The way publishers most prefer to receive your manuscript is via computer disk. This saves time and money, and helps to ensure that the final published work will be as error-free as possible.

Man at Arms magazine and Man at Arms Books/Mowbray Publishing use Macintosh equipment and the Microsoft Word word processing program. If at all possible, this is the format you should send. We can also read word processing files created with most other common programs (either Macintosh or Windows) if they are saved on a 3.5-inch disk, a ZIP or JAZ disk. Please do not send us your only copy, and remember to include a hard printout as well. We can also accept files via e-mail at: service@manatarmsbooks.com.

When typing your manuscript, do it the simplest way possible. There is no need for fancy formatting, since all this will be lost when we transfer your file into our typesetting system. Also, do not under any circumstances use your word processor's "automatic footnoting" feature. This feature seems useful, but actually causes all kinds of problems for the typesetters who will work with your manuscript.

If you are totally unable to supply a readable computer disk, then the next best alternative is to type single spaced and use a modern, daisy wheel typewriter in 10 pitch with a standard typeface (pica, elite, etc., no script or cute fonts please). And for those romantics amongst you...that beat up, old "foreign correspondent"-style manual typewriter may be loads of fun (and yes, it still works when the electricity is out...but so are the lights, and there you are), but what you need for this job is a full-size modern office machine. Also, please don't set your machine for kerning or fractional spacing, and don't use the italic, bold or underline settings.

Photographs can be either black & white or color. For black & white, 5"x7" or larger glossy prints are best. For color, the bigger the film the better. 4"x5" transparencies work wonderfully, and 120 roll film is fine, too. Color pictures taken with 35mm cannot be enlarged to fill the whole page, but are often perfect for smaller pictures. Try to avoid backgrounds that clash with the gun or sword you are photographing, and when in doubt choose a white or light gray background. Also, remember to include close-up views, which are very popular with readers.

Please do not write on the backs of your photos. This can damage the image on the other side, and the ink often smears onto other photographs or artwork. It is better to either list your captions on a separate sheet of paper, or to tape typed captions onto the back of each picture. Please credit all artwork that does not belong to you and get permission when necessary.

Also, we always recommend that you have your manuscript read by other experts in your field before it is submitted. We are all shooting for a top-quality article or book, and the more people who proofread it the better.

If you have any questions about article or book topics, writing style, photography or publishing in general, please feel free to call one of our editors. We are always happy to talk to authors, and we look forward to hearing from you. Our offices can be reached via e-mail at service@manatarmsbooks.com, by phone at 1-800-999-4697 (domestic callers), at (401) 597-5055 (international callers), by fax at (401) 597-5056 or by mail at Man at Arms, 54 East School Street, Woonsocket, RI 02895 USA.

While the instructions above are specific to our own publishing operation, the logic is the same no matter who your publisher is. We all use pretty much the same equipment and these suggestions will serve you well.