The Joyful Life is committed to providing new and original content (both written and artistic) to our readers, both in our print publication as well as on our blog. All published content must be exclusive to The Joyful Life.

– We accept original content only. The guidelines for artistic submissions are a bit looser than for written content. For images and illustrations, we look for work that has not been widely published elsewhere and has not been shared via stock image websites of any kind. Images that have been shared through your own personal channels are accepted, so long as they have not been made available for purchase, for free use by the public, or published in any other publication (print or online). 

– We specifically look for images that are inspiring and inviting, but without a feeling of perfection that leaves readers feeling inadequate and unable to relate. We invite image submissions of elements of everyday life that draw the reader in and inspire, but also offer a sense of relatability.

– We look for images that tell a story, whether through a grand scene, a sequence or in the intricate details.

– We look for a strong emotional connection between the subjects shown in images, as well as images that offer a powerful ability for viewers to connect with and relate to the subjects as well.

– We prefer neutral tones in the images that offer a sense of timelessness. We like a sense of nostalgia in the images as well, and prefer a slight film quality over a highly saturation image. We love detail shots including hands, food, decor elements, especially those that combine qualities of both old and new.

– All submissions will be simultaneously considered for both the print magazine and the blog. Whether a submission is selected for publication to the print magazine or to the blog will be at the discretion of The Joyful Life.

– If your image, illustration, or other art submission is selected for publication, we request 30 day exclusivity from the date it is published. If selected for our blog, we would love for you to share a brief excerpt of the post on your blog and/or social media platforms linking to the full post on The Joyful Life.

– Artists selected for publication on the blog will receive a ‘Featured on The Joyful Life Blog’ badge that they may include on their blog with a link to The Joyful Life. Artists selected for publication in the magazine will receive a ‘Published in The Joyful Life Magazine’ badge.

– All published art work will be credited and linked (when applicable) to the artist’s blog and social media platforms. 

– Please note that submissions are on a volunteer basis and at this time we are unable to financially compensate for submissions chosen for publication.

– We ask that you allow 30 days for a response to your submissions, during which time you do not submit your work for publication elsewhere, in the event that your work is accepted for publication with The Joyful Life.

– Photos submitted for consideration must be your original work only and you must be willing to sign a contract releasing your work for publication by The Joyful Life, as well as have obtained the proper legal model releases if applicable.

– We require that all of our artists agree with our Statement of Faith. We are committed to transparency in our beliefs and in our intention as a company to point women to Christ through our content. Because of this commitment we exercise caution when considering artists to partner with and will only accept submissions from those who stand in agreement with our Statement of Faith. 

– The best way to describe the style of images we prefer would be ‘Modern Nostalgia’. We long to bring a sense of peace and deep connection to our readers through the images in The Joyful Life. Images they can relate to in the present, but that also fill them with the peace of a simpler time. We encourage you to view our Pinterest Aesthetic Vision Board to see a helpful sampling of the style of images that we are looking for to compliment our publication.