Top Reasons to Use Adobe InDesign

Almost everyone has heard of the software Adobe InDesign, but do you know how easy and efficient it is to use for your desktop publishing projects? InDesign is a great program for creating items like brochures, flyers, newsletters, and much more. What makes it such a good tool for publishing products is that’s exactly what this software was designed for: Creating. It’s much more efficient than standard programs like Microsoft Word, and trust me I have done my best to create using Word, and it’s not easy to manipulate. You can’t type beside a picture because the cursor won’t allow it. You can’t type on a path around a picture. You can’t use transparency or manipulate fun shapes. It’s just too structured of a program, and it’s not designed to create like InDesign.

 

According to A Review of Adobe InDesign from BrightHub.com, professions ranging from advertising and newspapers to public relations need a good mix of graphic skills and writing to produce quality print publications for clients. Adobe InDesignis the perfect software program for people with little graphic design knowledge. It opens up a world of creative possibilities for those with limited design experience. From cool typography tools to its flexible illustration tools, Adobe InDesign has definitely made creating desktop publishing projects fun and easy (well, once you use it a couple of times).

 

All this said, I’ve compiled a short list from personal experience and other reviews of top reasons why you should consider using Adobe InDesign for your next publishing project.

 

·         Professional typography:Create interesting, sophisticated typography for any media with text and table styles, text wrap control, the Paragraph Composer, OpenType support, drop caps, and more.

·         Balance:“All in all, InDesign CS3 has an excellent balance of new design and performance features, making this a compelling upgrade for the program’s user base.”

·         Designer Awards: “The designers gave careful consideration to functions that aid creativity, improve productivity, and allow repetitive features to be scripted. Because the developers are working on the next version.”

·         Layout productivity tools:Quickly and precisely produce sophisticated page layouts with fun designs using productivity tools that were created or enhanced based on the input of InDesign users worldwide.

·         Search with Ease: One new feature I have found extremely useful is the expanded Find and Replace options. You can now search based on object attributes and make changes to strokes and fills document wide instantly.

 

If you are still uncertain about using Adobe InDesign, research the information on these links as well as other reviews. I’m certain you will find that for your most basic project to your most complex, InDesign will fulfill most if not all of your publication needs.

Developing a Good Blog

I am not alone in this new blogging endeavor. I feel better now, just by stating (writing) that. As a college, and like most other people, starting something new, something that can totally mess up a certain routine, can be intimidating and often frustrating. When my professor explained what blogs and posts are, my immediate reaction was not ‘cool’.

But now that I’ve started blogging on a somewhat regular basis, I don’t know how most young people are turned off by the idea, especially in this internet age. Blogging is such a good way to be expressive, share ideas, and voice your opinions. I’m still learning and exploring, along with my classmates, many of whom already have exceptional blogs of their own.

For instance, Donovan Sharkey’s blog Sharkey’s Machine has not only a unique and clean design, but it also includes valuable insight which targets areas like business and public relations. His latest post Blogging for Big Businesses is a great example of how he incorporates his own perspective with the links and information he found about this particular topic.

Sharkey comments on how blogging could greatly impact The North Face, a company that he is currently researching,  saying, “It is possible that if The North Face doesn’t capitalize on blogging and social media that their brand will go the way of countless other fly-by-night fads. Anybody remember Ocean Pacific, British Knights, or Members Only? Blogging can be the catalyst that helps organizations continue the momentum growth; instead of slowly losing steam and not knowing why.”

Another great example of a well developed blog from a classmate is Kelli Martin. Her self-titled blog includes fun graphics, catchy titles, and a great layout. This blog is easy to read and stresses many of the important basics of public relations, such as her latest blog entitled Strategic PR Planning and Goal Setting. Martin also incorporates great links about her interests and personal information, such as the Fortune 500 Company Limited Brands and her resume.

Developing a good blog takes time, but once you get the hang of it, it’s really not so bad. Depending on the topic of your blog, follow these three writing guidelines to make it successful.

·         Develop a writing style and tone appropriate to your subject material.

·         Post often, even if your posts are short.

·         Allow your readers to comment on your posts.