[stylist] Publishing/writing software

Tue Sep 20 02:24:04 UTC 2011

>Bridgit,
>
>On the contrary, you're note was very helpful. Here's my aim in a 
>nutshell. To do what is necessary in terms of learning style, 
>layout, softwre, and formatting to eventually hire out as a free 
>lance writer, writing the pieces you noted, brochures, press 
>releases, bios, whatever a customer might need. At this point there 
>are two areas of general question, what software might be needed to 
>provide various projects. E. G. someone wants a Power Point 
>presentation for a sales presentation. I've gotten a few of these 
>from suppliers in my current business and I've not had your good 
>fortune of being able to read the content in any efficient manner. 
>Granted, that was on my old computer and haven't road tested this 
>one out on it yet.  The other area of question is general 
>formatting/layout and basically practice learning to write each of 
>potential job types well enough to hire out. I don't expect to hang 
>a shingle out tomorrow, but I do want to focus on learning what is 
>needed "in the office", as well as the day to day workings of 
>pricing and acquiring work. I look back on the job I do now, which 
>at start up time  I felt quite inadequate. Now I look at how easily 
>I do what I do and how some things are done so second nature or can 
>be done in a pinch. That gives me hope, in time, I can do the same 
>in an area I really would like to work in. I'm a little lerry of the 
>need for free lance writers having need to provide more graphical 
>design with the "point and click do it yourself" abilities these 
>days. I do believe though there are niche's to harrow out.
>
>Thanks.
>
>Brad
>
>
>
>
>
>On 9/19/2011  01:05 PM Bridgit Pollpeter said...
>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
>
>
>_______________________________________________
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Brad Dunse

"Every day is a new one full of hope and possibility, absolutely 
unaffected by those previous to it minus the wisdom gained by their 
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