WRITER'S GUIDELINES 
for Machinery & Equipment MRO

ABOUT THE MAGAZINE

Machinery & Equipment MRO accepts articles, technical features, profiles, case histories, news items and new product releases from freelance writers as well as industry professionals and technical experts. The magazine is read by people responsible for the Maintenance, Repair and Operations ("MRO") of machinery and equipment in Canada's manufacturing, resource and utilities industries. Note that we do not discuss "facilities" maintenance--that involving lighting, roofing, flooring, lift trucks, etc. Our focus is entirely on the machinery and equipment that allows production to continue in manufacturing and assembly plants, mines, mills, power generation facilities, etc.

MRO magazine is published six times a year--February, April, June, September, November and December. The tabloid-format magazine has a strong service slant, combining useful how-to articles with coverage of the trends and issues in industrial maintenance. A controlled circulation, national magazine, it is delivered to 20,000 maintenance professionals in industry and industrial distributors serving the MRO market.

Articles focus on four main areas of machinery maintenance: electrical and electronic systems and components, mechanical power transmission (motion control), fluid power (hydraulics and pneumatics), and maintenance shop operations--the general fix-it shop. As well, maintenance management topics are another key area of focus.

Depending on the subject, stories can run anywhere from 350 to 1800 words long (1200 words is a desired length). We’re also interested in relevant, short human interest and humour items, ranging in length from 50-200 words, as well as maintenance tips and troubleshooting advice based on practical experience.

MRO magazine expects accurate, lively and creative writing that demonstrates a depth of knowledge about the reader's experience. Writers are expected to support concepts with interviews and thorough research. Technical articles must be double-checked for factual accuracy. Most importantly, stories must provide more than good information--they must also be a good read.

THE SUBMISSION PROCESS

QUERIES: Please write or e-mail; don’t call. We can send you a copy of the magazine before you submit your proposal. The query should include a brief outline explaining your idea, why it is appropriate for the magazine, potential sources, and expected length. If we don’t already know your work, enclose a sample of published material and some background information about yourself. Include your telephone and fax numbers and e-mail address. We're a small and very busy group, so if you don't hear from us in a month, please send us a note.

LEAD TIMES: The first draft of an article must be in-house 8-10 weeks before the issue for which it is scheduled. Editorial closing dates are as follows:

MANUSCRIPTS: Hard copy should be double-spaced and submitted on disk (IBM format; Microsoft Word or plain text/ASCII) or by e-mail.  

EDITING: If substantial alterations are required, the article will be returned to you for revisions. If time is short and alterations are minor, changes will be made after discussing them with you by phone. However, last-minute cuts without notification may be necessary because of space limitations.

CHANGING A STORY LINE: If the story you are assigned doesn't work out the way you thought it would, discuss it with us well before the deadline. We may not want a story that is fundamentally different from the one you originally agreed to write.

PREVIEWS OF MANUSCRIPTS BY SOURCES: If an interview subject requests to see your story before it's published, let us know. We discourage the practice but do allow it if the sources want to check facts.

A CHECKING SHEET should accompany the first draft of your story, listing all sources and their daytime telephone numbers. Include copies of all printed materials you have used in your research. If you have drawn material from a book, provide page references and a copy, or photocopy the title page and the relevant material. Also, please let us know if any sources may be unavailable for some reason.

SUBSIDIARY RIGHTS: MRO buys first English-language North American rights, including electronic (web site) rights. Reprint rights or adaptations will be discussed separately as required. 

ILLUSTRATIONS: Please keep graphics in mind as you do your research. Tell us about things you see in the course of your research that may present good photo or illustration opportunities. Pass along brochures, pictures or other materials you think might be useful as reference for illustration.

DEADLINES: As mentioned before, we have a very small staff and must adhere to rigid schedules to meet deadlines. If you’re embarrassed about starting late or are having trouble with research, don’t go into hiding on us. If you think you might be late, please let us know. Anytime you want to discuss your story’s progress or problems, do so.

For further information, contact:

Bill Roebuck, Editor & Associate Publisher

Machinery & Equipment MRO

12 Concorde Place, Suite 800, Toronto, ON M3C 4J2

Tel.: (800) 268-7742 (Press 2, Press 1, Dial ext. 6749)  Fax: (416) 510-5134

E-mail: broebuck@mromagazine.com

web site: www.mromagazine.com