First Words Magazine

Our monthly publication - more than just news!

First Words Magazine features in-depth stories and news from around our campuses and our faith. It was created to acquaint newcomers and others with the purposes and principles of Unitarian Universalism through articles on campus events, interviews, and social justice witness, among others. Submissions are due the 20th of the month, and will appear in the next month's issue. Each article should be 500 words or less and will be edited for clarity, brevity, and style. First Words is not issued during the summer.

Get Involved

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First Words Deadline

20th of each month.

Every First Words story begins with someone putting forth an idea which then percolates at our monthly Marketing Action Group meeting, takes shape through research and interviews and is carefully completed through editing. We welcome and invite your participation in any part of this process. It is only through a diversity of perspectives that First Words can accurately reflect our beloved community. Suggest an article using the form below or get involved at a deeper level by getting in touch. Either way, we look forward to hearing from you! ~ Nancy Fisk and Jan Garbosky, Editors of First Words.

Ideas, Announcements and Submissions

Do you have a story idea? Have you written an article that you think belongs in First Words? We'd like to hear from you! Send it in and we'll get back to you to follow up.

Tips for Good Writing
By First UU Member Anne Krueger.

Be sure every article includes the 5 Ws of journalism - who, what, when, where and why. If you’re writing about a speaker, explain that person’s credentials and background.
Put your most important information in the first couple of sentences.Use the inverted pyramid. After the first paragraph, every subsequent paragraph amplifies and explains information already written, but in a descending order of importance. This allows the editors to safely cut the last paragraphs if space is tight.
Your article should be written so it can be appreciated by newcomers as well as members of your group. Don’t use insider terms or abbreviations that won’t be understood by a casual reader.
Write simply and plainly. If your material is readable - full of facts and unencumbered by subjectivity - it’s more likely to be read and remembered. And the more information is remembered, the more likely it will motivate people to act.
Use neutral, objective language.Try to avoid using “we” or “us.” Some readers will feel excluded by that language, feeling like the group is an exclusive closed club.
Avoid using “there” or “this.” Instead of saying, “There will be a meeting of the church council,” say “The church council will meet.”
Always look for unnecessary words to remove, or a shorter way to convey your thought. Examples: instead of “Easter Sunday,” say “Easter”; instead of “in the event of,” say “if”; instead of “due to the fact that,” say “because.”
Keep sentences and paragraphs short. Break up sentences if they’re getting too long. Paragraphs should be just two or three sentences. Keep them short to allow white space at the end of a paragraph - it’s easier on a reader’s eye.
Try to use the active voice. The subject should be the actor (The ushers collected the offering) instead of the passive voice. (The offering was collected by the ushers.)