Advice for Contributors

General
The best way to submit your contribution is by e-mail, to the address given on the Contents page in the Herald. However, if that is not possible, then you can mail your text as hard copy, and that can be scanned. Please endeavour to file your contributions with the editor by the following copy deadlines:
Month of IssueCopy Deadline
February31 December
June30 April
October31 August

Text
Almost any popular text format can be handled. Most people seem to use MSWord, producing the familiar doc files (from computers using MS Windows) or docx files (from the newer MS Vista system). Documents produced via OpenOffice or StarOffice software can be handled. If necessary, you could produce your text in the form of a txt file – as from MS Notepad or the Mac SimpleText, for example. If you do make a txt file, then make sure that you put a double “new line” between each paragraph. If you need to use an unpopular format for your document, then please consult the editor!

Pictures

Most digital cameras, scanners and graphics software will produce pictures in the jpg or jpeg format. Please get in touch if you need to use any other format – the gif format is not recommended, except for monochrome line drawings perhaps. For photos, please keep them in their original resolution (the number of dots per inch or cm) and in their original state – don’t be tempted to tweak the brightness or contrast, for example. That will make it easier for the editor to bring all pictures to a more-or-less common standard using PhotoShop. Although not recommended, you could send pictures as prints or slides, but please consult the editor before sending.

The pages of the Herald are European standard A5, so bear in mind that fine detail might not show up well in photos, when reduced to fit that size. For example, when taking pictures of people, consider getting head-and-shoulder shots, rather than full-body shots – the latter type tends to lose detail when reduced. Of course, sometimes the picture must show a group of people, and perhaps the surroundings as well; but be prepared for some loss of detail from such shots, for example from people’s faces. If in doubt, send in the picture anyway, and the editor will do his best! Please send the names of people who appear in your pictures, the name of the location (if it is not obvious from accompanying text), and the name of the photographer.

If you are good at it, why not try creating a drawing or illustration for a change?

Editing
One of the compromises that have to be made when using columns, is that more words are broken (hyphenated) at the ends of the shorter lines. A whole series of hyphens in a single paragraph would be ugly and distracting. So, sometimes, in order to avoid too many hyphens, it might be necessary to change the word order slightly, or to use a shorter (or longer!) word with the same meaning.

Please do not be offended if the editor contacts you and requests clarification of what you have written: it’s important that readers understand what you have to say. However, the editor will always try to contact you if significant changes are felt necessary.

The editor uses the Oxford Dictionary of English (rather than Webster !) to check spelling, and consults the style manuals of The Times (of London), The Economist magazine, New Hart’s Rules (used by the Oxford University Press) and The Chicago Manual of Style (used by Chicago University Press). At the moment, it’s a matter of “pick & mix” as style problems arise, but the Herald might eventually develop its own house style. For example, you might already have noticed that: in the Herald, acronyms for things (like AGM, DNA, CD)are rendered in all “SMALL CAPS”; names of commercial organisations (like HOTEL CALIFORNIA) are rendered in large and small caps; abbreviations for country names USA and UK are in full capitals; and the names of artistic works (like the Herald !), are in italics.

Please do not hesitate to report typos or errors of fact (of which there were at least two in the editorial of issue No.76 !), so that the editor can try to avoid such mistakes thereafter, and/or publish errata if needed.

Miscellaneous
If you have any queries that aren’t covered by the above advice, then please do not hesitate to contact the editor: the e-mail address is given in the Herald. Please come back to this page from time to time. Plans are afoot to tell for the stories behind the typefaces used in the magazine, and to reveal other items related to the production of the Herald, such as the origin of the “Thistle” block:

Thistle flower