In the past, when information technology was not yet developed, screenwriters often hand-written and decorated their own media works.
When society becomes increasingly modern, the jobs related to composing and hand-drawing are all replaced by intelligent software.
You will use a desktop computer with publishing software installed to create documents, pages, and electronic publications.
These duties and requirements depend on the manager and the project you are pursuing. For a more general view, we will describe the desktop publisher and the skills that make you a genius in the field.
Job Description
Below is information about responsibilities, qualifications, career overview, and desktop publishing work environment. These sections will help you understand what desktop publishers do.
What is a desktop publisher?
Desktop publishers edit, design, and edit content on a computer to create electronic publications. You will collect information related to the selected title and build an outline and layout to reach the reader quickly.
To master this field, besides the required skills, collaborators will be a stepping stone to help you go further. It would help if you cooperated with them from stages such as photoshop, script, and design to achieve the best effect.
Previously, this job was not so popular due to limited technical and software support. In recent times, desktop publishing has been attractive because of information technology development, its readers’ tastes, and creative freedom.
Of course, it still has its difficulties and challenges. But if you keep improving, everything will become easy.
Duties and responsibilities
Desktop publishing is a multi-step process such as planning, drafting, editing layouts, designing, and printing. So, if you want to be a professional desktop publisher, you need to do the following things:
- Information and data collection
- Layout division, artistic text positioning
- Talk to writers and screenwriters to create content-specific texts
- Enter the above data into publishing software programs
- Use software that supports inserting images and editing text
- Check for formatting and spelling errors
- Convert to a web page or file for printing
- Send documents to print shops and distribute them to the market.
You probably won’t need someone to help with stages like scripting or editing if your creativity is good enough. Yet, whichever way you choose, you still have to care about the reader’s feelings and interests.
Work environment
This work needs support from related departments to distribute tasks evenly. So desktop publishing’s working environment mainly involves newspaper publishers, administrative, printing, and professional services.
Primarily, desktop publishers work regularly in an office environment. However, you can continue to work from home if the workload is overwhelming.
Alternatively, when you feel you can execute, you can work from home as a freelancer and sell your products on popular websites or publications.
Education Requirements
Educational qualifications or experience are essential criteria for employers to find quality employees. Yet, no matter how good a certification you have, your experience is still the key to going further in your career.
Education
Typically, desktop publishing requires an associate’s degree or higher related to professions such as graphic design, graphic communication, and screenwriting.
It requires high creativity and computer skills, so a degree is not a prerequisite. Some companies still need your degree or certifications to back up what you say.
If you are studying in a different field but find that your creativity is suitable for desktop publishing, don’t worry, you can take some short training courses online or in person.
Training
As we mentioned above, desktop publishing has many different arrays to handle.
So, for the job to go correctly, you need to train for at least a month to find the right fit and work well with your associates to create the best productivity.
Although each person will receive a position, besides expertise, you need to know the general steps to publish a product. While working, grasping all the processes keeps the work on schedule.
Other experience
Most recruiting companies hope to find employees with a lot of experience. They won’t have to spend time training again from scratch.
Also, the more experience, the higher the product quality, which is always what business owners aim for.
To get these experiences, you can try to be creative in Photoshop, editing images on big platforms like Canva. Also, if you are a student, you will gain experience by printing for school.
Essential Skills
Technical or interpersonal skills are always a prerequisite for getting started with desktop publishing. Whether you will succeed or fail depends entirely on the skills below.
Technical skills
Graphic Design
It is an essential skill that makes the whole person more attractive.
Graphic design can be logos and illustrations. Graphic design is a discipline taught in universities and colleges. Yet, you can still find them in short courses.
Texting
Writing is an essential skill for many computer-intensive occupations. You all need to know the characters or symbols; the faster you type, the better.
Also, content edited in desktop publishing should be in focus and based on what the reader likes, avoiding rambling.
Layout
The layout is the process of arranging images and text on a page. Make sure that the content is within the allowed range.
Besides, the sez paragraphs are divided by content to help readers easily access information and deeply understand the problem you are talking about.
Interpersonal skills
Time management
Not only desktop publishing but almost every industry requires workers to have time management skills. Every task has a deadline, and you must follow it.
Therefore, you must manage your time most reasonably. Then, allocate each segment to ensure the work is always available on schedule.
Creativity
For a desktop publisher, creativity is an essential and required skill. It all depends entirely on each person’s creativity, from scripts to ideas to illustrations. If you want to be the best in this field, your creativity must be outstanding.
Because of the same title, different leads and presentations will give different results. Yet, make sure that creativity unites and meets the tastes of viewers.
Communication
A good communicator is someone who listens and responds when needed. It can be service-related work, and the audience is customers.
