Primer Article Submission Guidelines

We welcome your contributions to the Layout Design Primer and want this to be a positive experience for you.

Written Materials

We cannot accept any material that is handwritten or otherwise not provided in an electronic (digital) format. Text must be submitted digitally as a Microsoft Word document (.docx or .doc file format). Please use the Article Template (Microsoft Word document).

Present your subject simply and directly in plain English but use of model railroading jargon is totally acceptable.

·       Make life easy for readers. Use simple, straightforward, complete sentences.

·       In most cases, two or three simple sentences are easier to understand than one long one.

·       Keep paragraphs short, with two to four short sentences being optimum. One-sentence paragraphs are sometimes okay, especially if the sentence is longer.

·       If you introduce technical terms or obscure references, add a line or two of explanation.

·       It might help to read your writing aloud to hear if it sounds conversational.

·       We follow grammar and punctuation rules in The Chicago Manual of Style (15th edition).

Photo and illustration Captions

All photos, drawings, and other images need a caption that briefly describes the subject.

·       Captions should be inserted into the body of the article where the applicable image should be located. Label the caption so that we can pair the applicable image with its caption.

Example: Photo 1. A sketch of the thing illustrating the design concept (photographer’s name). [photo’s filename.jpg]

·       Please be cognizant of copyright laws and provide an attribution to all photos and other images (for example, name of the photographer).

Photos, Illustrations, and Other Images

We strongly encourage authors to include photos, drawings, and other graphics if they are helpful to explain, provide examples, or enhance understanding of the subject matter.

·       When taking photos, most modern cell phone cameras and digital SLR cameras will shoot high quality resolution photos for web publishing. Photos should be submitted at the original resolution in which they were shot. The key is to have sufficient lighting and be sure the subject is in focus.

·       Photos should be jpg files.

·       Submit image files in the same email with your article’s text, if possible.