Trademarks: Common

In general, avoid using brand names. Instead, choose a more detailed but generic description. (Product stories are an obvious exception.)
incorrect: The IKEA sofa creates a lively focal point.
correct: A bright, contemporary sofa creates a lively focal point.

Be aware that some names that have made their way into the vernacular are actually trademarked brand names that usually should be avoided. Con-Tact paper, Crock-Pot, Jacuzzi, Lycra, Plexiglas, Sheetrock, Spackle, Styrofoam, Technicolor (added 1/24/24), Thermos, and Velcro are just a few. If you do use a trademarked name, be sure you’re using it correctly. It’s just as bad to call a generic product “Plexiglas” as it is to call the name brand “plexiglass.” Also, use trademark symbols (™ and ®) only with Meredith products.

Following is a list of common trademarks with the appropriate generic terminology. For a more complete list, search the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office database.

Anaglyptaembossed decorative wall covering
Baggiesplastic bags
Band-Aidadhesive bandages
Bel Paesecheese
Bundt panfluted cake/tube pan
Carborundumabrasive
Chalk Paintpaint with a matte, almost chalky, finish
Con-Tactself-sticking covering
Coriansolid-surfacing
CorningWare (12/2/20)cookware, ovenware
Cran-cranberry
Crescent wrenchadjustable-end wrench
Crock-Potslow cooker
Cuisinartfood processor
Cyclone fencechain-link fence
Dacronpolyester fiber/fiberfill
Day-Glofluorescent
Derby-Piechocolate-nut pie
Dry Icerefrigerant
Feather Rocklightweight or porous rock
Fiberglasfiberglass/glass fibers
Fiestawareuse for Fiesta products made by Homer Laughlin China Co.
Filophyllo/pastry dough
Flex-arm lampswing-arm lamp
Formicaplastic laminate
Gunitepneumatically applied concrete
Herculonolefin fiber
Hershey’s KissesKisses milk chocolates (see Word List)
Hide-A-Bedsofa bed
Hot Trayelectric warming tray
Instant Potmultifunction electric pressure cooker
Jacuzziwhirlpool bath
Jell-Ogelatin
Jenn-Airself-venting range
Kiddie Kartoy car
Kitty Littercat box filler
Kool-Aidsoft-drink mix
Laundromatcoin laundry/self-service laundry
Legosplastic construction toys
Lincrustadecorative wall coverings
Liquid Nailsbuilding materials adhesive
Louver draperyvertical blinds
Luciteacrylic resin/acrylic plastic
Lycraspandex fiber
Maceliquid tear gas
Masa Harinatortilla flour
Masonitehardboard/fiberboard
Molly boltexpansion bolt/hollow wall anchor
Mylarclear polyester film
Naval Jellypetroleum jelly
Oasisfloral foam (updated 2/6/17)
Peg-Boardperforated board/pegboard
Pellonfusible webbing
Ping-Pongtable tennis
Plastic Woodwood filler
Play-Dohmodeling clay
Plexiglasacrylic plastic/plexiglass
Poly-Filsynthetic fiber
Polywebfusible webbing
Popsiclefrozen dessert/pop stick
Procionfabric dye
Pyrexheat-resistant glassware
Q-Tipscotton swabs
Realtorreal estate agent (unless member)
Roquefortblue cheese
Saran Wrapplastic film
Scotchgardprotective spray coating
Sheetrockdrywall/wallboard/plasterboard
Shabby Chictimeworn elegance/timeworn chic
Simonizpolish/wax
Sonontubesconcrete form tubes
Spacklesurfacing compound
Spodesponge ware
Stetsonhigh-brimmed hat
Stitch Witcheryfusible webbing
Styrofoamfoam
Tabasco saucehot pepper sauce
Teflonfluorocarbon resins/nonstick coating
Thermopaneinsulated glass
Thermosthermal container
Tinkertoyconstruction toy
Ultrasuedeimitation suede
Vaselinepetroleum jelly
Velcrotouch fastener/hook-and-loop tape
Vise-Griplocking plier-wrench
Waferwoodwaferboard
Walkmanportable radio/stereo and headphones
Weed Eatergrass and weed trimmer
Weight Watchersdiet foods
Woodtapedecorative wood strips
X-actocrafts knife
Xeroxphotocopy
Yellow Pagesno longer a trademark, but often capitalized
Ziplocresealable plastic storage bags, ziplock plastic bags

Trademarks
Common trademarks
Meredith trademarks

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Foreign Words

Foreign words in the body of Webster’s 11th are typed as roman text.

