Ive only submitted one article to CC in the past and i think it was rejected because of a formatting issue with OpenOffice. Obviously I don't want to keep racking up rejections and since my last one was denied because of formatting I have no idea if the rest of it was acceptable. Would it be ok for me to post an article or two in the forums just so I can make sure they are up to snuff? I dont want to waste Ed's time. Ive got sample articles availible so it wont be ones I expect to sell.
Don't post articles in the forums, that's a big no. As far as formatting issues from OpenOffice, I use OpenOffice and have no problems. Did you save it as .doc? C-C doesn't accept .odt (open document template) which is the default format. You can change your default saving format to .doc, but I use .odt and .doc so I know what's in progress and what's polished and ready for publication.
All I can tell you to do is to really go over that first article with a fine-tooth comb. Some new authors have found success making a checklist from the guidelines. The editors are a little understanding about format quirks in your first few submissions, just so long as you actually try to fix it. If your writing ability is not up to the site's standards, they will let you know.
Ive got sample articles availible so it wont be ones I expect to sell.