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Formatting And Detailing Documents For Display

Lesson #21

Those details that you ignore, can cause the most damage. In this case, it's not the wording, but the design of the words that make the difference. This might take more explaining, than anything else so far, because once you write so that you can be understood, then the design of the paragraphs and spacing are what makes the document readable.

What does it mean when a page is readable ? Just like in a really good Novel or Biography, the reader is captured, and continues reading, because the page is just as interesting as the words that are on it. The details for the specific characters and situations are not just written, but they're written in such a way that the reader wants to keep reading. Sometimes a writer will make a general statement, and then as the story continues, they add more details, until at the end, you either expect what you finally read, or your surprised by it. It all depends on how the writer wants you to feel.

The objective sometimes, is to get the person that's reading your document to continue reading and understanding the idea that you're trying to get across. In a Presentation, or Proposal for a new business initiative, the method you use to convince your reader that your idea is the right one, will make all the difference in whether the proposal is accepted or not. We can't just say "Yah, this is the best idea ever !", we have to explain WHY the idea, is better, and then show examples of other ideas that are not so great in comparison.

Line Spacing is important when it comes to page design. If you're working on a Thesis, that has to be presented in front of a group of Engineers and Computer Science Majors, it's more important for the document to be detailed, because that's what they're looking for when they make their evaluations. If the document is for a Sales Proposition, then it may need more "excitement" than the details they need, because they want to be reassured that the idea will work. In this case the details will be requested in a separate document.

Alright so this "Page Design" thing is not so simple, and depends on who and what you're writing about, and how you want to present it. The best way to know how to design these types of documents, is to see how others write them, and then create your own style. There is no right or wrong way to design a page, it's all about how you want to make people feel about it, and helping them understand the idea or project that you want to get them interested in. It takes practice.

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Here's more information about:
"Formatting And Detailing Documents For Display"

Extreme Presentation Method
http://www.extremepresentation.com/design/

The Winning Elements of Business Proposals
http://sbinformation.about.com/cs/bizlettersamples/a/proposal.htm

Business proposal templates
http://www.quoteroller.com/proposal-templates/

How to write a winning proposal
http://www.commonsensedesign.net/blogArticle.php?2

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