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MEW, would less be more?

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Martin Kyte	07/12/2011 13:31:55
3445 forum posts 62 photos	Waggon wheel used to be bigger in the past too. Seriously if you are talking about content I would not mind seeing some ancient articles, perhaps recycled from Model Engineer, describing some of the ingenuity used in ancient times before access to CNC, milling machines and all the other flash equipment we take for granted these days. People really did flute connecting rods using cold chisels and files. We may not employ such techniques these days but the fascination of model engineering is about problem solving as much as production and the old guys help you think outside the 'box'. Martin K
JouniP	07/12/2011 17:28:03
18 forum posts 5 photos	When I opened this this discussion, one of my thoughts which I did not mention was about writing articles. I would like to write one to MEW, and I have taken photographs for that. But as You have notised, English is not my mother language. If I write an article, it would not need just some editing, it would need major rewriting by editor. I think Mr Clark's schelude is far too busy for that. Only If there were fewer MEWs and if Mr Clark has more time for one magazine... Yours Jouni
Stovepipe	07/12/2011 19:19:08
196 forum posts	Posted by JouniP on 07/12/2011 17:28:03: When I opened this this discussion, one of my thoughts which I did not mention was about writing articles. I would like to write one to MEW, and I have taken photographs for that. But as You have notised, English is not my mother language. If I write an article, it would not need just some editing, it would need major rewriting by editor. I think Mr Clark's schelude is far too busy for that. Only If there were fewer MEWs and if Mr Clark has more time for one magazine... Yours Jouni Do not regard your command of the English language as inferior. I come across examples of English usage inferior to yours, written by people whose mother tongue is supposed to be English. Any article you write might need tidying up, but probably not a major rewrite. After all, we do not know the standard of English used in the articles that the editor actually receives. Dennis Edited By Stovepipe on 07/12/2011 19:20:37
mgnbuk	07/12/2011 20:06:11
1394 forum posts 103 photos	it doesn't really matter if you don't understand the attitude so lolng as you buy the mag. Ah, but I don't any more. I think Issue 184 was my last, having subscribed since around Issue 8. Finally got unhappy enough with 13 shallow issues a year to ring up & cancel the DD. if you are going to moan about magazine content send it to the Editor Tried that - not going to change anything any time soon, I think. Hence my decision to drop out. If everyone thought that, there would be no magazine. If you think it could be better, help make it so. I reiterate - this is a commercial venture, not a club magazine. While the motorcycle magazine I subscribe to has submissions from readers, the content it is primary written by the magazine staff. This no longer appears to happen with MEW, probably due to the current Editor also being responsible for ME as well. Which brings us back to the original question posed at the head of this discussion.... I have, in the past, edited & layed out a national motorcycle club magazine (1200 or so members), so I can sympathise with DC1 & realise that you cannot please all of the readers all of the time. A club magazine is reliant mainly on submissions from members to fill it (and 64 pages in A5 format, bi-monthly take some filling - very few adverts !). But when short of articles, or when the balance appeared a bit one-sided for the next issue, I sat down & wrote something. Or perused my photo collection for something a bit different. Or set out & took suitable pictures of my bikes or events - anything to fill the space with something relevant & varied. Only once, early on, did I make the mistake of "just putting in the stuff to hand, as supplied" to fill the space. Grapevine reports (rarely was anything mentioned directly) suggested (quite strongly !) that was not the way to go, hence the change of direction. Yet comments about the content of articles in MEW seem usually to elicit the reply "that is how it was submitted". There doesn't seem to be any "Editing" ? Just assembling "the stuff to hand, as supplied" ? I appear to be somewhat out of step with the general concensus about the frequency & content of MEW. I have voted with my feet, so to speak, and so will make no further comment on either topic. Regards, Nigel B.
Skarven	07/12/2011 20:07:55
93 forum posts 11 photos	I get both the MEW and ME and although I like both, I must admit that I am more of a MEW type. I'm amazed by the ME articles and admire them, but in the end I find more lasting interest in the MEW. But I do not want to wait any longer for any of them. They make me happy, just coming out of the mailbox, and I look forward to get them. As a beginner, I might find more than most in the two magazines. But I also feel that it is interesting, not only to read the things that I find interesting, but what other people with similar interest do and like. Keep them coming!
