It's all in the details
Many believe that today's publishing software has enabled virtually anyone to produce a periodical worth printing and mailing. Having the right tool does make the job easier. But just as a fancy electric saw does not make a carpenter, desktop publishing software does not make a journalist or publication designer.

A good publication is made up of thousands of details and operations. Readers may not be able to tell you how a good story is written, they just know when they've been informed or moved. A journalist is trained in grabbing the attention of readers with headlines, subheads, story leads and callouts. They are experienced in devising story angles that intrigue readers. They know how to change pace, to use quotes, and to conclude a story in a satisfying way.

Most readers cannot tell you why a publication attracts them, they just know that they are drawn to and through each page. Publication designers understand how readers' eyes work, composition, color, and how type fonts work together. They know how to balance copy, graphics, and white space to attract the reader to the written word. And they know how to build a rythm into the composition of a single page, a spread, and an entire publiction.

Still, if you insist on making a go without the assistance of a publication professional, then review my list of dos and don'ts. While the intent is not to post a comprehensive list of publishing tenets, this list represents a number of essentials as well as some of my pet peeves.