CTDO Magazine Submission Guidelines

CTDO does not accept unsolicited manuscripts. We ask that all potential contributors send a query in advance. Please include a one-page outline or 100-word (maximum) overview of your proposed submission.

To improve your chances of being published, please read several recent issues of CTDO to get an idea of the content and tone.

Submit your article by email as a Word document to Ann Parker, senior manager, Senior Leaders & Executives Community of Practice.

CTDO accepts submissions for these articles:

Hot Topic. This is a high-level examination of macro-level, global issues that are affecting the world of work. (1,800 words, excluding sidebars; sidebars are 250 words)

The Angst Index. This is a look at current CTDO challenges, such as measuring impact and effectiveness, leadership development, business and strategic alignment, adapting to globalization, employee engagement, resource allocation, leadership support, budget, time, and succession planning. (1,500 words)

Prove It. This is a case study that highlights the business impact a talent development initiative made on the business. (1,600 words)

Confessions From the C-Suite. This is a real-life perspective other than the typical “happily ever after.” A TD leader details a big problem or situation they encountered, the struggle and solution, as well as the lessons they learned from it. (1,200 words)

Our editors will read the outline or overview and make suggestions to help you write your article appropriately. That does not guarantee acceptance for publication.

Our review process is based on the following points:

• Information and analysis. Does the article deliver the promised facts? Are your ideas supported, examined, and brought together into a cohesive body of work?
• Balance. Does the author present alternative sides of an issue?
• Originality. Is the topic presented with a fresh, new perspective?
• Audience appeal. Will the article capture and retain readers' interest? Does it address our audience? Is it current, relevant, and useful? Does it tell readers how to be more successful at work? Does it provide implementation guidance? Does it increase the reader’s business acumen?
• Veracity. Is the article accurate and truthful?

CTDO's style is journalistic rather than academic. It is a professional business magazine, not a scholarly journal. That means authors should favor the active voice over the passive. Avoid jargon and technical terms; if you must use them, define them. Spell out abbreviations on the first use. Writing should be crisp, clear, and plain-speaking.

Author details: For each author, provide the person's name, brief biography including current position/title, phone number, and email address.

Author headshots: Provide a high-resolution headshot for use on the ATD website with your article. The image can be a jpg, tiff, or png file.

Graphics: Include tables, charts, or other graphics only if they will help readers understand the article. We do not guarantee their use. All data in charts must be supplied in a text format. Do not incorporate PowerPoint or similar tables, charts, and figures into the body of the document. Send graphics in a separate file, preferably in Word format.

Citations/Documentation: CTDO is not a scientific journal. Do not assume readers have prior knowledge of accepted theories or seminal works. Do not use last name author references to previous works, theories, studies, or papers.

References: Use references only when exact words have been lifted from a source or when an idea originated with the source named and isn't widely known. No references are needed for paraphrased ideas or widely known information such as the fact that the number of women in management is increasing. We do not publish footnotes or bibliographies. References for further reading presented in sidebars are acceptable.

CTDO's style is journalistic rather than academic. It is a professional business magazine, not a scholarly journal. That means authors should favor the active voice over passive voice. Avoid jargon and technical terms; if you must use them, define them. Spell out abbreviations on the first use. Writing should be crisp, clear, and plain-speaking.

Within four to six weeks, we will notify you of our decision to accept or decline your submitted manuscript. We cannot guarantee a publication date, but most articles appear two to three months after acceptance. Once your article is assigned to a particular issue, we will edit it to improve readability and for consistency with the Chicago Manual of Style and our internal style guide.

All published material is copyrighted and becomes the property of ATD. Authors will be expected to sign a standard copyright release form. Failure to sign the release will result in the rejection of the article.

We edit all manuscripts for style, format, space, and readability. Time constraints do not allow us to send galleys or other edited forms of manuscripts to authors. Manuscript submission implies that authors agree with our policies.

Like most magazines, we have a policy against double submissions. Please do not submit a manuscript that is under consideration by another publication or that has been accepted or published elsewhere. We also do not accept submissions that have appeared on websites.

We do not publish speeches, theory, dissertations, or internal reports. We also do not accept submissions that promote a specific product or service, or disguised press releases.

CTDO does not accept unsolicited manuscripts. We ask that all potential contributors send a query in advance. Please include a one-page outline or 100-word (maximum) overview of your proposed submission.

Winter 2022
Outline Deadline: September 27, 2021
Manuscript Deadline: October 25, 2021

Spring 2022
Outline Deadline: January 5, 2022
Manuscript Deadline: February 3, 2022

Summer 2022
Outline Deadline: March 28, 2022
Manuscript Deadline: April 25, 2022

Fall 2022
Outline Deadline: July 7, 2022
Manuscript Deadline: August 4, 2022