Writer's Guidelines

Dear Potential Author:

Thank you for your interest in writing for Database Programming & Design!

Database P&D was the first technical magazine for database administrators, analysts, programmers, designers, consultants, and MIS/DP managers; our premier issue appeared in November 1987. Unlike more marketing-oriented, general- interest magazines in the field, we cover database design and performance tuning, data transformation and migration, decision support/OLAP, data warehousing, storage, hardware platforms, parallel database, client/server development, Web/database integration, and more from a strictly practical perspective.

All articles and departments in Database P&D are written by experts in the field--people like you. Itıs the only way to ensure that all content is topical, accurate, and practical.

We're looking forward to hearing from you. With your participation, Database P&D can continue to be a truly useful and interesting magazine for database professionals.

Jeanette Burriesci
Editorial Assistant
Database Programming &Design
(650) 655-4218
Fax: (650) 655-4350
Internet: dbpd@mfi.com

I. About Database P&D and Its Readers
II. Article Types
III. Sending an Abstract
IV. Getting Your Article to Us
V. Preparing Your Manuscript for Publication
VI. The Fine Print

I. About Database P&D and Its Readers.

Database P&D is an online magazine with an international audience of about 30,000 readers. Most of these readers work within (or are consultants serving the needs of) corporate IS organizations; their titles include V.P. Information Systems, MIS Director, Database Administrator/Manager, Data Administrator, Systems Analyst, and Applications Developer. They work on many different platforms and use database management systems, SQL, third- and fourth-generation languages, CASE tools, report writers, database and data warehousing tools, and other advanced technologies to meet their organizations' business needs.

Our readers are educated, technically astute, and experienced; they use their knowledge to guide them through a dynamic, market-driven industry. A good portion of them cut their teeth on proprietary mainframe systems and green-screen terminals, but today theyıre exploring the powers and pitfalls of distributed systems, decision support, multitier client/server, the Internet/intranet, and object technology. And while they must serve users' ever-increasing needs for data and applications, they can't turn their backs on sizable investments in existing systems. For MIS and database professionals, it is an exciting but complex time; they need timely, thorough, accurate, and unbiased information. That's where Database P&D comes in.

II. Article Types.

We accept many different types of articles, including "how to" articles, explanations of technology, industry reports, and case studies.

• "How to" articles explain, step-by-step, how to solve a problem using a product, procedure, technology, or methodology, describing the do's and don'ts involved with implementation.
• Explanations of technology should describe new, different, or difficult solutions (such as distributed or object-oriented database), taking special care to cover why this technology is important to our readers, and what it can do for them.
• A case study might focus on how your shop has implemented a new database or information systems strategy, focusing on the challenges and advantages of the new environment. Examples from recent issues of the magazine include migration from old to new database systems, going to three-tier client/server, and downsizing from mainframe systems.

III. Sending an Abstract.

Now that you've got the writer's guidelines and hopefully a copy of the magazine, use the following procedure:

• We ask that you first prepare a one- to two-page abstract, outline, or summary of your proposed article idea and email it to Executive Editor Justin Kestelyn at jkestelyn@mfi.com. Alternatively, you can snail-mail it to Database Programming & Design, Article Submissions, 411 Borel Ave., Suite 100, San Mateo, CA 94402. This way, our editors have the chance to look over your idea and decide if itıs appropriate for the magazine before you invest a lot of hard work. It should take us up to three or four weeks to respond to an article idea in abstract form.
• You're free to send in a completed manuscript. However, we receive a number of unsolicited manuscripts and proposals and they take time to review. It will take us approximately six to eight weeks to accept or reject such an article.
• Our staff will notify you upon receipt of your article or abstract. Be sure to include your phone and fax numbers, as well as your address. However, if you fail to hear from our staff, feel free to call us to inquire about your proposal.
• Because we spend a great deal of time evaluating the ideas and articles we receive, we would appreciate if you would not submit your proposal to any other publications while it is under our consideration. Please call our offices and notify us, in advance, if you plan to submit the idea or article to another publication while we are reviewing it.
• If your abstract is approved, we will contact you, set a tentative publication date, and determine a deadline for completion of the article. Keep in mind, however, that in the publishing business things can change quickly. An article originally scheduled for April may get bumped to September for space reasons or for H3er editorial positioning.

Deadlines for each issue are approximately four months before the cover date. For example, articles for the April issue enter production in the beginning of January. And if you're submitting an abstract, factor at least an extra month into the equation.

Just a note: Because the editors travel a great deal, their time is in high demand when they are in the office. Although they like to discuss article ideas and help you develop them, attempts at such discussions are often plagued by a vicious game of telephone tag. Therefore, your best bet is to approach the editors via email to dbpd@mfi.com.

IV. Preparing Your Manuscript for Publication.

If your article proposal has been accepted, it's time for you to start writing. Article lengths may range from 3,500 to 5,000 words. All articles should include any cited references and any needed tables, code fragments, figures, graphs, or screen shots (including appropriate captions). Also be sure to include a working title for your article.

V. Getting Your Article to Us.

When you complete your article, you can send it to us in one of the following two ways:

• Send it by overnight mail to Database Programming &Design, Article Submissions, 411 Borel Ave., Suite 100, San Mateo, CA 94402. Be sure to enclose a file on DOS-formatted disk, a hard copy of the article, and hard copies of any diagrams or figures you wish to accompany the article.
• Email a file attachment to our Internet account, dbpd@mfi.com, or to Justin Kestelyn's email account. If you use email, remember to save the file in Word for Windows or Word for Macintosh format (no WordPerfect). And don't forget to include your name, telephone and fax numbers, and address on the email version and follow up with a faxed copy of the article and any figures to (650) 655-4350.

Your article will be edited for content, form, and style, and will then be faxed to you for a final error check. Your job will be to check these "galley" proofs for factual errors and any mistakes that might have crept in during editing and transmission, as well as answer any questions the editors may have written on the galleys.

VI. The Fine Print

Database P&D offers payment (our standard rate is $85 per magazine page) for all printed articles. At the time you call in your galley corrections, we ask that you provide your social security or tax-ID number so we may process your payment.

Database P&D routinely purchases all rights to articles, which means that the editors reserve the right to reprint or republish the work at a later date. The editors will modify this standard practice upon written request; it is not our intention to deprive authors of rights to their work.

Database P&D reserves the right to reject an article at any time, even after it's been initially accepted. If we reject an article that we had formerly accepted, we will pay a "kill" fee of half the rate promised for the article.

Show me the Database Programming &Design  editorial calendar.