Blogpaper layout
Blog layouts do not translate well into print. A well-constructed and attractive layout of the print edition is absolutely necessary.
Desktop publishing software
Your choice of DTP (Desktop Publishing) applications like Adobe InDesign, Quark Xpress, CorelDRAW or Scribus (free) are suitable for users with design skills to gain extra bit of control of the output. Consider these up-front expenses:
- Software: $200 – $2,000
- Books: $50
- Training: $200 – $2,000
- Fonts: $100 – $5,000
- Clipart and stock photos: $100 – $500
We recommend desktop publishing to users confident in their design abilities and willing to spend time doing the layout work themselves. DTP doesn’t prevent you from using ZetaPrints for ad booking. Placing ads produced by our web-to-print into the layout is as easy as “drag-and-drop”.
ZetaPrints layout services
ZetaPrints web-to-print system provides a simple interface to prepare blogpaper using layout templates in a semi-automated process. The full automation is not possible due to the fundamental differences between web and print:
- Print publication has limited space
- Print has fixed layout
- Readers expect to see better layout, grammar and style in print than on a website
A simple script added to your blog will transfer your text and photos into the layout template. The content will need to be adjusted to make sure it fits the layout. You may need to add or remove some text, re-touch photos and do other minor adjustment. A few iterations of changes and refreshing the preview image should produce a satisfactory result. The print-ready output file is generated within seconds after pressing the Finalise button and costs only $1.7. It is a much cheaper alternative to DTP.
Layout designs
You can design the layout yourself using DTP software or commission the work to a designer. Several page layouts will be needed to accommodate different content combinations.
ZetaPrints offers a choice of options with our layout services:
- Use layouts from our design collection
- Tell us what layouts you are looking for and we’ll inform the design community about the need
- Commission a layout template to a member of our design community
Once the layout template is on the site it is available to you 24/7 through the web browser at a the standard price of $1.7 per order (full pricing).
Recommendations
ZetaPrints layout services are limited in functionality compared to DTP software.
We recommend non-designers to use ZetaPrints layouts, but more design orientated bloggers may be better off using DTP software.
Our aim is to make the process of output preparation quick and inexpensive as much as possible. Start out with our service and move to DTP later, if needed.