Inside Freelance Design

Issue #10
October 20, 2005

Welcome to Inside Freelance Design (IFD), your free, bi-weekly e-letter from American Writers & Artists Inc. Every other week, you can receive this special alert with secrets, tips, and insights from AWAI's graphic design pros to help you improve your skills and reach your goal of becoming a professional graphic designer in the fastest time possible.

IN THIS ISSUE:

Stop Reinventing the Wheel, by Roger Parker
Quick Tip: Back Up and Sleep Soundly, Part 2
The IFD Mailbag

Stop Reinventing the Wheel:
Use Templates to Jump-Start Your Designs
By Roger C. Parker

When you sit down to design a newsletter or sales letter, you are faced with two choices: Start from scratch and spend a lot of time with trial-and-error efforts. Or use templates to save time and increase your productivity … and profitability.

Templates save time by letting you get right to work on your project. They are often based on hundreds of hours of work and years of experience. They can help you avoid wasting time with false starts. And you can adapt or change templates to suit your exact needs.

You can buy templates for just about every type of project you're likely to create with your word processing or desktop publishing software program. You can also download them from numerous online sites. Do a Google search on “newsletter templates.” (See the end of this article for an invitation to my site.)

Here are some tips, based on the hundreds of templates I've created for my clients. While these recommendations are oriented toward newsletters, you can and should adapt them for sales letters.

1. Place files in the right folder.

After downloading a template, install it in the proper folder associated with your software program. (See your software program's documentation on how to do this.) Properly installed templates will appear as an option every time you select File>New.

2. Always use paragraph styles.

The biggest mistake non-designers frequently make is to format headlines and subheads from scratch, rather than using a template's paragraph styles.

Paragraph styles save time and guarantee consistency throughout your publication and among all of your marketing communications. A single click accurately applies dozens of formatting attributes.

To apply a paragraph style, place the text insertion point anywhere in the paragraph, and select the desired style from the formatting toolbar. You can use pre-existing styles that come with your word processing and page layout programs. Or you can define a style. (See your software documentation or help file on how to do this.)

3. Limit headline, subhead length.

Long headlines and subheads can undermine the appearance of even the best templates. Limit headlines and subheads to two lines. Pay attention to where you break these elements. Be sure to start the second line with a powerful or convincing word. You can force a line break by pressing Shift-Enter (Shift-Return on Mac).

4. Add punctuation and symbols.

Although most software programs automatically enter the typographically correct apostrophes plus open and closed quotation marks, you have to enter other punctuation and symbols, such as:

En dashes (–) to indicate duration. An En dash is longer than a hyphen (-), but shorter than an Em dash (—).

Ellipsis (…) to accentuate the importance of the following idea. Ellipses are also used to indicate omitted text.

Symbols, such as copyright ©; trademark ™; and registered trademark ®.

Use non-breaking spaces to keep first/last names and cities/states together on the same line. Use non-breaking hyphens for words and phrases that should not be split over two lines – e-mail, for example. (See your software documentation on how to do this.)

5. Eliminate unwanted space.

Before printing your file, select Edit>Replace and search for every instance where two spaces appear next to each other. Replacing the two spaces with a single space eliminates unsightly gaps that often creep in during editing.

6. Pay attention to text flow.

Make sure visuals don't obscure any text. This can occur if you have not selected the proper text wrap options.

And watch out for overflow text at the end of your document. Often, only a small icon indicates that your important concluding sentences are not properly displayed.

My Invitation

Visit www.onepagenewsletters.com to see my newsletter templates, and visit my blogs at www.rcpmarketing.info and www.rcpevents.info to keep informed.

* * * * * * * * Highly Recommended * * * * * * * *

“When I got back from this year's Bootcamp, I immediately put what I learned about effectively pricing proposals to use. It worked so well, that from 2 proposals I got 4 new jobs that I am currently working on!” Thank you! Dennis R.

You don't have to miss out on our best FastTrack to Graphic Design Success Bootcamp yet … AND you can enjoy it in the comfort of your own home for a fraction of the price!

Click here to find out more:
http://www.awaionline.com/graphicsbootcampathome/

QUICK TIP: Back Up and Sleep Soundly, Part 2

Last issue's Quick Tip was all about backing up your files on an external hard drive. Today, we show you a few sites that let you store your files online – as a safety net in case anything happens to your back-up hard drive.

Online storage can be done with all types of files: documents, music, photos … you name it. The advantage to saving files online is that in the event of a major catastrophe in your home – if, for example, your pipes burst and your computer system is wrecked – your files are still safe and can be retrieved from anywhere.

