Introducing our 2027 Themes:
In 2027, Commonplace will take us through the common hours of the day: morning, afternoon, and evening & night, those ordinary blocks of time filled with all the variety and veracity of being human. Each issue will explore a zone of the day in practical and literal ways, while also inviting deeper contemplation on the “mornings”, “noons” and “evenings” of our lives.
"Morning" issue submissions are open!
On this page, find the theme overview and information on how to submit. Before making your submission, please review our Content Guidelines (below), which include specifications for things like article length, formatting, and photography and artwork requirements.
Deadline for the Morning Issue: October 23
About the Morning Issue
The Morning issue will release in January, 2027.
Our first issue is set in the hours of morning, those first bursts of daylight that set the course for the rest of the day. Morning is a time of fresh possibility, when our energy is at its highest, and we experience the natural surge of momentum that comes with new beginnings. In this issue, we'll celebrate the common elements that fill these opening hours - like morning routines, breakfasts we love, and the habits that help us start the day well. We’ll also explore moments that shape the “mornings” of our lives - like the birth of a new baby, a fresh start in some endeavor, the beginnings of our faith, etc..
The Morning issue for Writers
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THE LITERAL
Morning as a daily occurrence is wonderful fodder for content. Ideas we hope to explore in writing are:
- The architecture of a good morning: How light, sound, and layout shape how people wake up - and how some environments can sabotage a calming start to the day.
- What’s your morning routine?
- The invitation of the hour before the world awakes. What do you do with the quiet hours of this liminal space, before the responsibilities of the day kick in?
- Breakfast recipes
- Screen limits and other disciplines first thing in the morning
- Commuter stories: what do you see, hear, smell, and feel on your way to work?
- The benefits of waking up early
- Health rituals to start your day well: barefoot walk outside, sitting in the sun, food/water before coffee
- The art of getting dressed
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THE SYMBOLIC
Morning as a spiritual or emotional symbol could be explored in many meaningful ways, such as:
- What it means that the Lord’s mercies are “new every morning”
- Love as a dawn-like experience
- Jesus the Bright and Morning Star - 2 Peter 1:19, Rev. 22:16
- Childbirth and its parallels to morning breaking
- Waking up as Worship: how the first thoughts of the day form spiritual posture.
- Getting spiritually “dressed” each day, ft. the many “put off” and “put on” passages
- Liturgical practices to start the day: prayer, meditation, Scripture reading, etc.
- how Easter frames “morning” as a key symbol of Christian hope
- Psalms that mention the morning - there are alot of them!
- Dawn after Darkness: journeys through grief, suffering, loss, etc.
- Reflections on the value of beginnings, of a job, skill, faith, or relationship
- Effective goal-setting
- Treasuring our children in the little years
The Morning issue for Photographers and Artists
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About the Visuals for this Issue: think Anticipation, Excitement, Calm
Pinterest BoardFor this issue, we want visuals that feel calm and peaceful. We want to celebrate the warm, hazy visuals of morning light. Lighting should be very directional when possible – coming from lower on the horizon, creating fun shadows through the curtains, leaves, and tall grass.
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Submission Details
Single Images and Artwork: We welcome individual images or artwork depictions of morning scenes to be used throughout the magazine -- pouring coffee or tea, your breakfast, morning light coming through a window, self portrait of you in the morning.
Photo Series: A photos series is a set of 10-25 images that tell a story. For this issue, this could include settings such as a mom getting ready with her children for the day, a woman doing her morning routine, cutting flowers/picking veggies in the morning, scenes from a morning walk, a series inspired by a morning story from the scriptures. -
Commissioned Photo Series: If you have an idea for a photo series that is more involved, pitch it to our visuals team prior to photographing it by emailing photography@daughters-of-promise.org.
Find the details on photography and artwork requirements, compensation/contributor gifts, and best practices in the content guidelines below.
CONTENT GUIDELINES
Please read over the applicable guidelines below prior to submission. Due to rising production costs and the expansion of our staff, we will not be offering compensation to guest Commonplace contributors in 2026. Contributors will receive a free copy of the issue, and a discount code for subsequent copies. Thank you for understanding!
Collapsible content
Written Content Guidelines
Written content should relate to the issue’s theme, and reflect a practice, experience, or lesson that highlights the goodness of the ordinary in that context. Real life is funny, weird, interesting, challenging, and full of noteworthy moments if we take the time to notice them. We look forward to reading about the beauty you’re discovering, and lessons you’re learning, in your ordinary everyday.
Accepted written content includes anecdotal stories, essays, fictional tales, poetry, book reviews, lifestyle articles, Bible studies, and interviews.
Compensation: While we aren't able to offer monetary payment to guest contributors at this time, we're grateful for your contribution and want to provide a gift as a token of thanks.
Contributor Gift:
Poetry and Articles: $30 Off Shop Purchase
WRITTEN SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:
- Author must be 18+ years of age.
- Articles must be submitted as completed pieces (no rough drafts) of 800-1000 words. Articles shorter or longer will not be accepted. Poetry should fit within two pages, single spaced.
- Articles must be submitted in a .doc or .docx format and titled with your name and the title of your article. Do not submit screenshots, handwritten, or PDF files of your article.
- Please use Chicago-style citation, using full endnotes (not footnotes). No bibliography is necessary.
- Author’s name and the date written should be included in the top left corner of the title page. A title for your piece must be included. DOP reserves the right to change your title to best suit the needs of the volume.
- A brief author bio, written in the third person, should be included at the end of the article/poem.
- Your piece should demonstrate excellence in grammar, spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure. Capitalize all names and pronouns referring to God. Obtain permission to share others’ personal stories or details.
- All submissions are welcome, with priority given to those previously unpublished, and which support the Anabaptist faith tradition.
