If you want to write for a nursing journal, most of the editorial information you need to submit a paper or article to a nursing journal is available at LWWOnline.com or editorialmanager.com. If you are specifically interested in submitting a paper to Nursing, you can obtain author guidelines here.

Here, we have prepared basic guidelines for submission of a paper or article to a journal. Each of these points is generally required by every journal. Print the basic guidelines!

If you are submitting images, illustrations or artwork that you would like published with your article or paper, review the journal illustration guidelines. Print the illustration guidelines!

Not sure how to begin? Review the Ten Lessons on Writing for Publication by Cheryl Mee, RN, BC, CMSRN, MSN, and Editor-in-Chief of Nursing2004. (Must be a registered user on LWW.com to access this article.)

Once you receive a positive response to your query, submit your article or paper with a cover submission letter to the appropriate journal. Find the contact information on the journal web site or check the front matter of the journal. When the editor has received your submission, you will be sent a letter of acknowledgement. Most submissions will be presented to an editorial review panel or to the editorial board of the journal. If your paper is selected for publication, you will receive notification from the journal editorial staff and possibly with reviewers' comments. Note: Rejected manuscripts will NOT be returned except upon advanced author request and including a SASE.

If you are submitting a manuscript to a journal based in London, you must submit a special standard covering letter. To find out if the journal you are submitting a manuscript to is based in London, visit lwwonline.com, search for the journal title, and check journal information for where the journal is based. You can also look inside a recent issue of the journal for publication information.