Tone and Voice

Good Grief focuses on non-fiction, personal essays that are designed to provide food for thought more than instruction. Published essays are relatable, approachable, and never abstract.

Good Grief is, ultimately, optimistic. The magazine recognises the validity of, and provides space for, all emotions in grieving but seeks essays that lead readers to a place of inspiration and growth. 

Narrators are self-aware and reflective, with stories that detail a process for managing grief while remaining direct and honest about their experience.

Good Grief is secular, in that it does not endorse or promote any particular religious doctrine. Editors are open to essays that discuss issues of grief as they relate to personal religion/myth (how loss challenges faith, how faith provides strength, how ritual breeds comfort) but not sermons that proselytise or present any singular belief (including atheism) as truth.

Good Grief is apolitical in the same way it is secular; the same rules apply.

Audience

Adults aged 20-50 who are preparing for or have experienced loss but are not in the throes of despair. Good Grief is not an emergency raft. Readers are at a stage to be curious about grief and strong enough to begin managing it. They want ideas but not diktats. 

Language

Good Grief primarily seeks non-fiction,  personal essays.

Formatting

British English

12 pt

Single space

Any scientific statements or claims must be sourced and referenced