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

When Less is More in Newspapers

Feb 01, 2024 at 06:30 pm by INT

In late January, I had such a good time visiting with the publishers of the Wyoming Press Association at their annual convention. I spoke on a few of my favorite topics: Growi.... Read More

Predicting 2024 for Newspapers

Jan 10, 2024 at 10:45 pm by INT

Making bold predictions is easy. This year, I’ve paid close attention to forecasts by respected sportswriters in national print and online publications to see how my foo.... Read More

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Recent Columns

Kevin’s Top 10 Tips for 2024: As 2023 ends and 2024 begins, Kevin puts on his coaching cap

Dec 23, 2023 at 11:00 pm by INT

The end of one year and the beginning of a new year seem to make me a little reflective. In the past three weeks, I’ve found myself in 13 states. Traveling has allowed m.... Read More

New Tools in Photoshop Elicit Warning

Oct 31, 2023 at 07:55 pm by INT

Latest versions of Photoshop include use of artificial intelligence   By now, you would think I’ve learned not to write things that will get me in trouble. So, be.... Read More

Kevin critiques common issues in newspapers

Oct 11, 2023 at 11:00 pm by INT

A funny thing happened to me in Denver a few days ago while I was in town to speak at the Colorado Press Association Convention. I had just finished my fourth presentation of.... Read More

Making space for the important stuff on a newspaper page

Sep 13, 2023 at 11:00 pm by INT

Simple changes invite readers to pick up your paper   Younger readers might not know what I'm writing about when I mention Facebook "memories." Still, most of you are f.... Read More

Fixing problems before they appear on the page

Aug 16, 2023 at 11:00 pm by INT

Kevin shares ideas to prevent font and photo errors   My friend, Kari, wrote to me from her newspaper in Indiana this morning. Her message reminded me of the questions.... 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

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And speaking of upgrades, Adobe makes an announcement of its own <p>

Jun 03, 2008 at 10:26 am by staff

Adobe had its own announcement in June: Acrobat 9 is ready for public consumption. I’ve been involved in beta testing version 9 for the past year and plan to write a full revi.... Read More

Quark hopes to keep - and attract - designers with QuarkXPress 8

Jun 03, 2008 at 10:16 am by staff

Is it too little, too late for QuarkXPress? I hope not. The more competition the better, I say. Unless it’s a competing paper in my market, that is. The press releases came.... Read More

Kevin Reviews Photoshop Elements, Drive Genius 2 and Publisher Miracle Worker

May 01, 2008 at 09:36 am by staff

Help! My desk used to be under this pile of software somewhere. I keep stacking software boxes on my desk as they arrive from vendors and I can’t put off taking a few of them.... Read More

Kevin Answers Questions About Old & New Software

Apr 03, 2008 at 03:22 pm by staff

There seems to be a recurring theme in my e-mail lately. Problems related to outdated and just released applications seem to abound. Fortunately, my e-mail includes enough var.... Read More

Institute of Newspaper Technology Announces Fall Class Lineup

Mar 08, 2008 at 09:11 pm by staff

We’re in the early stages of completing the schedule for the October 9-11 session of the Institute of Newspaper Technology. If all goes as planned, we’ll have attendees repres.... Read More

Stop The Press!

Feb 29, 2008 at 03:45 pm by staff

I had a journalism teacher in seventh grade who told the class how she once ran into the press room yelling those words. Apparently, she had gotten some facts wrong while writ.... Read More

Newspapers flip over pocket size camcorder

Feb 04, 2008 at 08:40 am by staff

I asked a couple of buddies - one at a large metro paper, the other at a mid-size daily - what camcorder they were sending with their reporters these days. I got the same answ.... Read More

Association membership has its benefits

Feb 04, 2008 at 08:32 am by staff

A funny thing happened to me the other day. Not “ha ha” funny - interesting funny. My wife, who directs a non profit counseling program here in Knoxville, called to say she ha.... Read More

Similar skills, but not schedules, differentiates newspaper design from agency work

Jan 03, 2008 at 01:37 pm by staff

Each year, December offers me the opportunity to do something a little different. Because the convention and training world slows so much between Thanksgiving and New Year’s,.... Read More

You'll Need to Sit Down For This One: Open Microsoft Publisher Files in InDesign!

Dec 06, 2007 at 08:21 pm by staff

Are you sitting? Don’t read any further unless you’re sitting. The news I’m about to share requires that you be in a seated position before reading any further. OK, ready?.... Read More

Adobe Plans to Get Rid of Type 1 Fonts

Apr 30, 2021 at 01:00 pm by INT

Start making plans now about transitioning your Type 1 fonts “Out with the old and in with the new!” We’ve all said it, and the idea of replacing outdated.... Read More

Improving Ad Design to Increase Revenue

Mar 10, 2021 at 12:30 pm by INT

It’s obvious that everyone wants to increase revenue. I own a publishing company and I can attest that 2020 was a terrible year, in terms of revenue. Unless you live in.... Read More

Affinity Publisher Primed to Take Business from InDesign

Mar 09, 2021 at 12:30 pm by INT

It’s been a while since a column has drawn as much response as my November review of Affinity Publisher, the layout application that has so many designers, editors and p.... Read More

Kevin makes His 2021 New Year Predictions

Jan 07, 2021 at 04:19 pm by INT

As I write this column, vaccines are beginning to make their way to first responders, the New Year has begun, and maybe – just maybe – the world is seeing a light.... Read More

Affinity Publisher: Is it ready for prime time?

Nov 17, 2020 at 02:15 pm by INT

A few years back, I received an email from Nebraska publisher Rob Dump about a design application he’d read about named Affinity Publisher. He asked if I thought he migh.... Read More

Why are Some Newspapers Growing? Answers from publishers at growing papers

Nov 05, 2020 at 03:15 pm by INT

Over the past few weeks, I’ve spoken (virtually) at five state and regional press association conventions. In all but one, my leadoff topic was “What’s Going.... Read More
Slideshow

Kevin answers questions about colors, photo settings, paragraph styles and ligatures

Jul 06, 2020 at 12:15 pm by INT

So, what do professional speakers do during a pandemic? I can’t speak for all the speakers in the world, but among other things, I’ve been leading a lot of webinar.... Read More

Finding Ways to Generate Revenue

Jun 20, 2020 at 09:15 am by INT

It’s a crazy time for all of us. I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know. Like many of you, I’ve been working out of my home office for six.... Read More

No Bull: What works and what doesn't

Mar 29, 2020 at 05:32 pm by staff

I will remember fall '19 as a season of research. I was involved in two major newspaper studies: one related to Millennials for North Dakota Newspaper Foundation and one to de.... Read More

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