Do not italicize foreign language words not found in Merriam-Webster or other standard English dictionaries—particularly in food content. (updated 6/26/23)
Following anti-bias guidelines: If italics are supposed to mean that something is not a mistake, but rather unfamiliar, italicizing some words ends up setting them apart/othering and gatekeeping what’s considered “worth the mainstream knowing.” Writing the genus of a plant or animal is the only exception to this.

Use accents and symbols as indicated.

Unfamiliar or uncommon foreign terms should not be used if the meaning is not made clear within the
article’s text.


 

Foreign words
Accent marks
Translation help

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Addresses: Street Abbreviations

Ave.
Blvd.
Bldg.
Cir.
Ct.
Dr.
Expwy.
Frwy.
Hwy.
Ln.
Pkwy.
Rd.
Sq.
St.
Terr.
Tpke.

Spell out:
Center
Floor
Fort
Mount
Place
Plaza
Point
P.O. Box
Route (updated 6/26/23)
Suite
Trail
Way

Compass points (updated 9/15/17)
Abbreviate compass points used to indicate directional ends of a street (E., W., N., S.,) or quadrants of a city (NW, SE) in a numbered address. Use a period after a single-letter abbreviation; no period is needed after a two-letter abbreviation. No comma is needed before a quadrant indicator when it follows a street name.
Write the Energy Bureau, 450 W. State St., Boise, ID 83720.
Information is available from the Copy Editors Association, 1603 Grand Ave. NW, Hackney, IL 60201.

Do not abbreviate a single-letter compass point if the number is omitted.
West State Street
Two-letter abbreviations remain abbreviated even in text.
The office is on NW State Street.

If the address is not part of a complete sentence, do not put a period at the end.
Artagraph, 7100 Warder Ave., Markham, Ontario L3R 5M8 Canada


 

Addresses
State abbreviations
Street Abbreviations
Website addresses
Stand-alone cities

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Abbreviations: Degrees and Certifications

In general, do not use periods in academic degrees or professional certifications (updated 6/26/23):
PhD
MD
RN
BA
CDCES (formerly CDE; updated 7/31/20)
CKD
RD
Put all degrees and certifications after the full name and list last name only on second reference. (No Dr. Smith; just Smith.) 


 

Abbreviations
Capitalization
Company Names
Dates and Times
Degrees and Certifications
Periods
Plurals
Spaces

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Trademarks: Meredith (including partner pubs)

On Meredith titles with registered trademarks, include ® on covers, spines, mastheads, title pages, and postal ID/copyright statements. Include ™ on all Meredith titles that do not have registered trademarks. In display type, where the ® or ™ is placed at the end of the title is at the discretion of the designer.

100 Decorating Ideas Under $100®
100 Ideas® (title of magazine)™
100 Weekend Decorating Ideas®
Allrecipes®
American Patchwork & Quilting®
Beautiful Living Through Faith®
Best of Country Gardens®
Better Homes & Gardens®
(magazine) <<Do not use a ® in BH&G running text. updated 3/11/19>>
Better Homes & Gardens® (brand in general; when it’s a specific name, see those that follow or check with the legal department)
Better Homes & Gardens® collection (no italic) (updated 5/17/23)
Better Homes & Gardens® Furniture Collection (no italic)
Better Homes & Gardens® Home Decor Fabrics (no italic)
Better Homes & Gardens Special Interest Publications® (no italic)
Better Homes & Gardens Test Garden® (no italic)
Better Homes & Gardens® Test Kitchen—use second ® with logo, next to bottom right corner of red plaid
BH&G® (no italic)
BH&G® Creative Collection® (no italic)
BH&G® Creative Collection® Publications
BH&G® Special Interest Publications (on a cover in the box near the UPC)
BH&G Online® (no italic)
BHG.com® (no italic)
BH&G Specials™ (no italic)
Big Dreams. Real Budgets.®
Christmas Ideas®
Coastal Living® (added 2/4/21)
Cooking Light®
 (added 5/17/23)
Cook This Not That®
Country French®

