Writing tip:

Know your objective and nominative case pronouns. The words I, we, she, and who should be used as subjects of a sentence. In contrast, me, us, her, and whom are only used as objects. For compound subjects and objects, try substituting me or I and see what happens.

Document Layout

The "desktop publishing" revolution of the early 90s was certainly a democratizing experience. However, savvy companies realize that professional-looking publications demand more than access to a software program. They require a thorough knowledge of layout, typography, image resolutions, color space, and content editing. The tools have merely made easier what was once a tedious process.

Quark and InDesign Layout

Once content has been developed, it should be presented in a manner that is visually interesting and aesthetically pleasing. For the past decade, the standard layout application has been Quark XPress; however, Adobe InDesign recently has risen to challenge Quark's dominance. If format matters, you have a choice. Both applications are widely supported in the printing and publishing industries.

Typographic Services

Typesetting was once a specialized occupation that required tedious work. The rise of the word processor has changed that, and as a result, the art of typography often is forgotten. Typography involves the selection and application of typefaces, leading, kerning, margins, hyphenation, and justification. The choices made can have a powerful impact on the readability and psychological effect of the document.

Prepress and Print Management

Offset printing no longer requires mechanicals, films, and "stripped-in" images; however, digital press technologies have not obviated the need for pre-flight checks. Although PDF-based printing has removed many obstacles, the distillation process has its own set of pitfalls. Obtaining professional results at affordable prices requires someone who can work with your printer and act as your liason.