The following sites allow file sharing, which lets you share your files with business associates, friends, and family:

1) Files Anywhere
2 GB storage space for your files for $8.95/mo. Drag and drop your files into the site.
www.filesanywhere.com

2) Streamload
Up to 10 GB storage for $9.95/month. Send large files through their online mail program.
www.streamload.com

3) X-Drive
5 GB storage for $9.95/month ($99.95/year = two months free). 15-day free trial.
www.xdrive.com

4) My Docs Online
100 MB storage starts as low as $9.95/quarter. Go to the site for complete pricing structure.
www.mydocsonline.com/

5) Ripway
30 MB of storage space free. Web page and blogging features are offered to help you create a website. Check site for other storage plans and costs.
www.ripway.com

6) Biscu.com
Pay only for the space you use. If you only need a little bit, you only pay for a little bit. Share your files if you want to. Upload and download using your email.
http://biscu.com/

The following sites do not offer file sharing, but they are free:

7) Google Gmail
2.6+ GB free storage. You email your files to yourself using Gmail.
www.google.com/intl/en/options

8) Yahoo Mail
1+ GB free storage. You email your files to yourself using Yahoo Mail.
http://info.mail.yahoo.com

* * * * * * * * Advertisement * * * * * * * *

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS?

Will I need a license of some sort to start my business?
What should the legal status of my new business be?
How will my tax situation change?
What about contracts?
What home-office equipment must I have?
What kind of records should I keep?
What's the best computer and software for me?
How do I negotiate my fees?
How should I manage my time to maximize my income?

Get the answers to these and hundreds of other questions about starting and running your own profitable design business: http://www.thedesignerslife.com/getanswers/

FROM THE IFD MAILBAG ...
by Kristin Schwarz

Hello, everyone!

We have a special IFD Mailbag for you today – a letter from a graphic designer who attended our Bootcamp that we want to share with you.

– Kristin

Dear Kristin and all,

My expectations for the fall Bootcamp were that I'd learn loads, get psyched up, be exhausted by the end, and meet plenty of eager attendees and generous seminar leaders and Bootcamp coordinators. I was not disappointed in any of those expectations.

My brain is overflowing, I'm still trying to get back on my normal schedule of sleep at home, and I'm still psyched. I met dozens of eager people who were there for the networking and terrific presentations, just like me.

What I did not expect, even though I've read these stories myself, was to walk away with a paid assignment from this Bootcamp.

Not that I didn't expect to network and find those opportunities and take eight or so of the specs home with me to work on (one from a dream client of mine). I just kept the thought that I shouldn't “over-expect” from a weekend so full.

But I did walk away with a paid assignment. Because I talked to the copywriters I'd met, who talked to others I hadn't met, who needed graphic designers to lay out logos … you get the picture.

Networking happens at Bootcamp, whether you consciously do it or not (unless you talk to absolutely no one while you're there). Let it take you where it will, because you'll be thrilled when it does. And when you get home and the phone rings the next day with another paid assignment, you can grin, make the deal, then hang up and scream and jump for joy.

Go ahead. Expect it all. It happens.

– Susie Henderson, Henderson Mountain Ink, LLC, Graphic Designer & Copywriter

[Ed Note: For information on how you can relive this year's Fast Track to Success Bootcamp, click here. http://www.awaionline.com/graphicsbootcampathome/

And if you have a question or comment for Kristin, please send it to:
insidefreelancedesign@awaionline.com, Attn: Kristin Schwarz.]

EXTRA! EXTRA! News and Job Opportunities for AWAI Students

GRAPHIC DESIGNER – Jasmine Technologies has an immediate need for a graphic designer who is comfortable with both the creative and technical aspects of design. You will create and implement graphics for their online marketing strategies, quarterly newsletters, and more. You must know Photoshop, Illustrator, and Flash. You must be able to show samples of your design skills. Send your cover letter and resume to jobs@jasminetech.com.
GRAPHIC DESIGNER – Scientific Games corporation needs a graphic designer who thrives in a faced-paced environment. You must be experienced in print design, and know Illustrator and Photoshop. Pre-press experience is a plus. Send your cover letter and resume to Carly Gausling at carly.gausling@scientificgames.com.
GRAPHIC DESIGNER - Elero USA, the sole importer of Elero products in North America, seeks a graphic designer to help develop and coordinate their library of marketing materials. You will also help to maintain their web site. And you will design direct mail packages. You should know InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, and Microsoft Office. If you know Dreamweaver and Flash, you'll have a distinct advantage. Send your cover letter and resume to abuttitta@btxinc.com.

COMING NEXT ISSUE:

Lori Haller Gives Us 6 Personal Success Secrets
QUICK TIP: How to Produce a Killer Portfolio Book for under $30.

* ABOUT INSIDE FREELANCE DESIGN *

Inside Freelance Design is a FREE bi-weekly newsletter from American Writers & Artists Inc., available to AWAI members and friends.

ARCHIVED ISSUES of Inside Freelance Design can be found on our website at www.thedesignerslife.com/insidefreelancedesign.

To ADVERTISE in Inside Freelance Design or send comments, news, research, or story ideas, email Kristin Schwarz at graphics@awaionline.com.

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memberservices@awaionline.com

Issue #10 October 20, 2005