submissions

Submissions for The Better Part

The Better Part is an interdisciplinary, intellectual journal committed to the advancement of Catholic thought as engaged and articulated by women. Drawing upon the riches of the Catholic Intellectual Tradition and oriented to the resurgence of feminine scholarship, The Better Part seeks to shine a light on the ways in which Catholic women contribute to the Church and modern culture.

We seek content from the following categories

Literature

  • Art

  • Book Excerpts

  • Book Reviews 

  • Poetry

  • Short Stories

Public Discourse

  • Popular Culture

  • Letter to the Editor

  • Politics/Government

  • Social Justice

Journalism/Interviews

Science

  • Biology

  • Medical

  • Artificial Intelligence

  • Technology

Theology/Catholic Identity

  • Family Dynamics

  • Prayer/Spiritual Life 

  • Vocations

Psychology

  • Mental Health

  • Neuroscience

Philosophy/Law

*This is not an exhaustive list. All submissions will be considered. 

 All submissions will be subject to review; not all submissions will be published.

If your submission is accepted for publication, you will be notified via email and given an approximate date of publication, which is subject to change.
Due to the number of submissions we receive, we cannot provide individual feedback on submissions that are not chosen for publication.

All writers, regardless of professional experience, will receive compensation for their accepted work after its publication.
Compensation is determined solely by The Better Part. 

An editorial resource to ensure clarity, consistency, and beauty in our shared voice.

Please do not allow all this jargon to frighten you! We actively wish to read and publish voices from all walks of life and vocations: students, professors, writers, artists, mothers, women in religious vocations, business owners, lawyers, doctors, etc.

style guide for The Better Part

  • Reflective yet Confident: Our tone is thoughtful, marked by curiosity, and at peace with complexity.

  • Intellectually Engaged: Writing should be of high quality, engaging, innovative, and shine a light on the reality that truth is not compartmentalized–all truth is integrated.

  • Rooted in Tradition: Themes should be aligned with Catholic Doctrine; pieces need not be overtly religious to be accepted for publication.

  • Accessible: All work should be accessible both in verbiage and format to intellectual readers of all expertise.

Voice and Tone

  • Submissions should be complete drafts and not proposals or a list of ideas.

  • Authors must be open to edits, discussions with editors, and flexible on recommended changes.

  • The journal reserves the right to determine the final title of the article/submission.

  • Drafts should be submitted via the appropriate form under our “Submit Your Work” page.
    Digital Media Accepted Formats: .jpg, .pdf
    Text Accepted Formats: .docx, .doc
    *Google links are also accepted. Be sure to provide necessary access to links.

  • For scholarly essays, use parenthetical references.

  • Articles/General Submissions: word count: 800-5000 words.

  • Poetry/Literary Submissions: no word count limitations.

  • Please include a brief biography (photo optional) describing your professional or personal background, interests, or vocation.

    *The author’s autonomy will be respected as much as possible.

    **Please respect the creative nature of the human person and refrain from using Artificial Intelligence to craft your work.

Formatting, Structure, Editing

Contributor Agreement Terms

  • Simultaneous submissions should be clearly disclosed. Reprints must be clearly identified.
    If your work is accepted for publication in another journal, notify the editor in chief immediately. There is no period of exclusivity
    after publication, but pieces that are accepted for publication by The Better Part should not be published elsewhere prior to publication in
    The Better Part    . 

  • Contributors will receive a standard agreement outlining rights, permission, and compensation.
    Unless otherwise noted, The Better Part will request the right to first North American serial publication (for both digital and print publication) and subsequent publication rights (for later issues). Authors will retain all other applicable rights to their work.

  • Compensation will be issued upon publication.

  • All work must be original and should not be generated with Artificial Intelligence (unless the purpose of the article is to reflect upon the items that are generated by Artificial Intelligence).

Honoraria

  • The Better Part is committed to honoring the intellectual and creative labor of Catholic women. While our mission is rooted in the contemplation and pursuit of truth, we also seek to justly compensate contributors for their meaningful work in advancing Catholic thought through the lens of women’s experience, intellect, and faith.

  • Compensation is solely determined by The Better Part and will be determined by the quality and type of piece published. 

  • Contributors may opt to waive their honorarium to support the mission of the journal.