Comments on: Lessons From a Well-Formatted White Paper? http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2006/11/28/lessons-from-a-well-formatted-white-paper/ Everything about writing and marketing white papers Fri, 21 Nov 2008 06:56:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: Michael Stelzner http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2006/11/28/lessons-from-a-well-formatted-white-paper/#comment-5971 Michael Stelzner Sat, 27 Jan 2007 14:20:59 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2006/11/28/lessons-from-a-well-formatted-white-paper/#comment-5971 Hey Whitney - Nice to hear from you! Actually, I found this paper while researching for another paper. I never did contact them. However, a ton more people have looked at it now :) - Mike Hey Whitney - Nice to hear from you! Actually, I found this paper while researching for another paper. I never did contact them. However, a ton more people have looked at it now :) - Mike

]]> By: Whitney http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2006/11/28/lessons-from-a-well-formatted-white-paper/#comment-5869 Whitney Sat, 27 Jan 2007 06:06:41 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2006/11/28/lessons-from-a-well-formatted-white-paper/#comment-5869 Mike: I'd be curious to know if you ever talked to the company who distributed this white paper. What kind of feedback did they receive? Did they see a substantial difference in the results it generated for them as compared to earlier papers with (maybe) more conventional designs? Mike:
I’d be curious to know if you ever talked to the company who distributed this white paper. What kind of feedback did they receive? Did they see a substantial difference in the results it generated for them as compared to earlier papers with (maybe) more conventional designs?

]]> By: Dave Bertsch http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2006/11/28/lessons-from-a-well-formatted-white-paper/#comment-1170 Dave Bertsch Tue, 05 Dec 2006 21:05:43 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2006/11/28/lessons-from-a-well-formatted-white-paper/#comment-1170 the recent example something for me to shoot for. For now getting started with putting a basic paper together. Any basic formatting advice from anyone, a format you've started with or had success with. I'm talking font style and size, page margins and line spacing, color...thanks. DB the recent example something for me to shoot for. For now getting started with putting a basic paper together. Any basic formatting advice from anyone, a format you’ve started with or had success with. I’m talking font style and size, page margins and line spacing, color…thanks. DB

]]> By: Kristen King http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2006/11/28/lessons-from-a-well-formatted-white-paper/#comment-1134 Kristen King Fri, 01 Dec 2006 21:00:59 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2006/11/28/lessons-from-a-well-formatted-white-paper/#comment-1134 I agree with Jonathan. Most may not use designers, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't. It's the difference between a $12 chicken entree at a casual dining restaurant and a $35 coq or poulet entree at a fine dining establishment: presentation and perceived value. Kristen I agree with Jonathan. Most may not use designers, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t. It’s the difference between a $12 chicken entree at a casual dining restaurant and a $35 coq or poulet entree at a fine dining establishment: presentation and perceived value.

Kristen

]]> By: Terri http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2006/11/28/lessons-from-a-well-formatted-white-paper/#comment-1131 Terri Fri, 01 Dec 2006 16:54:23 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2006/11/28/lessons-from-a-well-formatted-white-paper/#comment-1131 Hi Michael, Yep, Terri from WA. I did already purchase the 3 templates. You can follow the link above to see examples of what they look like. If nothing else, it gives you some good formatting ideas. Personally, I think the actual templates are too bold. Jonathan, I agree with you but wasn't sure what others did. I suspect in-house writers have templates already created by a design firm. I wondered how many freelancers polished off their work by sending it to a designer. Terri Hi Michael,

Yep, Terri from WA. I did already purchase the 3 templates. You can follow the link above to see examples of what they look like. If nothing else, it gives you some good formatting ideas. Personally, I think the actual templates are too bold.

Jonathan,

I agree with you but wasn’t sure what others did. I suspect in-house writers have templates already created by a design firm. I wondered how many freelancers polished off their work by sending it to a designer.

Terri

]]> By: Jonathan Kantor http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2006/11/28/lessons-from-a-well-formatted-white-paper/#comment-1130 Jonathan Kantor Fri, 01 Dec 2006 16:04:36 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2006/11/28/lessons-from-a-well-formatted-white-paper/#comment-1130 I use a graphic designer, and believe its an important attribute in a good white paper. It's no different than using an editor. In order to produce a quality product you have to recognize your own limitations and use outside resources to suppliment those deficiencies. If editors have become an accepted standard practice, then why not use graphic designers? I use a graphic designer, and believe its an important attribute in a good white paper.

