Kevin Slimp Online
Kevin Slimp is a favorite speaker and trainer in the publishing world. He can be reached at kevin@kevinslimp.com.

Current Newsletter

Sharing the Good News of Newspapers

Jul 07, 2023 at 02:25 pm by INT

As I listen to the July 4 fireworks outside my window, my thoughts revolve around the newspaper colleagues I’ve met over the past few weeks and the lessons I’ve le.... Read More

Improving Your Newspaper: No two papers are alike

Jun 02, 2023 at 03:30 pm by INT

If you regularly read my columns, you know that I write about focus groups quite often. Don't worry. I'm not writing bout focus groups today. However, I want to discuss anothe.... Read More

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Recent Columns

Affinity Publisher and IDMarkz: One thumbs up, one thumb sideways

Feb 01, 2020 at 05:29 pm by staff

I spent my morning writing about mergers, buyouts, and bankruptcies. I don't know about you, but I'm ready to spend a few minutes on something more fun. For the past three or.... Read More

Looking Toward the Future: Groups taking steps to plan for the future

Sep 25, 2019 at 04:12 pm by staff

Like many of you reading this column, I've been in the newspaper business a long time. I began delivering daily papers for the Johnson City (Tennessee) Press-Chronicle when I.... Read More

What's the Big Deal: You make a few predictions...

Aug 29, 2019 at 11:00 am by staff

Andy Warhol once said, "In the future, everyone will be world-famous for fifteen minutes." I've experienced those fifteen minutes a few times, but it comes less often these da.... Read More

Increasing Productivity by Upgrading Workspace

Apr 03, 2019 at 07:52 pm by staff

There's a question I get asked a lot by friends, colleagues and audience members at conferences. There are variations, but they all go something like, "How do you find time to.... Read More

Consider Yourself Told

Mar 23, 2019 at 07:22 pm by staff

It was a lot like other experiences I've had at conventions over the past couple of years. In March, as I gathered my backpack to head out of the room where I'd just spoken in.... Read More

Our Digital Future: I've Got It All Figured Out

Dec 12, 2018 at 01:16 pm by staff

Some of you will remember Facebook. If you're over 40, you probably visit Facebook on a regular basis. If you're like most of the college students in my life, ask a parent or.... Read More

Checking the Pulse of Journalism

Nov 01, 2018 at 01:11 pm by staff

Over the past two weeks, I've traveled from coast to coast speaking at newspaper conferences and meeting with Canadian and American journalists about what is happening at thei.... Read More

Tariffs are behind us for now. What's next?

Aug 30, 2018 at 09:41 am by staff

..... It's been two hours since I received word concerning the news that tariffs aimed at newsprint had been overturned. The first person to write me was Ron White, a retire.... Read More

Common Traits: What successful newspapers have in common

Aug 16, 2018 at 09:24 am by staff

I really didn't expect to do much traveling this summer but plans don't always work out as expected and that certainly has been the case for me. The truth is I really love wor.... Read More

Upton Sinclair would be pleased as GateHouse and Gannett build "stronger communities"

May 11, 2018 at 07:29 pm by staff

Four years ago, I decided I'd had enough. After hearing John Paton of Digital First Media speak at a few conferences, I couldn't take it any more. I wrote a column titled, "Ke.... Read More

Front Page

What I learned from 6 small Nebraska papers

Feb 22, 2014 at 04:33 pm by staff

So many topics, so little space. This morning, I created a poll on my Facebook wall, which includes thousands of newspaper friends, and asked for help in deciding among three.... Read More

Advice For a New Publisher

Feb 12, 2014 at 04:04 pm by staff

So tonight I was sitting with my son, Zachary, at Dragon Den. After a bite of his eggroll, Zach stopped and turned to ask a question. “Dad,” Zach asked, “what happens with all.... Read More

People are talking bout COLOR

Jan 15, 2014 at 01:38 pm by staff

Color. It seems to be on the minds of newspaper publishers and production managers everywhere. Without a doubt, the second most requested task I’ve been given by newspapers i.... Read More

