Creative Machine Embroidery (CME)
magazine is a bimonthly, national consumer magazine for the embroidery
enthusiast, whether novice, expert or somewhere in between. The magazine expresses the fun and creativity of embroidery though instructional
and feature articles, as well as regular columns. It is sold by
subscription, and is also available at machine, fabric, book, grocery and
discount stores and on some newsstands. In addition to our six regular issues,
we also publish special issues available only on the newsstand and SewnShop site (www.sewnshop.com)
on topics such as quilting, paper and holiday.
Articles should teach a specific
technique; inspire the reader to try a project; or introduce the reader to a
new product or company related to embroidery. Articles can encompass fashion,
home decorating, children, crafts, fabric, paper and more, but emphasis should always revolve around embroidery. When thinking out an
article, be sure to include sidebars or tips to round out each article and
offer something more to readers.
At the time an article is assigned,
you will be sent an assignment sheet detailing what is expected of you for the
assignment and the intended payment (from $50 to $400, depending on the length
and complexity of the subject, and the garment(s), photography, illustrations
or sources to be supplied). After you receive the assignment, if you are unable
to meet a deadline for any reason, please inform CME immediately.
However, all articles, including
those specifically assigned, are written "on speculation." Payment
will be made only on acceptance. To be accepted at the full payment suggested
in the assignment letter, the article must:
* Be submitted by the deadline
specified.
* Include all elements detailed in
the assignment sheet
* Be of acceptable quality (to be
determined by the CME editor).
Payment may be decreased for late
arrival, missing elements or poor quality. CME reserves the right
to return articles for rewriting or clarification of information and, in
extreme cases, to return them without payment.
In all cases, CME
reserves the right to edit, rewrite and cut articles where necessary. Any
extraordinary project expenses (fabric, notions, travel, telephone bills, etc.)
will be reimbursed only by previous
agreement between you and CME.
Creative Machine Embroidery
requires an all rights contract to be signed before publication of any article.
CME looks for original
content at all times and gives first consideration to those authors.
We would appreciate receiving your
work via e-mail or on computer disk to save us keystroking
time. Send your article as an attachment in e-mail to: abaileyCME@aol.com. If you
are unable to send your article via e-mail, please send it on disk.
What to do:
* If
you use Word 98 or higher software, simply print a hard copy (double-spaced),
and e-mail the text as a document or in the body of an e-mail. Or, save the
article on the disk as you normally would and send us both the hard copy and
the disk.
Please do:
* Computer-generate
or type your article on 8 1/2"x11" non-erasable paper.
* Use
approximately 1" top and bottom margins and a 55-character line, and
double-space between lines.
* Keep
an article under eight pages, unless otherwise specified.
* Include
your name, address, phone number(s) and social security numbers on the last
page and paper clip all pages together. Mail together with
your disk.
* Follow
the "The Associated Press Stylebook" (revised edition), Webster's New
Collegiate Dictionary and Chilton's "Grammar For
Journalists" as a general guide. Look over past issues of CME
for style questions. (A CME style guide is available).
* Submit
sources for products and publications noted in your article, as well as
information on how CME readers can contact the businesses of
people interviewed. Be sure all information is current.
* Submit
sketches of how-to drawings to accompany your article, drawing only one or two
on one page and supplying appropriate cutline and
label information. Label the illustrations (A), (B), etc. and refer to them as
such within the copy. (All rough drawings are redrawn by a professional
artist.) These drawings help visually explain steps.
* Label
all photographs and samples submitted with an article with descriptions and
information on where and to whom they should be returned.
* Assume
nothing. Check and double-check all spellings (especially those of proper
names) and all facts. In the case of how-to articles, the writer bears
responsibility for testing techniques.
* Submit
your article on or before the due date, allowing time for
mailing to: Editor
Annette Bailey,
* If
mailing projects, please pack them carefully and send via UPS, FedEx or postal
service keeping the appropriate information for tracing in the event of loss.
Second-day air and overnight mail also are acceptable, but not required unless
necessary for your project to arrive on time. Send projects (with the related
article enclosed, if possible) to the editor at the above address. CME
will return the project via UPS after publication, unless we’ve arranged for
the materials used in the projects.
* Keep
a copy of your completed article and all of your notes for several months after
the date of the article's publication.
* Read
your published articles and compare them to your originals for feedback.
Please don't:
* Deviate
from CME style.
* Change
an article's focus without approving it with CME’s
editor first.
* Submit
any article containing facts or techniques of which you are unsure.
* Copy
material directly from any other source.
* Make
excuses about missed deadlines. Legitimate reasons will be accommodated if
possible. Questionable and recurring ones will not.
* Hesitate to give CME
feedback.
Ours is a small staff. Therefore,
we request you query by letter or e-mail; do not send finished manuscripts.
Your query should consist of a brief outline of the article, a list of the
types of illustrations or photographs you envision with it, an explanation of
why your proposed article would be of interest to the CME reader
and why you are qualified to write it. Consider the season and timeliness of
your suggestions, keeping in mind CME is a quarterly magazine and
deadlines are months in advance of publication.
The CME staff considers queries and makes story assignments bi-monthly. At that time, all queries are considered and, within a few days, you will either receive an assignment, a request to hold the query for further consideration, or a rejection. If more than three months have passed without a reply to your query, feel free to e-mail requesting its status.