It's horrible to say it, but so much of the desktop publishing I see makes me cringe! I should be easier on the non-designer forced to take on a job for which they were never trained, but it's an instinctive reaction. (After the initial cringe, though, I remember I would do at least as bad if I tried to do their jobs!)
But there is help! At Borders the other day, I spotted a great book for desktop pubishers: The Non-Designer's Design Book, by Robin Williams. (No, not THAT Robin williams; this one.)
The content is great. It reduces the principles of design to their very basics, making it approachable for someone who just does this stuff because they must. But the principles are sound, so the results are good. True, it won't turn you into a world-renowned designer, but it will make your Publisher and Word documents more professional-looking, easier to read, and more effective. (Wow, I type "Publisher" and "Word" with only the barest cringe...)
If you find yourself having to create stuff all the time, but you're never really happy with the results, head on over to Amazon and click "Look Inside." Theres' some good, useful stuff there.
