[Sca-cooks] SCA Publication was Unmitigated bullpucky

[Terry Decker]

> SCA publication requirements and and the restrictions on the amount of 
> copyrighted material that can be included in SCA journals are quickly also 
> exceeding those of the most rigorous academic standards as well. So maybe 
> this is just the way SCA writing is going. :-(
>
> Stefan

If you look at the submission guidelines, The Compleat Anachronist is very 
similar to most academic publications.

Tournaments Illuminated is more restrictive in that they limit quotations to 
a maximum of 15 percent of the text (10 percent preferred) and the 
bibliography to 10 percent of the article length.  Of these, I find the 
limitation on bibliography more damaging since it may not provide for 
adequate sourcing.  Limiting quotations is a mechanical means of 
establishing "fair use" for the publication in case of lawsuit.  This 
limitation should not be a problem as synthesis and paraphrase are time 
honored tools for avoiding copyright disputes.  Limiting article or story 
length to the publication requirements (a max of 2,400 words in this case) 
is usually a given in writing.

All publications have editorial standards to which authors are expected to 
adhere.  I can assure you that the SCA submission guidelines are not any 
crazier or stringent than some of the commercial submission guidelines I 
have encountered.  In writing for publication, you are preparing a 
manuscript to the editor's requirements, so if you have a need to violate 
those requirements, talk to the editor.  If you are writing a worthwhile 
piece, editors tend to be flexible.

Bear