Focus on the Family Magazine: Historical Thanksgiving Fiction Based on Family Stories
Posted by Sally Clark on Friday, November 26, 2021
Focus on the Family Magazine: Historical Thanksgiving Fiction Based on Family Stories
Topic: We are looking for historical fiction about Thanksgiving that is based on true family stories. (Remember that “historical fiction” means stories that are from a time period that is at least 50 years ago. Each story should be a short story, of course (protagonist has a problem, the protagonist solves the problem through his/her actions) and include a light faith element. It should also include an element or action, something that kids today may not know how to do. At the end of the story, you should include a handful of discussion questions that parents and kids could talk about regarding this element or action. For example, the protagonist may churn butter (we already have a butter-churning story so do not use butter churning). This is what parents and kids would have a discussion over. (How do we get butter now? How did people used to make butter? etc.) Here are a couple of tips:
Focus on the Family magazine fiction should put a smile on the reader’s face or tug on his/her heartstrings. We want readers to feel something, perhaps even have an “Aw” moment.
Each story should have a component that shows how families stick together or make sacrifices for each other.
This story is for parents to read to kids, but it needs to be a family piece and not a children’s story. There’s a fine line here for the story does need to be entertaining to 8- to 12-year-olds, but parents need to enjoy it enough to want to read it.
Word count: 800 to 1200 words
Rights: First nonexclusive rights to print in the magazine and for it to be added to a PDF download
Payment: $375, on acceptance
Due date: December 29, 2021
Byline: Yes — whether in print, PDF or online
Audience: Parents with children in the home
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