So, whether the product is good or bad, you also need to listen to their suggestions and change for the better. You will maintain a good communication attitude with your associates to develop the best product ideas at work.
Essential Tools
Support tools are essential for desktop-related jobs. Without installing this software, you cannot complete the assigned task correctly.
Many software supports desktop publishing, from image editing and publishing layout. We will introduce you to 5 specialized software for a desktop publisher.
Adobe InDesign
It is a publishing software standard for Windows and macOS operating systems.
Its function is available to create large documents such as books and newsletters. Yet, the downside is that it doesn’t include pre-installed templates.
Therefore, if you use Adobe InDesign software, you need to look for other applications that support layout.
Microsoft publisher
Microsoft publisher is a tool for creating diverse publications and files. You will save it as a PDF file and export it to multiple copies.
The software does not support the macOS system and does not include autosave features like Microsoft Word.
Affinity publisher
Overall, it’s a good tool for editing tasks, including layout, images, text, and desktop publishing.
You only pay for one use instead of paying monthly like other applications. Of course, you will get advanced features if you sign up for the premium version.
Scribus
The software is made with CMYK color support, layers, and frames. Also, you can consult the layout presentation samples in the Scribus repository.
Because of the pre-formatted, it will appear that the layout overlaps. Yet, it allows us to change the customization, and you don’t need to worry too much about this.
QuarkXPress
QuarkXPress has only recently launched but has many features, including audio, images, video, and 3D model export.
It is suitable for both Windows and macOS. If you feel too cumbersome with many software, you only need QuarkXPress to edit a publication document.
Job Outlook
As mentioned above, technology is evolving, and related jobs, particularly desktop publishing, will become increasingly popular.
Desktop publishing jobs include many computer-related skills, such as image editing, graphic design, and layout building. So, if you possess these ideal skills, you will find the right job position.
Salary
Desktop publisher salary is highest when you work in the technical and professional services department.
The average annual salary is $45,570. Yet, it’s just an average estimate. Your paycheck may differ depending on your position, ability, and experience.
Pros and Cons of Being a Desktop Publisher
There is no denying that whether a thing is in vogue or quality. They all have advantages and disadvantages. Here are the benefits you get when you become a desktop publisher
Pros
- Learn more computer skills
- Save more time than the traditional way
- Get access to trends and information quickly
- Wide variety of job opportunities
- Can contact many customers from countries around the world
Cons
- Hourly exposure on desktop
- Hear mixed opinions from customers
FAQs
Is desktop publishing difficult?
The biggest challenge with desktop publishing is that a program is similar to many word processors and adds various features.
What are the 5 principles of desktop publishing?
The five principles of desktop publishing are balance, proximity, consistency, contrast, and white space.
Is a publisher a career?
The answer is yes. This job requires skill and experience from the interviewer. You always have to stay up to date with trends and layouts to suit your audience’s tastes.
How do I start working in publishing?
To start working in publishing, you first need to have specific skills in photoshop, texting, and design. Next, you will apply for an internship at small and medium-sized companies to gain experience and work.
You will find the company you want to work for and hone your skills to suit the position. When you are confident enough with your knowledge, you will apply for an interview with your favorite company.
How do I get a job in publishing with no experience?
With or without experience, make sure you have some computer skills and love to be creative. If you meet the above requirements, you will apply for a short-term internship in a small project to gain experience.
Can I work for a publishing company from home?
Related tasks are entirely on the desktop so that you can do them at home. It is also a trend many employees are moving towards in the publishing field.
What is the importance of having desktop publication skills?
The importance of having desktop publishing skills is to help increase work productivity. It helps to optimize production costs and easily edit documents.
Do you need a master’s degree to work in publishing?
If you have a master’s degree, it makes it easier for you to find the right company. Yet, qualifications are not as necessary as work experience.
How long does it take to become a desktop publisher?
If you are complete with hard and soft skills, usually, it will take about one month to become a desktop publisher. During this time, you will learn the company’s working style and get to know your colleagues.
How can I be successful in publishing?
Wanting to be successful in publishing, some people take only a few months, but others take a few years.
It entirely depends on your work capacity. The tip for success is continually improving and constantly learning, starting early, putting objectivity first, and keeping a progressive attitude at work.
Career Advice
No matter whether in any job or industry, the effort to learn and persevere is always a guide to lead you to success.
And especially for desktop publishing, which requires many related skills, you must regularly and continuously update your knowledge.
Every profession has difficulties and challenges, but if you are passionate and enthusiastic enough, success will come to you.
We believe that through this article, you have deeply understood the job description of a desktop publisher. I hope sharing this article helps you find a clear direction for your career. Thank you for reading!