[stylist] Publishing/writing software

[Bridgit Pollpeter]

Brad,

I'm not exactly sure what you're hoping to do with MS PowerPoint, but
I've used PP for presentations and didn't have problems. I use JAWS, and
didn't require sighted assistance. PP didn't seem to difficult to
navigate. I've not used or had experience with any standard publishing
programs like Publisher, but I've heard they aren't the most accessible.
I know a couple of NFB affiliate newsletters use a publishing program,
not sure, though, if this step is outsourced to someone with sight or
not. Usually, when I've drafted articles or news releases or something
similar, I've created them in MS Word, and the publication/group/person
I submit them to then converts the document into whatever program they
may use. It's never been necessary for me to create a document in an
existing program different than what I use personally; although, I
suppose if you're thinking as the editor, you'd be working, at least
eventually, in a program other than Word.

And with your freelance work, are you looking to provide individual
documents like news releases, news alerts, business contracts, articles,
etc.? Or an actual publication like a newsletter or brochure? With the
former, I don't believe it's necessary to use anyother special
programming or software except for Word. The only thing I can think of
is if a client wanted electronic versions of documents that couldn't be
tampered with, and then you could do two things: 1. Create the Word
document into a read only document, or 2. Create a PDF once done
drafting a document, which can be done automatically in MS Word with
2007 or 2010. Otherwise, though, I don't see the need to use software
other than MS Word if creating documents like this for a client.

Publications or brochures- in any format- can be done differently
depending on what you/the client is looking for. I've created tri-fold
brochures with graphics and pictures in MS Word, and people think
they've been professionally done. A group or company may use a
"professional" brochure software, which does afford the creator a ton of
options, but nonetheless, I've not found it necessary to use such a
piece of software, and I still get the intended results.

Smaller publications like newsletters often do use Word, or I've seen a
lot that create PDF's as the final version. A specific program like
Publisher is a standard, though, for most publications. If you're the
one creating the publication, you may want to use programs like this,
but if you're just submitting work to a publication/editor, it probably
isn't necessary to use whatever programming the publication actually
uses for lay-out unless this is specified beforehand.

I also may be completely off base in terms of what you're looking for
and what you mean. *grin*

This probably isn't too helpful, but I suggest posting on the editor's
list; you may find more answers there, or at least a better lead to
follow.

Sincerely,
Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter
Read my blog for Live Well Nebraska.com at
http://blogs.livewellnebraska.com/author/bpollpeter/

Message: 5
Date: Mon, 19 Sep 2011 06:45:35 -0400
From: "Homme, James" <james.homme at highmark.com>
To: Writer's Division Mailing List <stylist at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [stylist] Software
Message-ID:
	<AB5137F7193A8D49A42CA31303E3FDD579B29D7D at EXMB1.highmark.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Hi Brad,
Forget Publisher, and speech support for PowerPoint is very bad. Don't
let laying stuff out get in your way. You can always get templates for
that stuff. Do you have Word?

Jim

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Brad Dunse'
Sent: Sunday, September 18, 2011 12:30 PM
To: Writer's Division Mailing List
Subject: [stylist] Software

With the crosshairs converging on free lance writer, leaning heavier on
business writing, I am looking for any way to potentially make layout of
such things as newsletters and etc. more efficient. Are there any
additional software offerings out there that are accessible? Is MS
Publisher accessible? What about MS Power Point? I've had little
experience/luck with the latter and none with the former. I'd like to
simplify layout and import of graphics if/when needed and keep focus on
the real job of writing.

Thanks for any help.

Brad