Comments on: WORD VS. INDESIGN and other common first-time questions from our design customers http://www.publishingbasics.com/2008/05/29/word-vs-indesign-and-other-common-first-time-questions-from-our-design-customers/ Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:59:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Jonathan http://www.publishingbasics.com/2008/05/29/word-vs-indesign-and-other-common-first-time-questions-from-our-design-customers/comment-page-1/#comment-32742 Jonathan Sun, 17 Aug 2008 08:56:47 +0000 http://www.publishingbasics.com/2008/05/29/word-vs-indesign-and-other-common-first-time-questions-from-our-design-customers/#comment-32742 Personally I can't imagine doing the layout on a serious sized book (100 pages plus) in anything but InDesign. I am not familiar with QuarkXpress or other competing products, but no doubt they also get the job done. Professional layout software is relatively expensive, however, so for those on a limited budget I would recommend checking out Scribus. I've got it and have played around with it. It's free and it's a far cry from programs like Word and WordPerfect and OpenOffice Word, etc. I do all my copy creation in Word, because it has great Review Mode functionality which means my copy editor and I can get through the editing process easily and smoothly. Once the copy is ready for layout I then import the word content into InDesign. The template I use in Word will have all the style names matching the styles used in the InDesign template. That way when importing the text into InD I can map the styles directly over to the correct ones in InD. This work flow works really well, it yes it does involve using word, BUT not for layout / desktop publishing.... just as a word processor which is what it's designed for. Regards, Jonathan Personally I can’t imagine doing the layout on a serious sized book (100 pages plus) in anything but InDesign.
I am not familiar with QuarkXpress or other competing products, but no doubt they also get the job done.
Professional layout software is relatively expensive, however, so for those on a limited budget I would recommend checking out Scribus. I’ve got it and have played around with it. It’s free and it’s a far cry from programs like Word and WordPerfect and OpenOffice Word, etc.
I do all my copy creation in Word, because it has great Review Mode functionality which means my copy editor and I can get through the editing process easily and smoothly. Once the copy is ready for layout I then import the word content into InDesign. The template I use in Word will have all the style names matching the styles used in the InDesign template. That way when importing the text into InD I can map the styles directly over to the correct ones in InD. This work flow works really well, it yes it does involve using word, BUT not for layout / desktop publishing…. just as a word processor which is what it’s designed for.
Regards,
Jonathan

]]> By: Wicked Sunny http://www.publishingbasics.com/2008/05/29/word-vs-indesign-and-other-common-first-time-questions-from-our-design-customers/comment-page-1/#comment-29088 Wicked Sunny Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:51:03 +0000 http://www.publishingbasics.com/2008/05/29/word-vs-indesign-and-other-common-first-time-questions-from-our-design-customers/#comment-29088 I am a designer, having keen knowledge of softwares like photoshop, illustrator and indesign. With experience I can tell you that in long run using softwares like photoshop or indesign works far well. If you are going for black and white novels or non fiction with negligible graphics go for Indesign. CS3 has got all the paragraph styles options which makes editing and formatting the book very easy with one click function. If you are working on magazine, art, or children books best option is using illustrator or now days even photoshop, thanks to the advanced printing technology available. You can also get this done in indesign but as a designer it is double work for me as I have to first work on the graphics in photoshop and then take it into indesign. kerning, tracking and all technical details are not much for children and illustrated books thus it saves time to do everything in photoshop with almost similar quality results. But MS word is a no, never, unless I have no other option. I am a designer, having keen knowledge of softwares like photoshop, illustrator and indesign.

With experience I can tell you that in long run using softwares like photoshop or indesign works far well.

If you are going for black and white novels or non fiction with negligible graphics go for Indesign. CS3 has got all the paragraph styles options which makes editing and formatting the book very easy with one click function.

If you are working on magazine, art, or children books best option is using illustrator or now days even photoshop, thanks to the advanced printing technology available.

You can also get this done in indesign but as a designer it is double work for me as I have to first work on the graphics in photoshop and then take it into indesign.

kerning, tracking and all technical details are not much for children and illustrated books thus it saves time to do everything in photoshop with almost similar quality results.

