaningful tradition you’d like to share, we’d love to hear about it! Please keep your submission under 500 words.
When sharing your family tradition, please consider how a reader could benefit from implementing this practice. We’re looking specifically for traditions that integrate Advent themes, not simply fill time in December.
Submission Link and Deadline
Submission link: Use this form to submit your micro essay or family tradition/practice. Indicate in question 7 that you are submitting for Advent.
Deadline: Tuesday, October 15, 2024.
What to expect if your piece is selected
If your piece is selected for our Advent series, expect to hear back from us by October 29.
If you have not heard from us by then, please assume that we will not be publishing your work in this series. Though we can publish only a small selection, we will read through each piece submitted—and we hope the act of writing it alone warrants the effort for all.
For those submissions selected, you will be contacted by a Wayfare editor who will work with you to revise and polish your piece.
Final drafts will be due by Friday, November 22, 2024.