Writer's Guidelines and Upcoming Themes

Thank you for your interest in writing for The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine (TOS), the premier publication of The Old Schoolhouse® Company, and the nation’s trade magazine for homeschool families. If desired, you may subscribe to get a feel for the rich content The Old Schoolhouse® provides within its pages: www.theoldschoolhouse.com.

The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine is available, worldwide, in an open-access format via online browser and (http://TOSMagazine.com) via the free apps (http://TOSApps.com). It is also available in print format and is shipped quarterly to subscribers and is found in stores like Walgreens, Target, Barnes & Noble, Food City, Kroger, and many Christian book outlets.

As the trade magazine for homeschooling, TOS has acquired a valued reputation as the quarterly (125–150 pages) publication homeschoolers can trust. Please query us with a well-structured article proposal that includes a catchy lead, a summary of the article (including approximate length and sidebar ideas), and appropriate details. Links to clips and portfolios are of assistance as well. Here are some helpful tips for success (How to Write for TOS).

All queries and other submissions are subject to the Terms of Submission posted on our website. Queries should be submitted electronically using the forms provided on our website. Queries submitted to TOS should be written specifically for our publication. Your article must be an original article that has not been previously published elsewhere, including on your blog or website. As compensation, contributing authors will receive a cash payment, agreed upon between both parties. Maximum word count per article is 800. Your article cannot promote or sell any product. You must write about your expertise, not your product. Your biography, which will be placed beneath your article, free of charge, may promote your product, website, book, etc. With our interactive digital format, readers will have instant access to your company/website/blog via hyperlinks. You are welcome to purchase an ad that promotes your company/resources; to learn more about advertising opportunities, please contact our advertising department at sales@theoldschoolhouse.com.

Below is a list of the themes and special features for upcoming issues of The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine. If you would like to contribute an article about any of these topics, or if you would like to suggest additional topics that you would like to write about, please use the Query Submission button at the bottom of this page to share your ideas with the TOS editorial staff.

Upcoming Magazine Themes

Summer 2023

Publishing: June 1, 2023
Article Deadline: February 28, 2023
Advertising Deadline: March 15, 2023
Article Queries Closed

PRINT THEMES:

• Theme: Chefs in the House: Kids Who Cook
• Theme: Music and Art Made Easy
• Theme: Homeschooling Through Hard Times
• Theme: History is Everywhere
• Theme: Writing and Grammar
• Theme: Women in Science
• Theme: Choosing Books Wisely
• Theme: Fun and Educational Field Trips

• Resource Guide: Celebrating Music and Art
• Resource Guide: Back to School: Planning, Curriculum, Supplies

In this issue, you will also find articles, advertisements and/or resource areas highlighting: special needs homeschooling (some very specific), homeschool support/encouragement, Show & Tell (your experiences or picture essays), creation science, and news shorts. Research-based, stats/data-filled journalistic queries will have special consideration for publication.

BONUS DIGITAL CONTENT:

• BONUS articles from above themes
• Theme: Why Homeschoolers Do Well in Life
• Resource Guide: Homeschool Helps

Fall 2023

Publishing: September 1, 2023
Article Deadline: May 31, 2023
Advertising Deadline: June 15, 2023
Click here to submit a query
PRINT THEMES:

• Theme: Preparing for the Future
• Theme: Higher Education & College Alternatives
• Theme: Why Homeschooling is the Best Option
• Theme: Homeschooling Stats
• Theme: Write On!
• Theme: Appreciating God’s Creation Through Science
• Theme: Learning Your Heritage through Geography and History
• Theme: Foreign Language Studies / Foreign Exchange Students
• Theme: Homemaking Mama: Growing and Canning Food

• Resource Guide: Higher Education: Preparing for the Future
• Resource Guide: Language Arts: Reading, Writing, and Grammar

In this issue, you will also find articles, advertisements and/or resource areas highlighting: special needs homeschooling (some very specific), homeschool support/encouragement, Show & Tell (your experiences or picture essays), creation science, and news shorts. Research-based, stats/data-filled journalistic queries will have special consideration for publication.

BONUS DIGITAL CONTENT:

• Finances, Money Management & Investing
• Homeschool Dads
• Canadian Homeschooling

(PLUS overflow themes from the print issue and homeschool support articles)

Winter 2023/2024

Publishing: December 1, 2023
Article Deadline: August 31, 2023
Advertising Deadline: September 15, 2023
Click here to submit a query
PRINT THEMES:

• Theme: Bring Fun and Games into Your Homeschool
• Theme: History and Geography Can Be Fun!
• Theme: Reading, Writing, and Reasoning
• Theme: Mythology, Poetry, and Classics
• Theme: Why Teach Cursive
• Theme: Starting a Homeschool Co-op or Network
• Theme: Marvelous Math
• Theme: The Traveling Homeschool
• Theme: Homemaking Mama: Homesteading

• Resource Guide: History and Geography
• Resource Guide: Gift Giving for the Whole Family

In this issue, you will also find articles, advertisements and/or resource areas highlighting: special needs homeschooling (some very specific), homeschool support/encouragement, Show & Tell (your experiences or picture essays), creation science, and news shorts. Research-based, stats/data-filled journalistic queries will have special consideration for publication.

BONUS DIGITAL CONTENT:

• Learning from Missionaries
• Community Involvement
• Special Needs

(PLUS overflow themes from the print issue and homeschool support articles)

Spring 2024

Publishing: March 1, 2024
Article Deadline: November 30, 2023
Advertising Deadline: December 15, 2023
Click here to submit a query

PRINT THEMES:

• Theme: Battles Homeschoolers Face
• Theme: Music to my Ears
• Theme: Learning in the Great Outdoors
• Theme: Learning From the Animals
• Theme: Biographies: Saints Worth Studying
• Theme: Speech and Debate
• Theme: When Creativity Meets Critical Thinking
• Theme: Good Grammar Matters
• Theme: Homemaking Mama: Shortages, Conservation & Rationing
• Theme: Finances and Money Management

• Resource Guide: Best Homeschooling Resources for All Subjects
• Resource Guide: Get Outside and Explore

In this issue, you will also find articles, advertisements and/or resource areas highlighting: special needs homeschooling (some very specific), homeschool support/encouragement, Show & Tell (your experiences or picture essays), creation science, and news shorts. Research-based, stats/data-filled journalistic queries will have special consideration for publication.

We will acknowledge receipt of your query within 45 days and decide to accept or decline the proposed article as quickly as possible. The review process normally takes between four and six weeks but may take longer at times. Our editors will contact you if we decide to accept a queried article. Publication of accepted materials may take from three months to more than a year, based on our needs and publication schedule. Terms of publication vary based on article length and content. At TOS, we slate authors’ works for future issues far in advance of the publishing date. Therefore, if you are interested in submitting a query, please do so immediately so that it may be carefully reviewed and considered prior to upcoming submission deadlines. Click here to submit a query.

Thank you for your interest. The production staff at The Old Schoolhouse® looks forward to reading your query!