Hatrack River Writers Workshop: I managed to produce my first issue

This is topic I managed to produce my first issue in forum Open Discussions About Writing at Hatrack River Writers Workshop.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
http://www.hatrack.com/ubb/writers/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=001761

Posted by JBSkaggs (Member # 2265) on :

The Fantasy World Geographic first issue has come out. Whether it's great or terrible.. it's on schedule. Of course everything was at a mad rush so hopefully we didn't make too many mistakes. Editing probably suffered the most in the rush to finish.

I hope that we will improve as we go along.

Thanks to all of you who submitted and helped out.

JB SKaggs

Posted by Beth (Member # 2192) on :

congratulations! I'm taking a peek at it right now. so exciting for everyone involved.

Posted by Jeraliey (Member # 2147) on :

Congrats!

Posted by HSO (Member # 2056) on :

Congrats, JB.

Starting any business is hard work. The fact that you delivered your first product on time says a lot about all those involved making it happen. And, if things like this were easy, everyone would be doing it. Good job.

Now the really hard part comes: Duplicating your success. We're rooting for you!

Posted by JBSkaggs (Member # 2265) on :

I found my first big error... the PDF converter cut off half of the first sentence of the first story. and heck if I know why. Hopefully I can fix it today.

You are right about it being tough to produce one. The thing I learned was I need a macintosh. Windows (or at least the two computers I have) is / are not reliable enough to deal with huge media files without crashing constantly. Of course that requires big bucks I don't have, so Ill guess Ill have to keep facing the "Your program is unstable" error. I wanted to hunt down and kill the makers of my computer about the fifth time it crashed and corrupted my file.

Posted by HSO (Member # 2056) on :

I have tons of experience with PDF's... let me offer some advice -- if you don't mind me nosing about your business.

First. Make sure you have a full copy of Acrobat. Don't rely on pontentially dodgy converters. They are often not up to snuff. Some are decent, though. Better to have full-functioning copy of Acrobat.

Second. The best way I've found to handle large documents to Adobe PDF is to "PRINT" them. That's right. Set "Acrobat Distiller" (or Acrobat) as a PRINTER. Then choose the settings that are appropriate. You will still have text that is selectable, and editable, by sending the file to Distiller (or maybe that's just Acrobat set as a printer -- one of the two, I'm sure of it). It will also reduce the file size of huge graphics.

Of course, you could always choose to optimize your graphics before putting them into whatever layout program your using.

Nonetheless, follow the above two steps and you'll have a fairly easy go at it. I've been using Acrobat for about 4 or 5 years now for numerous engineering jobs. I think the biggest file I dumped into Acrobat via Distiller was about 456MB before sending. Acrobat did its thing and the file was a mere 20MB afterward.

Hope this helps.

EDITS: A few typos corrected and an uncertainty revealed over Distiller. It's been a little while since I used Acrobat.

[This message has been edited by HSO (edited February 21, 2005).]

Posted by Keeley (Member # 2088) on :

Ah, that explains some of the stuff I saw in my copy.

I should have come here before I sent you that email.

Posted by JBSkaggs (Member # 2265) on :

I repaired what errors I could find and reposted the magazine to the printer. I have my fingers crossed that it will work this time.

There is the revised copy up again for download at the contributors link.

Posted by Survivor (Member # 213) on :

Just on a bit of a tangent, have you considered listing your site in your profile?

Posted by JBSkaggs (Member # 2265) on :

Not till you mentioned it. Ill edit my profile now. Thanks