Diane Carney	07/12/2011 20:35:06
419 forum posts 11 photos	Posted by Nigel Barraclough on 07/12/2011 20:06:11: Yet comments about the content of articles in MEW seem usually to elicit the reply "that is how it was submitted". There doesn't seem to be any "Editing" ? Just assembling "the stuff to hand, as supplied" ? On the whole the articles we receive are of good quality and usually reasonably well written, indeed often very well written requiring little or no editing. There are two parts to the job of editing, I think: technical correction and English language and in that I think David and I complement each other fairly well. We usually both read an article before it is typeset. We do not believe it is our job to radically change the script. We will often leave the style of writing very much as it is as this is what adds 'colour' to the magazine. We do have to remove anything that may be offensive, construed as blatant advertising, too colloquial or obviously incorrect (if we spot it!) but we do not change, for example, an author's method or choice of material or anything that may seem an odd thing to do. In that respect, yes, we do print 'how it was submitted'. That said, there is a good deal of editing goes on and 'stuff' is not just merely assembled. I promise you! Hope this helps. Diane Edited By Diane Carney on 07/12/2011 20:35:40
Peter G. Shaw	07/12/2011 21:28:10
1531 forum posts 44 photos	Just another comment, this time about submission of articles. I have submitted a small number, of which two or three have been published. But, and this is the biggy for me, I have not had any acknowledgement as to whether or not they have been received, or that they are suitable. As it happens, my earliest attempt has not been published - and I suspect I know why, and if my guess is correct then I can understand why. However, as I had heard nothing, I resubmitted, but this time following the latest guidelines just in case. I used a CD, and included other items for submission, one of which has appeared which does suggest that the CD has indeed been received. But nothing at all about the other three items. I do think it would be helpful to acknowledge receipt of articles,and would also like to know why some are being rejected. As it is, the lack of feedback does not persuade me to continue submitting articles, not that I have many to contribute, but if I knew that I would get feedback, then I could be persuaded to produce more. After all, how much time does it take to email the author saying, eg. "CD received. Article on XYZ not considered suitable as being too dangerous/complex/simple whatever"? Regards, Peter G. Shaw
Les Jones 1	07/12/2011 21:48:41
2292 forum posts 159 photos	I totally agree with Peters comments about acknowledgement of receipt of articles and a reason given if they are rejected. At least then the article could be corrected in some cases and the author would be able to avoid the same mistakes in future articles. Les.
NJH	07/12/2011 23:32:43
2314 forum posts 139 photos	Peter I'm amazed - the actions you quote as "helpful" should be a matter of common courtesy I would have thought . Regards Norman
Stub Mandrel	08/12/2011 19:32:32
4318 forum posts 291 photos 1 articles	Jouni I'd be happy to proof read an article up to about 6 pages for you, especially if you write it using word. I'm sure it wouldn't be to great a task. It woudl be a shame for others to miss out on your ideas, Neil
JouniP	10/12/2011 18:47:12
18 forum posts 5 photos	Dennis and Neil Thank You for encouragement. I will make a try. Jouni
Stub Mandrel	10/12/2011 19:40:53
4318 forum posts 291 photos 1 articles	Let me know if/when you would like someone to look an article over. Neil
David Clark 1	10/12/2011 20:25:38
3357 forum posts 112 photos 10 articles	Hi There I don't think I have rejected any article. I have had a couple that were too long but nothing has been rejected outright. Most articles are used eventually. I don't know of any magazine nowadays that acknowledges contributions received. Editors just don't get time, they are too busy editing. Also, I get hundreds of emails a day. Not all model engineering related but they all take time to look through. This is why occasionally articles get lost, either CDs in storage or on my hard drive, lack of time. All articles are edited. Some take an hour, others take two or three days which is why they get put on the back burner. I don't change the writing style. If I did all articles would read the same. regards David
JouniP	11/12/2011 20:28:11
18 forum posts 5 photos	Neil, Your offer is kind, and I will try to write an article. Some other MEW forum readers made a similar offer by personal message and I can't use all of them. At least, not with first article. But, if this first, not yet written article is a great success, I'll make an another one, and I will ask someone else to check it. Yours Jouni
Harold Hall 1	12/12/2011 21:28:06
418 forum posts 4 photos	I have looked David at your comments regarding confirming receipt of an article and can fully appreciate the amount of correspondence you get, with the two magazines and your AimForProfit internet marketing business, putting you under pressure. However, I do feel that confirming receipt of an article should be a priority. In my case, whilst not receiving confirmation from you in the latter years, you did publish mine quit quickly in most cases so I was soon reassured that it had been received. Presently, I have an article with "The Woodworker" which has been with them for fourteen months(they are very well supplied with articles). Initially, they agreed that an article would be worthwhile, and then, with the confirmation that followed after I sent it, I am fully aware that it has been received. If this was not so, then I would be by now asking myself have they received it. Surely, receipt of articles is a very small proportion of the whole and a simple reply such as I had for the above "Hallo Harold The disc has just arrived; many thanks" Would not be too time consuming. This was easily appended to the email that I sent saying the disc was in the post, as I did with the articles I sent you. If those sending articles to you do not do this then perhaps it could be put in your guidelines as being worthwhile if internet access is available. As you are short of articles then perhaps not receiving a confirmation may be putting off some from coming up with more, thinking that the first was not suitable. Good to see you back in the editors chair after your illness, do hope it is now a thing of the past. Harold
Robert Dodds	12/12/2011 23:40:14
324 forum posts 63 photos	Slightly skewed to the current direction of the thread but does anyone else get a different mag to that declared on the envelope. Today I got MEW 185 in a package that had MEW 186 printed on the wrapper. And its been like that for months. It's all very confusing to an old un especially when I've already read most of MEW185 on the digital channel Bob D
matt	13/12/2011 09:01:43
24 forum posts	Posted by Robert Dodds on 12/12/2011 23:40:14: Slightly skewed to the current direction of the thread but does anyone else get a different mag to that declared on the envelope. Today I got MEW 185 in a package that had MEW 186 printed on the wrapper. And its been like that for months. It's all very confusing to an old un especially when I've already read most of MEW185 on the digital channel Bob D Edited By matt on 13/12/2011 09:04:05 Edited By matt on 13/12/2011 09:05:00
David Clark 1	13/12/2011 11:35:50
3357 forum posts 112 photos 10 articles	Hi There MEW is always one issue out. It is because someone in management included a plans handbook in the sequence. This means we will always be one issue out. regards david

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