Write2Ignite

In January of 2022, God gave me an assignment. He told me to create and publish an online magazine for children ages 5 – 10 years old. It was quite a surprise to me. But over the next few weeks the Lord filled my mind with ideas for this project—StarLight Magazine. We are:

• Online only
• Published quarterly
• Both a flip book and a PDF for all devices
• Free to all users
• For children ages 5 – 10 generally
• Christ-centered
• Financed by faith
• Designed and created by volunteers

I have been writing for children for twenty years. I’ve tried my hand at picture books, nonfiction picture books, board books, chapter books, middle grade, poems, puzzles, magazine fiction for kids and adults, church curriculum, and anthologies like Chicken Soup.

I think that covers everything.

And I enjoy writing all of those things. I’ve submitted to both the Christian market and the general market. But my hopes were pinned on the picture book market. It took me much of those twenty years to realize that “success” is not going to come to me in that area. Maybe someday it will. But not anytime soon.

But, as I surrendered to God’s instructions and began pulling the first magazine issue together, I realized something wonderful. All of those efforts, all of the classes and workshops and conferences and submissions had prepared me to create this magazine. The rejections and frustrations had also prepared me emotionally to deal with writers who submit to us. God had been working all of those years, through all of the circumstances to qualify me for this task. And I’m enjoying it immensely.

God sent me a wonderful partner to pull this magazine together in a fun, beautiful, professional format. Our AMAZING designer Helen Weigt is the creative genius behind our design.

Our StarLight Magazine mission is to shine God’s truth through children’s literature.

We try to pack every issue full of fun, faith, fiction, and facts so that our readers will enjoy reading and learning about God and this amazing Universe He created.

But we also have a secret mission that stands behind that one. We want to provide writers with yet one more opportunity to be published. We are not a paying market. That’s a bummer to many people. But we put your work out there for hundreds of families to read and enjoy at no cost to them.

Maybe someday we’ll charge a subscription price. Maybe someday we’ll pay writers for their words. But right now, we are doing exactly as God told us to do.

Our work is an offering to Him.

If you want to see a sample issue, go to our website https://www.starlightmagazine.com .You can also subscribe to the magazine if you have littles who might like it. Or, maybe you are a writer and simply want to see what kind of material we publish. We have detailed writers guidelines there, also.

Thirdly, you can sign up for our Newsletter that goes out twice each month. It’s really short. It’s focused on what we are looking for, the coming issue that we are working on, and how you can pray for us.

Before I go may I throw in a little bit of writerly advice here? Maybe, like me, you have been fishing all over the pond with your writing and submitting. And maybe you’ve caught a few minnows, but no big bass yet. Maybe you should throw yourself at the foot of God’s throne, like I did, and ask Him to show you what your next step might be. Maybe God will tell you to keep on keeping on with what you are doing and how you are doing it.

Or, maybe, God will show you something different—something unexpected.

If God tells you to go in a different direction, He is already there waiting for you.

Don’t be afraid to step out of the boat.