Author Guidelines

What is the spirit of the #JoyFE magazine?

Hello and thank you for wanting to contribute your thinking to #JoyFE. As Stef Wilkinson wrote in the welcome to JoyFE #1"

“Our main aims are to spread positive messages from FE, to share and celebrate the things that bring us joy as people who work within FE, create meaningful connections between those who want to make a difference and generate a discussion of hope around the future of FE.”

We are critical but not cynical and if that’s your intention too, your words are warmly welcomed.

When is the deadline?

We are producing one edition a month at the moment and the deadline is last day in the month for publication a month later.

How do I submit my piece?

First of all, please read our magazine! This will help you understand what we are looking for 😁

As we are getting more popular, we can’t always guarantee a place in the next edition because we don’t want the mag to get too chunky. We will always keep in touch with you about this.

You don’t need to write the whole thing now, just please send your idea to joyfulfe@gmail.com and we can have a chat about it. Please note the word counts - we have strict page limits. Thank you.

If you have any questions please get in touch with Heather Booth-Martin (@heatherbmartin) or Jackie Rossa (@jackierossa_) in the first instance.

What format do you need?

Please submit as a Word document so that we can edit, thank you. Images should be .png or .jpg

Why is the word count important?

Our #JoyFE💛 magazine is designed as a quick read, to help busy educators take five minutes to relax with a cuppa. There are other places to publish longer pieces! Let us know if you want to have a conversation about this. But as a rule of thumb, the more succinct you are, the more your words will land.

Will you edit my piece?

Yes, we reserve the right to do this, so that your piece fits the #JoyFE💛 house style and word count. If your article is significantly too long, we will return it to you for revision, rather than take the scissors to it ourselves 😁

Can I use my own images?

We welcome images (particularly but not exclusively in a blue/green palette). Please ensure that you own the copyright for these (or that they are copyright free). We encourage you to use the Unsplash commons and to copy the photo credit into your submission so that we can add it to the magazine (we’ll tweet the photographer if we can too).

Will you promote my article?

We certainly will! Please give us your Twitter handle and we will tag you in. If you don’t have a Twitter handle, why not consider signing up? It’s great professional learning!

Which sections can I write for?

You are welcome to pitch for any of the sections below.

The Joy of… (Wellbeing)

Each month we’ll look at a different (and practical) approach to wellbeing 400-425 words.

Joyful Leadership

New approaches to values- and people-led leadership. Curated by Stef Wilkinson. 700-725 words.

The Future of Education (What if…?)

Responding to the big questions about education’s future - yes, a re-imagining but always one with the possibility of remaking. Curated by Lou Mycroft 700-725 words.

Stories of Joy

Educators telling their joyful stories. Curated by Heather Booth-Martin 100 words or less.

Snippets of Joy

A miscellany of joyful hashtags and connections. Curated by Isla Flood. Ideas in brief.

Articles

We publish a maximum of three articles per month. 400-425 words OR 700 words (not in between please). We actively welcome creative submissions e.g. poems, collages.

Interview with…

Please let us know if you want us to interview you! We will also be featuring podcasts in this space.

Dear Jackie…

Advice column with a (sometimes dark) comedy twist. Anonymity guaranteed. Agony Aunt Jackie Rossa. Please limit your contributions to two or three sentences.

Collage and Think Piece

Visual creations which provoke thinking 200-250 words plus collage image.

Book Review

Share something that has provoked your thinking (recently). Curated by Katheryn Cockerton. 400 words.

Can anyone write for the #JoyFE magazine?

Anyone who is joyfully critical can write for us! We promise to prioritise fresh voices and diverse perspectives.