Desktop editors create professional documents such as business cards and brochures using desktop publishing software and a printer. They require good artistic and conceptualization skills, knowledge of publishing software and graphics, and attention to detail. Building a customer base requires community interaction. No formal education is required.
A desktop editor is a professional data publishing processor. It creates documents that were previously only produced by typographers using offset presses and hand-produced graphics such as business cards, advertising proofs and other promotional materials. She usually works alone, although she can enlist the help of other industry professionals on more challenging projects. A person with this job might be on the staff of a publishing house or hire their services as a freelancer.
Printed materials commonly required by businesses for promotion include cover letters, brochures, and pricing and business tables. For many years these promotional items required the services of an editor or printer to design logos and layouts, type the text and print the finished products on offset presses. The process was often long, tedious and expensive.
Today, most of these jobs are handled by a computer publisher. It usually has a desktop publishing software library that allows you to create all the promotional materials usually required by companies. A laser or laser jet printer connected to the computer provides quality print output from the materials it creates on the computer.
The software used by a desktop publisher usually includes a wide range of fonts, layout designs and graphics that can be easily incorporated into any document. Computer-aided design programs give her the tools to create original designs and logos for each client. The printers used by a desktop publisher are usually capable of printing on different weights and types of paper and can usually print documents in color or black and white.
Success in this work usually requires a good eye for artistic conceptualization and great attention to detail. It is often necessary for a desktop publisher to design and implement a variety of promotional materials for a company; therefore, knowledge of the products it offers is important. She is usually also the person who creates the final copy for her clients; therefore, hers are usually last eyes, with the opportunity to catch type or layout errors.
Building a customer base as an independent desktop publisher often requires community interaction. Offering services to restaurants, such as menu production or take-out menus, is often profitable for budding desktop publishers. Contacting schools or civic groups to assess their newsletter, pamphlet, and mailing needs is also generally considered a good way for a desktop publisher to build new business relationships.
Typically, no formal education is required for this position. In general, good word processing skills and knowledge of graphics and publishing software are required to be a desktop editor. Keeping up to date on the latest developments in the desktop publishing industry is generally advisable for people looking to succeed in this position.
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