But MS word is a no, never, unless I have no other option.

]]> By: Robert Kaplan http://www.publishingbasics.com/2008/05/29/word-vs-indesign-and-other-common-first-time-questions-from-our-design-customers/comment-page-1/#comment-27718 Robert Kaplan Mon, 16 Jun 2008 16:53:23 +0000 http://www.publishingbasics.com/2008/05/29/word-vs-indesign-and-other-common-first-time-questions-from-our-design-customers/#comment-27718 We publish only about five books a year--academic or speciality books--and we usually layout in Indesign. We have recently tried the open source Scribus (free) and it works almost as good. We have had book's text sent to us in Word and OpenOffice and they don't look too bad, but it is much harder to manipulate text and position pictures/graphics with Word processing programmes. Nevertheless, if someone thinks carefully about layout, I am convinced that they could do a very good book with a word processing programme these days. We publish only about five books a year–academic or speciality books–and we usually layout in Indesign. We have recently tried the open source Scribus (free) and it works almost as good. We have had book’s text sent to us in Word and OpenOffice and they don’t look too bad, but it is much harder to manipulate text and position pictures/graphics with Word processing programmes. Nevertheless, if someone thinks carefully about layout, I am convinced that they could do a very good book with a word processing programme these days.

]]> By: Jeff Cales http://www.publishingbasics.com/2008/05/29/word-vs-indesign-and-other-common-first-time-questions-from-our-design-customers/comment-page-1/#comment-27554 Jeff Cales Fri, 30 May 2008 18:26:33 +0000 http://www.publishingbasics.com/2008/05/29/word-vs-indesign-and-other-common-first-time-questions-from-our-design-customers/#comment-27554 Or, just hire a designer. Don't ask them to do spec work (http://www.no-spec.com/). instead, have them quote you a rate. Remember, you are asking a professional, so be prepared for professional rates. Averaging between $50.00/hour to $100.00+/hour; or whatever flat rate they decide is appropriate. Professional designers will have an understanding of the visual elements and how to apply them as well as what will enhance the appeal of your literature. They understand color theory, scale, shapes and relationships on a level that most people are keenly unaware. If you're serious about publishing, don't treat your project as anything less. Or, just hire a designer. Don’t ask them to do spec work (http://www.no-spec.com/). instead, have them quote you a rate. Remember, you are asking a professional, so be prepared for professional rates. Averaging between $50.00/hour to $100.00+/hour; or whatever flat rate they decide is appropriate.

Professional designers will have an understanding of the visual elements and how to apply them as well as what will enhance the appeal of your literature. They understand color theory, scale, shapes and relationships on a level that most people are keenly unaware.
If you’re serious about publishing, don’t treat your project as anything less.

]]> By: Rick Lawler http://www.publishingbasics.com/2008/05/29/word-vs-indesign-and-other-common-first-time-questions-from-our-design-customers/comment-page-1/#comment-27547 Rick Lawler Fri, 30 May 2008 15:59:05 +0000 http://www.publishingbasics.com/2008/05/29/word-vs-indesign-and-other-common-first-time-questions-from-our-design-customers/#comment-27547 Some people think that Microsoft Word IS the computer. If you're going the self-typesetting route, I'd recommend Corel WordPerfect (yes, it's still available). WordPerfect has more typographic tools than Word and while it probably won't replace a professional typesetting program, it does a pretty good job. I've always prefered WordPerfect's tab and indent features. You might, however, prefer Word when it comes to generating Table of Contents and an Index. Word is also generally better when dealing with placement of graphics and seems to have a wider latitude in graphics formats that it will import. Some people think that Microsoft Word IS the computer. If you’re going the self-typesetting route, I’d recommend Corel WordPerfect (yes, it’s still available). WordPerfect has more typographic tools than Word and while it probably won’t replace a professional typesetting program, it does a pretty good job. I’ve always prefered WordPerfect’s tab and indent features. You might, however, prefer Word when it comes to generating Table of Contents and an Index. Word is also generally better when dealing with placement of graphics and seems to have a wider latitude in graphics formats that it will import.

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