The first suggestion is to contact us before you start writing (e-mail is preferred). That will potentially save you a lot of time. We can discuss your topic and other issues and guidelines first. Then, you can write an outline, although experienced writers may be able to skip the outline stage.

Sales pitches and promotion writing are OUT. You may not mention your company and/or product unless it's absolutely necessary to the article.

What To Write About
Your article could be about almost anything, but readers prefer hands-on, real-life examples of embedded problem-solving. Tutorials, educational, and explanatory articles are good. You can write about hardware or software, programming or engineering, design or debugging. You can describe an algorithm, a programming technique, or a device; present an inside look at a processor, a program, or a product. Think about what your colleagues discuss over lunch, or what you'd ask an interview candidate.

We only publish original content, so you can't use anything that's been published, printed, or posted elsewhere. That includes material from your own Web site or from an in-house newsletter. You can't reuse an article that's appeared in another magazine.

How Much To Write
Your article can be any length you like, but somewhere between 2,000 and 5,000 words is average. Don't worry about hitting exact numbers. Charts, code listings, block diagrams, schematics, graphs, or other non-text items help make your point. Plan on one illustration for every 1,000 words in your article. Don't bother making them picture-perfect; they will be redrawn by our professional illustrator.

All submissions must include a brief bio, with an e-mail address, company name, and job description.

Send your abstract to Editor-in-Chief Richard Nass at rnass@cmp.com.

The final article should be a Word document with no formatting. Put figures at the end, each with a caption (a complete sentence).