Writer's Guidelines

Thank you for taking the time to read through our Writer’s Guidelines and for considering writing for Moment. We highly recommend that you read these guidelines before you submit a query or write a story.

Our goal is for readers to respond to EVERY Moment story with: “I never knew that before” or “I never thought about that before.”

Moment is dedicated to publishing unpredictable stories that will interest members of all branches of the Jewish community including Jewish Renewal, Reform, Conservative, Modern Orthodox, Haredi, Hasidic, Secular Humanist and the unaffiliated. Our stories range in scope from global to local (with a global twist), right to left, the literary to the political. We are looking for in-depth, evocative and richly rendered compositions on all things relevant to Jewish life.

We’re interested in the stories that haven’t yet been told. However, we know that there are those topics that will forever bear interest to the Jewish community (the Holocaust, anti-Semitism, intermarriage and aliyah to Israel). If we choose to explore these topics we will always tell them from a new angle, inspired by fresh information and insight. As a bi-monthly magazine we have the responsibility of providing depth and perspective on issues that other publications cannot provide.

We expect well-researched stories and accurate reporting at all time. Breadth and depth of reporting is essential. With the exception of essays and book reviews, all stories require interviews, and even reviews and essays can benefit from interviews. It is important that you are aware that we have high reporting and fact-checking standards.

Moment stories take time to report, organize and write and revise. They are written in magazine-style, which is not the same as newspaper feature writing. We are often willing to work with writers who do not have magazine writing experience if they agree to invest the required time. However, even experienced magazine writers should be aware that it is rare for a story to not be sent back, sometimes several times, with questions, and it is even rarer for a story to not go through several revisions. This requires a commitment from both writer and editors to publish the best story possible. The best Moment stories are most often a collaboration between writer and editor. Our goal is ALWAYS to publish the best story possible.

We publish investigative features, personal essays, human-interest stories, first-person narratives, issue explorations, intellectual thought pieces, culture pieces, poetry, book reviews, and short stories, (Note: Short stories must be submitted to the Moment-Karma Foundation Short Fiction contest. See website for further details.)

Please familiarize yourself with Moment’s content and recent issues to see what kinds of subjects we’ve been publishing before you submit a query. It is also important for you to be familiar with the sections of our magazine, our mission, and style. The best way to do this is to the read the magazine on a regular basis. Samples and subscriptions are available here online.

Let us tell you a little about our sections:
Features: Moment feature stories guide readers through a complex issue that sheds fresh light on the past, present and/or future of the Jewish community. They run from 2500 to 7000 words. Recent topics have included an in-depth look at domestic violence in the Jewish community, Fidel Castro’s special relationship with Cuba’s Jews and more acrimonious relationship with Israel, an examination of little known information about how legendary broadcaster Edward R. Murrow helped Jews during his lifetime, a story about an Orthodox rabbi censured for his teachings about evolution, and one Jewish woman’s first-hand account of her travels with Jews for Jesus. Features may be first person or not, depending on the needs of the story. Stories should follow some kind of logical arc from beginning to end. Although they may be focused on a particular person or issue, they require a broad historical perspective. Feature stories are written in magazine style and usually require several revisions. We do not publish academic articles although we may be interested in some topics. Stories should be balanced. Features are NOT editorials or opinion pieces!

A Jewish Life: Each issue Moment profiles a Jewish life, engaging, detailed portraits of a well-known Jew who has accomplished noteworthy feat or in some cases, is just someone we should know about. The person profiled doesn’t need to be religious although being Jewish should play important part in his or her life or what he or she has accomplished. For example we have profiled Kinky Friedman, conductor Daniel Barenboim, the first-ever female Torah scribe Ariel Barclay, author Joyce Carol Oates, constitutional lawyer Noah Feldman, and Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. These profiles are at least 2500 words and are written in a magazine style that allows the reader to be “present” throughout the story. These stories require a deep level of exploration of the person’s achievements and character, as well as the interviewing of at least two other people.

Essays: Essays are usually, although not always written in the first person. They should run between 1000 and 2500 words. Successful essays are those that relate an experience or tell a story while exploring a deeper theme or dimension. As you might imagine, we receive numerous essays about “My trip to Israel” and “How I felt when my son was circumcised.” We rarely publish essays on these subjects, so those writers who choose a different subject have a better chance of getting published! There are SO many other wonderful subjects! In essays, we are looking for depth of thought and quality of writing.