Tale of Two Newspapers

Nov 13, 2013 at 08:09 am by staff

I had to laugh a few days ago, when I saw my pic on the top fold of the front page of a monthly industry pub with the headline, “Slimp’s invention has served newspaper industr.... Read More

An aMUSEing tale about digital design

Oct 31, 2013 at 03:34 pm by staff

Back in the days of CS5, it became relatively simple for an InDesign user to design a website in InDesign, then export it as a Flash file that could be viewed online. Although.... Read More

Tools & Tips for InDesign and Photoshop Users

Sep 18, 2013 at 09:10 am by staff

I spend a lot of time at newspapers, training staffs in Advanced InDesign, Photoshop and PDF workflows. It’s funny, no matter how long someone uses these applications, there a.... Read More

How Changes at Metros Impact Community Papers

Aug 21, 2013 at 08:54 am by staff

This month’s column is dedicated to my friends in the community newspaper world. So much is going on in our business - and I receive so many messages asking me to write about.... Read More

Software Q & A

Jul 23, 2013 at 08:46 am by staff

People seem to have a lot of questions concerning layout software these days. I suppose it’s only natural with all the changes at Adobe and Quark. Let’s look in my in-box and.... Read More

Storm Clouds Brewing at Adobe?

Jun 11, 2013 at 10:57 am by staff

When I was a college student living in Texas, I got used to hearing people say, “Boy, howdy.” This wasn’t a greeting, as you might think. It was more along the lines of “You’.... Read More

Adobe Announces Creative Cloud

Jun 11, 2013 at 10:53 am by staff

My mailbox has never been as full as it’s been lately. Publishers and editors from all over the place have been writing concerning two topics: 1. What do I think about Adobe’.... Read More

Sharing the Good News of Newspapers

Jul 07, 2023 at 02:25 pm by INT

As I listen to the July 4 fireworks outside my window, my thoughts revolve around the newspaper colleagues I’ve met over the past few weeks and the lessons I’ve le.... Read More

Improving Your Newspaper: No two papers are alike

Jun 02, 2023 at 03:30 pm by INT

If you regularly read my columns, you know that I write about focus groups quite often. Don't worry. I'm not writing bout focus groups today. However, I want to discuss anothe.... Read More

Putting in the Effort to Get More Ad Sales Results

May 16, 2023 at 03:45 pm by INT

It dawned on me this morning that my schedule changes significantly from day to day. There are always some things that have to get done most days. Regardless of what else is o.... Read More

Taking Control of Your Time

Mar 12, 2023 at 09:49 pm by INT

It has been one of those days. You’ve had them. It began with a website that wasn’t working like it was supposed to. When you have a website that lists items for.... Read More

The Secret to Newspaper Growth

Feb 22, 2023 at 10:45 pm by INT

Earlier this month, I traveled about an hour from my home to conduct focus groups for a weekly newspaper in Tennessee. Focus groups come in all sizes and shapes. This particul.... Read More

A few reasons some papers grow

Jan 22, 2023 at 10:13 pm by INT

I’m going to let you in on a little secret. I don’t plan these columns in advance. Most months, I receive an email from newspaper industry executive Jack Guza remi.... Read More

Design issues faced by most newspapers

Nov 16, 2022 at 11:27 pm by INT

As I write this, I’ve just returned from a trip to Marysville, Kansas, where I worked with the staff of The Marysville Advocate on their new design, which went to the pr.... Read More

Even more about Adobe Type 1 and your newspaper: Time to prepare for Jan 1

Sep 28, 2022 at 11:30 am by INT

Excuse my repetition, but for those who didn't read my column last month titled, "Planning for Adobe Type 1 Conundrum in January," there is a storm brewing, and it's not comin.... Read More

Paying Attention to Readers Yields Increased Readership & Revenue

Sep 09, 2022 at 10:00 am by INT

In 1849, French writer Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr wrote, “plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.” (The more things change, the more they stay the.... Read More

A Tale of Two Publishers

Jul 12, 2022 at 06:31 pm by INT

I’m not that old. Seriously, I’m not. But in my work with newspapers, I’ve worked with so many younger people that I sometimes feel like Yoda (for you Star W.... Read More