Country French Decorating®
Country Gardens®
Country Home®
Diabetes What to Eat®
Diabetic Living®
Do It Yourself Ideas for Your Home & Garden® (but Do It Yourself™)
Dream Gardens Across America®
Easy Garden Guide®
EAT Easy Family Food®
Eat This Not That®
Eat This, Not That!®

Fine Cooking®
(acquired from Taunton Press) (added 2/3/21)
Flea Market Style® (acquired from Athlon) (added 11/8/21)
Forks Over Knives®
Garden, Deck & Landscape®
Garden Doctor. Advice from the Experts.®
Garden Ideas & Outdoor Living®
Halloween Tricks & Treats®
Heart-Healthy Living®
Holiday Baking®
Holiday Cooking®
Holiday Crafts®
Hungry Girl®
ISCRAP, USCRAP®
Kitchen + Bath Ideas®
Kitchen and Bath Ideas® Products Guide™
Living the Country Life®
Living with Quilts
®
Magnolia Journal® (added 6/2/23)
Make It Tonight®
(acquired from Taunton Press) (added 11/8/21)
Meals by the Plate®
Meredith® (no italic)
MeredithSpecials® (one word, no italic)
Mixing Bowl™ (ital.) magazine; Mixing Bowl® (no ital.) website
Quilt Pink™ (ital.) magazine; Quilt Pink® (no ital.) program
Quilt Sampler®
Renovation Style®
SCRAP-A-FAIRE®
Scrapbooks etc.®
Scrapbooks Etc. Inspirations®
Shape®
Simply Perfect®
(title of magazine)™
Southern Living® (added 2/4/21)
Traditional Home®
(added 2/3/21)
Window & Wall Ideas®
Zero Belly®

To make these symbols in Word and InDesign:
™ option-2
® option-r


 

Trademarks
Common trademarks
Meredith trademarks

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Credits: Field Editors

Field editors are always credited with first-use material. Field editors may be credited with pickup materials, but it is not required. In general, credit field editors with pickup materials if a full location if used; do not credit if only a portion of the location is used in a compilation story.

To determine if he/she functioned as a field editor, scout, stylist, and/or producer, see credits: guidelines.