Columns/Opinion Pieces: We do not publish unsolicited columns. Still, if you'd like to try your hand, 0pinion pieces should be well written and thoughtfully argued. We’d like readers to be impressed by an argument even if they don’t agree with it. Opinion pieces that preach to the converted, whomever they may be, are not appealing.

Jewish Enterprise: This section focuses on a person who may not be a household name who is doing something important for the Jewish people or the world.

Reviews: We do not publish unsolicited book reviews.

Spice Box/Humor: Spice Box submissions are always welcome. The guidelines can be found on the Spice Box page in the magazine. You can also email them to editor@momentmag.com.

Poetry: E-mail poetry submissions to editor@momentmag.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I submit to Moment?
Moment’s stories are usually commissioned, though some unsolicited manuscripts are occasionally selected for publication. Moment asks that you query via e-mail to editor@momentmag.com.

PLEASE…

• Understand that we have a small staff, and we do not regularly look at submissions. Know that we may only get back to you if we are interested in your piece.
• Refrain from calling. We would love to chat about ideas with you over the phone, but our staff is small and we usually just don’t have the time.
• Include a current address and phone number with your submission.
• Clearly identify your submissions by titling the subject line as follows: SUBMISSION: ESSAY or SUBMISSION: POETRY or SUBMISSION: FEATURE
• Never take the fact that we have not responded to you personally!

Please do not send submissions by mail.

Should I send a query or just send in a complete story?
Query! That is, unless you’ve already written a completed piece.

What should be in my query?
Send a well fleshed out proposal with an outline. Be sure to tell us what is new or fresh about your idea. Send writing samples, if you have them. It’s best to create a link to the site you’d like us to visit within your email.

What if my story was published before?
We do not republish stories. Occasionally, we may accept a fresh version of a piece that has been published in a small journal or local paper that has not appeared on the web.

What if I want to approach a story I have done before from an entirely new angle?
We will consider this.

Can I submit queries/stories simultaneously?
No! Moment buys exclusive North American and web rights to a story.

Do you take stories on spec?
All stories are considered on spec, unless you receive a formal assignment letter.

How many times a year is Moment published and how does this affect my query?
PLEASE bear in mind that Moment publishes only six times a year. Submit time-sensitive subjects at least six months in advance, and note that we rarely make “late-breaking reports” or publish topics affected by timely changes.

When will I find out if my work has been accepted?
Moment receives hundreds of submissions each month. We have a small staff and submissions pile up while we are busy with other tasks. As a result, response time will vary, and we may not respond at all.

How much does Moment pay? Our pay is comparable with other medium-sized non-profit magazines and depends on a number of varying factors such as length, research involved, etc. Payment will be discussed at time of assignment and upon publication. It can take 6-8 weeks for payments to be processed. Payment assumes Moment holds non-exclusive first North American rights, anthology and electronic rights. Moment pays a kill fee if a story with a formal assignment letter is not published. Unless otherwise agreed upon the story is exclusive to Moment.

What is your fact checking policy? Writers are expected to fact check their stories and provide source information to staff fact checkers. When you submit your story, please also send a list of names and contact information for the people you interviewed. Other sources of information (from books, articles etc.) should be footnoted.

Does Moment publish fiction? Each year Moment holds a short fiction contest. No fiction submission received outside the contest realm will be considered. Please check web site for contest details and guidelines.

How long will it take to get paid? Moment pays “on publication.” When the issue comes out we begin to process payment. Payment can take up to six to eight weeks from that point. TO SIGNIFICANTLY SPEED UP THE PROCESS PLEASE DOWNLOAD A W9 FORM, FILL IT OUT AND SIGN IT, AND SEND IT IN WHEN YOU SUBMIT YOUR STORY. YOU CAN E-MAIL IT OR SEND IT SNAIL MAIL. OUR ACCOUNTANTS REQUIRE EVERY WRITER TO SUBMIT THE W9. WRITERS WHO ARE NOT AMERICAN CITIZENS MUST SUBMIT A W8. You can download a W8 here.

A Few Quick Pointers:

• Moment stories are written for the lay reader not for experts
• Moment publishes intellectual explorations but not those written in an academic writing style
• Moment likes refined style and humor but these should be refined. “Schlocky” never works.
• Moment publishes journalism, not PR.
• Moment generally does not publish travel pieces unless they are tied into a deeper theme.
• Moment does not publish one-sided features.

Thank you for considering writing for Moment. We look forward to reading your queries.