It’s no different than using an editor. In order to produce a quality product you have to recognize your own limitations and use outside resources to suppliment those deficiencies.

If editors have become an accepted standard practice, then why not use graphic designers?

]]> By: Michael Stelzner http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2006/11/28/lessons-from-a-well-formatted-white-paper/#comment-1129 Michael Stelzner Fri, 01 Dec 2006 15:00:24 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2006/11/28/lessons-from-a-well-formatted-white-paper/#comment-1129 Kristen - Glad you liked that example. Thanks for stopping by! Terri - Is this Terri from Washington? I think your college bookstore ordered 10 copies of my book. Let me know if you buy those templates and how they are. To answer you question about formatting. My experience is that most white paper writers DO NOT use graphics designers. Anyone else care to comment?? Mike Kristen - Glad you liked that example. Thanks for stopping by!

Terri - Is this Terri from Washington? I think your college bookstore ordered 10 copies of my book. Let me know if you buy those templates and how they are.

To answer you question about formatting. My experience is that most white paper writers DO NOT use graphics designers. Anyone else care to comment??

Mike

]]> By: Terri http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2006/11/28/lessons-from-a-well-formatted-white-paper/#comment-1112 Terri Thu, 30 Nov 2006 17:23:36 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2006/11/28/lessons-from-a-well-formatted-white-paper/#comment-1112 Hi Michael, Personally, as a white paper consumer, I expect professional formatting. Just reading words will not keep my attention. I am enticed by a nicely formatted document! I found a site that sells white paper templates. I got 3 .dot files for $20. The templates are nice but the good thing is that you can copy the style/format and edit to match your own color scheme. Here's the link: http://www.mysoftwaretemplates.com/templates/White-Paper-Template.shtml Actually, this is quite timely as I was going to ask you about the subject of formatting for the College Course I'm putting together. I wondered how many white paper writers use any kind of graphic design firm to polish off the paper vs. doing it yourself? Terri Hi Michael,

Personally, as a white paper consumer, I expect professional formatting. Just reading words will not keep my attention. I am enticed by a nicely formatted document!

I found a site that sells white paper templates. I got 3 .dot files for $20. The templates are nice but the good thing is that you can copy the style/format and edit to match your own color scheme. Here’s the link: http://www.mysoftwaretemplates.com/templates/White-Paper-Template.shtml

Actually, this is quite timely as I was going to ask you about the subject of formatting for the College Course I’m putting together. I wondered how many white paper writers use any kind of graphic design firm to polish off the paper vs. doing it yourself?

Terri

]]> By: Kristen King http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2006/11/28/lessons-from-a-well-formatted-white-paper/#comment-1099 Kristen King Wed, 29 Nov 2006 20:09:26 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2006/11/28/lessons-from-a-well-formatted-white-paper/#comment-1099 Hi, Michael, I love this look, too. It may be a little tricky for writers who have zero design experience, but basic design skills and InDesign or MS Publisher should make it a success. I'm definitely going to save this one as an example to inspire me when I'm trying to make my stuff pretty! Thanks for highlighting it. Kristen Hi, Michael,

I love this look, too. It may be a little tricky for writers who have zero design experience, but basic design skills and InDesign or MS Publisher should make it a success. I’m definitely going to save this one as an example to inspire me when I’m trying to make my stuff pretty! Thanks for highlighting it.

Kristen

]]> By: Michael Stelzner http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2006/11/28/lessons-from-a-well-formatted-white-paper/#comment-1095 Michael Stelzner Wed, 29 Nov 2006 18:20:01 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2006/11/28/lessons-from-a-well-formatted-white-paper/#comment-1095 Hi Simon - Good point about the disruptive nature of this full page with the pull-quote. It is an interesting touch however and did not stop me from moving forward in the document. Jonathan - I agree about the use of bullets. However, what is interesting is that this paper is rather light on copy but it looks beefy. There is really only about 7 pages of double spaced content that has been spread over 11 pages. Hi Simon - Good point about the disruptive nature of this full page with the pull-quote. It is an interesting touch however and did not stop me from moving forward in the document.

Jonathan - I agree about the use of bullets. However, what is interesting is that this paper is rather light on copy but it looks beefy. There is really only about 7 pages of double spaced content that has been spread over 11 pages.

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