Sarah Alba • San Francisco
Susan Andrews • Kansas City, Kansas
Jorge S. Arango • New York City
Darra Baker • Los Angeles
Mary Baskin • Waco, Texas
Jan Behrs • Portland, Oregon
Jeanne Blackburn • Washington, D.C.
Bonnie Blodgett • Minneapolis/St. Paul
Cynthia Bogart • New York City/Providence, Rhode Island
Bonnie Broten • Minneapolis/St. Paul
Betty Campbell • Victoria, British Columbia
D. J. Carey • Westport, Connecticut
Diane Carroll • Dallas
Andrea Nordstrom Caughey • Davidson, North Carolina/San Diego (Nordstrom added 11/22/22; Sam S. confirmed with Andrea)
Megan Chaffin • Chicago
Lisa Cicotte • Minneapolis/St. Paul
Kimberly Clarke (preferred for credits over married name Kimberly Clarke Armatis) • New Orleans
Stephanie Davis • Tampa
Lois de Vries • Lafayette, New Jersey
Eileen Deymier • Baltimore
Diane DiPiero • Cleveland
Susan Stiles Dowell • Baltimore
Anna Forkum • Nashville
Susan Fox • Houston
Claudia Franklin (is now Claudia Karafotas) • Tucson
Estelle Bond Guralnick • Boston
Chandra Hammond • Chicago
Betsy Harris • Indianapolis
Deborah Hastings • Birmingham, Alabama
Helen Heitkamp • San Francisco
Saxon Henry • New York City
Elizabeth Betts Hickman • Nashville
Carla Breer Howard • San Francisco
Love Albrecht Howard • Boston
Shannon Howard • St. Louis
Laura Hull • Los Angeles
Linda Humphrey • Seattle
Nancy Ingram • Tulsa
Rosemary James • New Orleans
Louis Joyner • Charleston, South Carolina
Claudia Karafotas (was Claudia Franklin) • Tucson
Peggy Keonjian • Portland, Oregon
Colleen Kochannek • Tampa
Maryalice Koehne • Milwaukee
Stacy Kunstel • Jaffrey Center, New Hampshire
Katie Leporte • Des Moines
Karin Lidbeck-Brent • Woodbury, Connecticut
Heather Lobdell • San Francisco
Christina J. Macbride • Washington, D.C.
Bonnie Maharam • New York City
Hillary Maharam • Boston
Trish Maharam • Seattle
Kathleen Mahoney • New York City
Amy Muzzy Malin • Dallas
Elaine Markoutsas • Chicago
Sally Mauer • Chicago/Sarasota, Florida
Lynn McBride • Charleston, South Carolina
Cathy Still McGowin • Birmingham, Alabama
Erin Milgram • San Francisco/Miami
Sandra L. Mohlmann • Charleston, South Carolina/Savannah
Susanna Showers Moldawer • Houston
Anna Molvik • New Paltz, New York
Joetta Moulden • Houston
Lisa Mowry • Atlanta
Barbara Mundall • Eugene, Oregon
Eleanor Lynn Nesmith • Pensacola, Florida (updated 4/8/16 per JBH)
Barbara Nielsen • Baton Rouge
Bill Nolan • Des Moines
Nancy Oates • Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Mindy Pantiel • Denver
Heidi Pearson • Minneapolis/St. Paul
Betty Lou Phillips • Dallas
Darlene Polachic • Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Michael Rainey • Beaufort, South Carolina
Karen Reinecke • San Diego
Shirley Remes • Chicago
Kathy Renwald • Hamilton, Ontario
Stephanie Rommel • Owensboro, Kentucky
Eleanor Roper • Atlanta (updated 7/9/14)
Gisela Rose • Chicago
Hilary Rose • Chicago
Marty Ross • Kansas City, Missouri
Margaret Zainey Roux • New Orleans
Elaine St. Louis • Denver
Susan Salomon • Portland, Maine
Tangi Schaapveld • Minneapolis/St. Paul
Lindsay Silcocks • Vancouver, British Columbia
Alecia Stevens • Minneapolis/St. Paul
Janice Stuerzl • Kansas City (Kansas)
Lynda Sutton • Newport, Rhode Island
Donna Talley • Saratoga Springs, New York
Helen Thompson • Austin
Mary Anne Thomson • St. Louis
Robin Tucker • Los Angeles
Lynda Turner • Seattle
Loralee Wenger • Seattle
Helen Yoest • Raleigh
Khristi S. Zimmeth • Detroit/Toronto


 

Copy editors
Field editors
Food stylists
Guidelines
Illustrators
Names
Order
Photographers/Stylists
Producers
Style

Writers

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Credits: Photographers

To credit a company, say “Photo courtesy of”

Photographer credits: style.

(separated one list of names into two 1/26/21)
On staff 
Marty Baldwin
Jason Donnelly
Carson Downing
Jacob Fox
Brie Goldman (was Passano) (updated 11/7/22)
Kelsey Hansen (added 7/26/21)
Blaine Moats

