Web Site Design and Promotion

Make Sure Your Newsletter is Well Written

You need to ask yourself: "Am I a good writer?" Then, you should give your friends and/or relatives an example of what you plan on doing, and ask them the same question -- especially if they're familiar with your subject matter. While some would say that you are your worst critic, I believe that other people can (and often will) be infinitely more brutal. They'll catch more of your mistakes and be a bit more candid with their opinions. Cross your fingers and hope that they're being completely honest. You don't have to follow through with their suggestions or corrections, but at least listen to what they have to say.

If you can't write, don't expect your readers to understand. Find someone who comprehends language and has strong communications skills, or simply consider moderating a discussion list and not doing much writing at all. Similarly, if you know you can't design something, then by all means, don't. Find someone else to do it for you.

Don't rely on the fancy, high-end HTML or text editors to design your publication, either. While having the latest tools is a plus, tools usually don't foster creativity, originality or professionalism. A good designer could do more with an old PC and a simple word processor than a novice could do with a brand-new one loaded up with all the latest tools. You have to understand the technology before you can hope to use it efficiently. Far too many potentially killer e-zines and Web sites out there are plagued by poor design, lack of information, typos, too-large graphics and other problems.