North & South Writers' Guidelines

North & South is looking for fresh material on the American Civil War based on original research in primary sources. We are not interested in rehashes of previously published works or topics, no matter how well written or interesting. In the first instance please submit a proposal–not the completed article–via e-mail, telephone, or mail; proposals should contain a clear description of your topic, a summary of why you think it warrants publication, and an estimated word length.

Articles may vary in length from 2,000 to 10,000 words, and should be annotated. Articles may be submitted via email or on a disk, with an accompanying hard copy, which ideally should be double spaced. Make sure to include your name, contact information, and the article's total word count at the top of the first page, and to number each page. Items of less than 1,000 words may find a place in the Knapsack column.

Articles may be either descriptive or analytical, or a combination of the two. As a general guide we are interested in why things happened as well as what happened. Prospective authors unfamiliar with our standards might want to peruse a recent issue before starting to write an article.

When submitting an article, please suggest appropriate illustrations. Maps should be drawn to scale as accurately as possible, and should be accompanied by a typed list of all named features. If appropriate, photocopies of published maps may be submitted. Our map artist will create a computer-generated map using your submitted maps and any others that are relevant.

Should your article be accepted for publication, we will try to make the process a pleasant one. Minor editing, e.g., altering the wording of a sentence slightly so as clarify the point being made, will usually be done without consulting the author. However, major changes will always be the result of discussion between author and editor, usually by telephone, in the weeks before publication.

Should you have questions not covered by the above, please contact:

Keith Poulter
(Editor)
kpoulter@northandsouthmagazine.com
559-855-7360

Nitty-Gritty

Please familiarize yourself with the following editorial rules before writing your article. The cleaner your article is on submission, the faster it will make it through the editorial process and to publication.

• Notes . Should be in the following form:

Louisa M. Whitney, Goldie's Inheritance: A Story of the Siege of Atlanta (Burlington, VT, 1903), 315.

As a general rule, if something is worth saying, put it in the article, not in the notes–which should largely be restricted to the citation of sources.

• Numbers . Use Arabic numerals with regimental designations: “1st South Carolina”; “69th New York.” Use Roman numerals for Union army corps: “II Corps.” Spell out numbers with Confederate army corps: “First Corps.” Also spell out numbers with Union and Confederate divisions and brigades: “First Division”; “Second Brigade.”

• Corps, Division, Brigade . The words corps, division, and brigade should be capitalized when used in reference to a unit's official title. Thus, the “III Corps,” the “Second Division,” the “First Brigade.” Also capitalize such words when used as part of a unit's alternative title: the “Iron Brigade,” the “Irish Brigade,” etc. In all other cases, do not capitalize. Thus, “Longstreet's corps,” “Hill's division,” “Smith's brigade.”

• Armies and Navies . Like corps, division, and brigade, the words army and navy are capitalized when used as part of an official title: “Army of the Potomac,” “Army of Northern Virginia.” When not used as part of a full title, or when used alone, they are to be lowercased. Thus, “the army,” “Grant's army,” “the Confederate army,” “the Union navy.” (Note: In “United States Navy” or “United States Army,” the “n” and “a” are capitalized.)

• Dates . Correct: “January 1” or “January 1, 1863.” Incorrect: “January 1st” or “the 1st of January.” When referring to the day alone (no month or year), add “rd,” “nd” or “st” as appropriate: “Meade's men moved forward on the 1st.”

• Titles and Offices . Civil and military titles should be capitalized when they immediately precede a person's name: “President Lincoln,” “General Jackson,” “Captain Jones.” When not used as part of a person's name, they should be lowercased: “the president,” “the general,” “the captain.”

• Rank . Please spell out a person's military rank–don't abbreviate. Thus: “Second Lieutenant Walker,” not “2nd Lt. Walker”; “Major General Johnson,” not “Maj. Gen. Johnson.” The first time a soldier is mentioned his full name and rank should be given; subsequent references to general officers need not include mention of rank.

• Toward, Towards . Please use toward, not towards.

• Farther, Further . Farther is used to describe distances, further to suggest quantity or degree: “Move the battery farther to the left.” “Further assaults were deemed too risky.”

• Capital, Capitol . Capital refers to a city, capitol to the building where lawmakers meet. Thus, Richmond was the capital of the Confederacy, not the capitol.

• Spelling . Please remember to spell check your article before submitting it!