Contributing
Adam Albright
Jean Allsopp (added 2/18/21)
Tatjana Alvegård/Alvegaard
Craig Anderson
Anthony-Masterson
Thomas Arledge
Povy Kendal Atchison
King Au
Quentin Bacon
Robert Bailey
Andre Baranowski (no accent on Andre)
Pamela Barkentin Blackburn
Edmund Barr
Gordon Beall
Matthew Benson
John Bessler
Laurie Black
Jeff Blanton
Christiaan Blok
Ernest Braun
Fran Brennan
David W. Brown
Graham Brown
Robert Brown
Steve Budman
Troy Campbell
Rob Cardillo
David Cavagnaro
Ross Chapple
Langdon Clay
Karla Conrad
Kim Cornelison
Grey Crawford
Stephen Cridland
Adam Crocker
J. Curtis
Cheryl Dalton
deGennaro Associates
Laurie Dickson
Mike Dieter
Erica George Dines
Andrew Drake
Colleen Duffley
Craig Dugan, Hedrich-Blessing
Rowland Egerton
Patrick Farrell: credit should be Thuss + Farrell
Clint Farlinger
Richard Felber
Tim Fields
Emily J. Followill
John Reed Forsman
D. Randolph Foulds
Kathryn Gamble
Michael Garland
Bill Geddes
Getty: Getty bought iStock. So all Getty and/or iStock images need to say: Getty Images. e.g., Nottomanv1/iStock by Getty Images (updated 1/29/18)
Joshua Savage Gibson
Susan Gilmore
Laurey W. Glenn (added middle initial 10/30/19)
Tria Giovan
Ed Gohlich
Susan Goldman
Leo Gong
Jay Graham
John Granen
Robert Grant
Karlis Grants
Sam Gray
Bob Greenspan
Jamie Hadley
Steve Hall, Hedrich-Blessing
Linda Hanselman
Chris Hansen
Bob Harr, Hedrich-Blessing
Brian Harrison
Chipper Hatter
Pat Haverfield
Jim Hedrich, Hedrich-Blessing
Hedrich-Blessing
Craig Dugan, Hedrich-Blessing
Steve Hall, Hedrich-Blessing
Bob Harr, Hedrich-Blessing
Jim Hedrich, Hedrich-Blessing
Scott McDonald, Hedrich-Blessing
Nick Merrick, Hedrich-Blessing
Jon Miller, Hedrich-Blessing
Bob Shimer, Hedrich-Blessing

Chip Henderson
Aimee Herring
Christopher Hirsheimer
Allan Holm
Bill Holt
Jerry Honeywell
Hopkins Associates (credit for Bill Hopkins)
Mike Howes
Roy Inman
Brent Isenberger
iStock by Getty Images (see Getty above)
Jon Jensen
Michael Jensen
Erik Johnson
Gene Johnson
Stephen Kent Johnson
Jenifer Jordan
Dency Kane
John Kane
Lynn Karlin
Keller & Keller
Terri Ketcham
Muffy Kibbey
Susan Kinast
Bert Klassen
Caroline Kopp
Jim Krantz
Kritsada
Pete Krumhardt
David Land/Pat Bates & Associates (or David Land/Pat Bates)
      Details: For main edit stories, it should read David Land in byline and Pat Bates & Associates in the gutter.
      For FOB stories with the credit in the gutter, use David Land/Pat Bates.
Bob Lenz
Frances Litman
Chris A. Little
Scott Little
Mark Lohman
Hal Lott
Janet Loughrey
Sherry Lubic
David Lund
Andy Lyons
Allen Maertz
Charles Mann
Julie Maris/Semel
Dave Marlow
Kevin Marple
Barbara Elliott Martin
Ned Matura
Bob Mauer
Deborah Mazzoleni
David McDonald
Scott McDonald, Hedrich-Blessing
Jeff McNamara
Tom McWilliam
Michael Melman
Rob Melnychuk
Karen Melvin
Nick Merrick, Hedrich-Blessing
Janet Mesic-Mackie
Jon Miller, Hedrich-Blessing
Matthew Millman
William Minarich
Tommy Miyasaki
Ira Montgomery
Mike Moreland
Gordon Morioka
Tim Murphy
Bill Nellans
Alise O’Brien
Michael Partenio
Rick Patrick
Jerry Pavia
Rett Peek
Dan Piassick
M. C. Pindar
Gene Pollux
Diane Pratt
Greg Premru
David Prince
Howard Lee Puckett
Emily Minton Redfield (no hyphen)
Eric Roth
Kate Roth
Susan Roth
Jeffrey A. Rycus
Cameron Sadeghpour
Eric Salmon
James Salomon
Mark Samu
Kathy Sanders
Jeff Sarpa
Greg Scheidemann
Dean Schoeppner
Nathan Schroder (added 10/25/19)
Julie Maris/Semel
Richard Sexton
Bob Shimer, Hedrich-Blessing
Casey Sills
Brad Simmons
Beth Singer
Michael Skott
Kevin Smith
Lark Smothermon
David Speer
Julie Sprott
William Stites
Marilyn Stouffer
Werner Straube
Perry Struse
Peter Symcox
Rick Taylor
Mark Thomas
Thuss + Farrell (credit for Patrick Farrell)
Andreas Trauttmansdorff
Mark Turner
Joan VanderSchuit
Thomas Veneklasen
Peter Vitale
Dominique Vorillon
Roger Wade
Jessie Walker
Peter Walters
Judith Watts
Wendell Webber
Virginia R. Weiler
Michael Weschler
Deborah Whitlaw-Llewellyn
Brian Whitney
Jay Wilde
Brie Williams
David Wilson
Greg Wilson
John Yanyshyn
James Yochum