- Authors will retain the rights to their work and are free to sell, post, or publish it elsewhere anytime. DOP will only publish the piece in the volume for which it was submitted, unless permission is obtained otherwise.
THE PUBLISHING PROCESS:
If your piece is selected for publication, here is what you can expect:
- A staff editor will provide copy and line edits to articles. We do not provide edits to poetry.
- You will receive the edited version of your article to approve. In the event that you strongly object to an edit, we will work with you to reach a result that both you and our team are happy with.
- Once the issue containing your article/poem is released, you will receive an email with instructions for claiming your free copy of the issue, plus a discount code for subsequent purchases, and to share with friends and family.
Photography Guidelines
You do not have to be a professional photographer to submit photography! We’re looking for those with an eye for beauty in the everyday.
Commissioned Series: A commissioned photo series is one where you pitch an idea prior to creating the series. If we want to include your series, we will commission you to photograph the piece. Commissioned series are a paid opportunity, payment to be determined when the series is assigned. Email photography@daughters-of-promise.org for more information or to pitch a series.
Compensation: While we aren't able to offer monetary payment to guest contributors at this time, we're grateful for your contribution and want to provide a gift as a token of thanks.
Contributor Gift:
Artwork & Photo Series: $30 Off Shop Purchase
Single Images: $10 Off Shop Purchase
PHOTOGRAPHY REQUIREMENTS:
- We accept individual images (up to 5) and photo series (10-25 related images, submitted via google drive or a gallery). At our discretion, we may use a single image from a photo series.
- Contributors must be 18+ years of age.
- Images taken with either a smartphone or professional camera are welcome. Ensure that images are in focus (or intentionally creatively focused) and not overly grainy (usually a result of high ISO).
- Submission(s) must belong to you and be your original work.
- Photos can be new work (taken for this issue), or from your archives.
- When human subjects are featured, either use close ups or please ensure that the main subjects follow the DOP dress guidelines (see below).
- It is the photographer’s responsibility to obtain permission from people featured in the photos before submitting photos for consideration.
- Photo series must be submitted as a gallery of at least 10, but not more than 25 images, via either a Google folder or personal gallery.
- You will retain the rights to your work and are free to sell, post, or publish it elsewhere anytime. DOP will only print it in the issue for which you submitted it. Your work may be featured promotionally on our social media and will always be credited, and tagged if possible.
Photo Series Best Practices:
Include wide shots (setting, establishing place), medium shots (portrait distance from subject), close shots (details), a mix of vertical and horizontal, images in focus and well lit, images that are in keeping with the theme and color palette, and images that communicate a story.
We are especially looking for series that show life in progress more than series of pretty images. For example, we'd prefer a brunch set to be mostly people images and some pretty details rather than exclusively the tablescape and food.
DRESS CODE:
In respect for our Anabaptist tradition and readers, we only consider photos in which the main female subject(s) reflect the following dress:
- Hair gathered up (not hanging loose), covered with a traditional veil, net covering, scarf, kerchief, or hat.
- Sleeved, non-sheer skirt + top or dress, at least knee length, that does not reveal cleavage/undergarment lines.
- No jewelry (engagement/wedding rings, necklaces, wristbands, etc.) or obvious makeup (nail polish, eye shadow, etc.).
Artwork Guidelines
Whether you are a digital artist, or use traditional mediums, we welcome your illustrations of goodness in the ordinary. All submissions will be reviewed by our visuals team, who will make final selections based on skill level, originality, quality, and cohesion with the issue’s theme. You will receive an email notifying you whether or not your piece has been chosen for publication. We look forward to seeing what you create!
Accepted art forms include DIGITAL ART (typography, patterns, illustration, etc.), TRADITIONAL ART (oil, acrylic, pen, watercolor, charcoal, etc.), and HAND LETTERING PROJECTS
Contributor Gift: $30 Off Shop Purchase
ARTWORK REQUIREMENTS:
- Contributors must be 18+ years of age.
- Create artwork that is inspired by the issue’s theme, color palette and Pinterest mood board.
- Submissions must be high-quality .PNG, .PDF, or .JPG files, with a minimum resolution of 3300x2550, or 300dpi at full page size. If creating digital art, please ensure that your artboard is at least 8x10 in size. Pieces that do not meet these criteria will not be considered.
- Submission(s) must belong to you and be your original work. Do not submit illustrations copied off of someone else’s work.
- New (published or unpublished) work, as well as pieces from your archives, are welcome.
- When human subjects are featured, please ensure that they reflect the DOP dress guidelines, listed below.
- Please limit your submissions to 3 art/lettering prints.
- You will retain the rights to your work and are free to sell, post, or publish it elsewhere anytime. DOP will only print it in the issue for which you submitted it. Your work may be featured promotionally on our social media and will always be fully credited, and tagged if possible.
DRESS CODE:
In respect for our Anabaptist tradition of dress, please adhere to the following in illustrations that include female subjects:
- Hair gathered up (not hanging loose) and covered with a traditional hanging veil, net covering, scarf, kerchief, or hat.
- Sleeved skirt and top or dress, at least knee length
- No jewelry (such as engagement/wedding rings, necklaces, wristbands, etc.)
Your one life is worth noticing.
Commonplace is a publication of the quotidian; a gathering place for what is beautiful and good in your ordinary, everyday life. We invite you to share!
Attentiveness to the goodness of God is always a worthy practice. It’s our hope that the exercise of writing, drawing, and photographing the beauty of the commonplace will give you a sweet awareness that your ordinary matters.
Submissions by women of all Christian faith traditions are welcome. As an Anabaptist ministry, our aim is to publish works that represent the values and vision of this tradition. Content will be selected accordingly.
2027 THEMES
- January: Morning
- May: Afternoon
- September: Evening & Night