 

Copy editors
Field editors
Food stylists
Guidelines
Illustrators
Names
Order
Photographers
Producers/Stylists
Style

Writers

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Credits: Writers

Emily Anderson (formerly Cook)
Sara Anderson
Barbara Blossom Ashmun
Linda Askey
Debra Lee Baldwin
Amber Dawn Barz
Carrie Bebris
Jennifer Berno DeCleene
Lori Blachford
Mara Boo
David Bradley
LuAnn Brandsen (added 10/10/22)
Susan Breen
Jessica Brinkert Holtam
Randy Brown
Virginia Campbell
Kim Catanzarite
Maria V. Charbonneaux (formerly Schwamman)
Jill Connors
Gina Covina
Chris Curless
Glenn R. DiNella
Tere Stouffer Drenth
Linnea Due
Beth Dunlop
Kathy Roth Eastman
Sarah Egge
Allison Engel
Sally Finder
Amy Flurry
Kate Carter Frederick
Judith Stern Friedman
Jody Garlock
Krissy Gasbarre
Debra Solberg Gibson
Yvette Gonzales
Wendy Gray
Bob Gulla
Sarah Halverson (updated 11/20/20)
Catherine Hamrick
Amanda Harling
Jodi Harris (formerly Mensing) (confirmed 1/12/18)
Carolyn Harrison
Andria Hayday
George Hendrix
Miranda Hitti
Christine Hofmann-Bourque
Virginia Houston
Shannon Howard
Megan Hughes (updated 6/20/17)
Kimberly Isburg (formerly Voster)
Todd Keith
Jo Kellum
Jim Kemp
Kristine Kennedy
Roseann Meehan Kermes
Heidi Tyline King
Susan Kleinman
Kathie Kull
Meredith Ladik
Bill LaHay
Amy Leibrock
Michelle Leise
Fani Lemken
Melissa Manning
Candace Ord Manroe
Julie A. Martens
Jennifer Block Martin
Laura C. Martin
Lisa Martin
Sarah Maxwell
Meleah Maynard
Irene McCormick
Linzee Kull McCray
Jill Abeloe Mead
Nancy Richman Milligan
Kimber Mitchell
Linda Montet
Wini Moranville
Renee Freemon Mulvihill
Rhoda J. Murphy
Jean Schissel Norman
Sharon L. Novotne
Jennifer Komar Olivarez
Penelope O’Sullivan
Heidi Palkovic
Cynthia Pearson
Barbara Pleasant
Pamela Porter
Patricia Prijatel
Debra Prinzing
Louise Ritchhart
Kelly Roberson
Marty Ross
Nancy A. Ruhling
Katie Rynard (formerly Stuhler)
Kay Sanders
Donna Sapolin
Elizabeth Grace Saunders
Rebecca Sawyer-Fay
Lynne Meredith Schreiber
Jilann Severson
Michelle Tibodeau Sillman
Molly Reid Sinnett
Steve Slack
Pat Sloan
Linda Joan Smith
Madaline Sparks
Heather Starr
Nan Sterman
Shelley Stewart
Berit Thorkelson
Jessica Tolliver
Kim Waller
Jan Soults Walker
Michael Walsh
Dan Weeks
Karen Weir-Jimerson
Judy West
Claire Whitcomb
Ann Whitman
Jennifer Wilson
Sarah Wolf (See Sarah Wolf Halverson)
Joanne Wolfe
Shaila Wunderlich (formerly Williams)
Kaelin Zawilinski (formerly Tripp)


 

Copy editors
Field editors
Food stylists
Guidelines
Illustrators
Names
Order
Photographers
Producers/Stylists
Style

Writers

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