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‘‘The Master Class was
the most
inspirational and informative session on the creative process of producing
a magazine that one could imagine. I’m really excited about magazine
design again, thanks to you.’’
ROY COMISKEY,
ART DIRECTOR,
SECURITY MANAGEMENT
‘‘I love this guy! Sugar is good
at breaking a large subject into bite-size and definable pieces. [He]
has a true under-standing of the art & editorial relationship.’’
FROM FOLIO:SHOW
EVALUATION SHEETS
‘‘Rob Suagar is a
fabulous speaker.
He seamlessly combines humor, interest, and educational material for
an insightful look at information you can really use. (What Works & Why)
caters to every level of designer and editor. This is invaluable for
anyone looking to make their magazine really ‘click.’’’
FROM FOLIO:SHOW
EVALUATION SHEETS
Master Classes—April 19-20, 2007.
Now in its fourth year, AURAS Master Classes
have helped hundreds of professionals:
• Produce a more engaging magazine
• Increase reader satisfaction
• Save money on production
• Have a more productive staff
Do YOU know...
• What’s the weakest part of your publication—and how you can improve it?
• Why is your ISSUE MAP the critical design element?
• How archetypes can give your pub more credibility?
• Why “tent poles” make your title more interesting?
• How do you create compelling FRANCHISE CONTENT?
• How you can increase your publication’s “Q”?
• What’s “C/P/R”—and how can it improve your magazine?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions—or worse—didn’t even know to ask them, auras Master Classes could be the best investment your publication has ever made.
Seasoned publishers, editors and designers who work in associations, corporate communications, or small publication companies can benefit from sessions with Robert Sugar. No one anywhere teaches classes like these. And there is nowhere else where you will find information like this.
For the first time, early registrants have the opportunity to request session topics—even specific questions about their publications! Plus auras Master Classes have been updated with new sessions, more interactivity, and plenty of time to ask questions about your magazine.
Classes
Day 1:
The Ten-Step Magazine Self-Critique
Day 2:
Design for Editors and Art Directors
Enthusiast, Trade and Association Publications
Class 1—Design From the Inside Out
Everything we know about magazine design is now presented in an even more practical and accessible format. It’s an excellent way for everyone who works on a magazine to see how design and editorial work together. This class can help your entire staff “get on the same page.”
It’s sexy to concentrate on covers, TOCs or features, but real editorial design comes from applying a carefully thought through mission, the structure of the content, and carefully chosen visual elements. Here’s a step-by-step approach to examining these elements and how they ultimately are applied to your publication’s visual identity.
Examine these critical issues:
• Three types of design and why each is important
• The “basics” of design, why they are often ignored and why getting them right is crucial
• Mission statements and business plans as the fundamentals for design
• Use “archetypes” to engage the reader
• Prioritization and navigation ideas that help your reader “get it”
• Brand your magazine through design and franchise content
• Use “C/P/R” to breathe life into your pub
• Get the most from covers and contents
Class 2—The Ten-Step Magazine Self-Critique
Evaluating your own publication can be an impossible task, but THIS session gives you the power! The Ten-Step Critique applies everything from the previous class into a format you can use to evaluate your own publication, and plan a strategy for improvement.
During the class, we will go through a sample critique demonstrating the evaluation criteria and the focus of each step. Following a break, we will conduct short exercises using your own publications to prepare for a fuller, in-house critique that you can conduct yourself.
The critique can answer these questions:
• Is your mission statement well-formed and reflected in your magazine’s content?
• How effective is your template?
• Is your editorial calendar improving your publication?
• Do the navigational elements in your magazine help readers?
• Do your contents page and cover work as hard as they should?
• Are your production standards high enough?
• How can you fine-tune your redesign?
Class 3—Design for Editors and Art Directors
Understand the critical skills and requirements of designers, and the role they play in enhancing editorial impact, improving reader response and making your magazine have a consistent “personality.” Editors need a clear understanding of the value of design and how they play the vital role in getting the best from their designers; and designers need empowerment and responsibility to enhance the editorial.
Workflow issues, job scope and responsibility for direction are the three greatest challenges faced by most creative staffs. Poor execution and fortress mentality leads to low productivity, a stifling of creativity and bad personnel relationships. This session tries to directly tackle the issues that lead to work fatigue and dysfunction in your staff and create more harmony and creative energy that can be applied to every issue of your magazine.
This class examines these delicate issues:
• Workflows that work better
• Job scopes that empower creativity and responsibility
• Sharing editorial development
• Focusing on templates and editorial structure
• Tweaking the smallest elements
• Improving the editorial voice in the magazine
• Building in critical long-term necessities
Class 4—Enthusiast, Trade & Association Pubs
Enthusiast, B-to-B and Association titles have their own unique editorial and design issues, but their value applies to every kind of publication. Producing a quality publication in an environment of controlled expenditures and competing with titles produced by larger publishers present formidable challenges to niche magazines.
Explore techniques that make your magazine a stronger asset for your organization and an information vehicle that becomes a necessity for your readership. Review redesigns of these types of titles and the philosophies behind their editorial structure and design priorities.
Your publication will benefit from these areas:
• Design counts: easy ways to make your publication more interesting, your readership excited and your management happier
• Examine the calendar: make the year special
• Covers, contents pages and issue flow: the keys to reader interest
• Become the 800-pound gorilla in your industry
• Politics and value: positioning your publication as an essential value-added benefit in your organization beyond the bottom line
About the Master Classes
Busy magazine pros have a hard time finding the time or money to take professional enrichment sessions. AURAS Master Classes are created to be convenient to attend and be a clearly justifiable investment.
MASTER CLASSES FIT INTO A BUSY WORKING LIFE. All four classes will be held as an intensive two-day workshop.
LIMITED SIZE FOR UNLIMITED ACCESS. Only 50 registrants will be accepted (first come, first serve!) for each class to facilitate interactivity and personal attention. Each class also includes a catered lunch, as well as plenty of time for questions and conversation. Attendees should bring their magazines and their issues with them. The Master Classes will incorporate suggestions from previous attendees for more discussion, Q&A time and specific critique of your titles in class. After the classes, AURAS will be there for you too, answering questions and even critiquing your comps.
SIX MONTHS OF “TECH SUPPORT.” Everyone who attends the sessions will be eligible to continue the conversation that starts at the class. The entire staff of AURAS will be available to help with your design and production issues.
Location
All classes will be held at the AURAS Conference Facility, 8435 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, Maryland, Second Floor.
For hotel information, visit the lodging section of silverspringdowntown.com.
Feel free to call Ted Bonar at 301-587-4300 if you need help arranging a reservation.
For More Information
Via email: You can always send questions directly to
Rob
at robsugar@auras.com, or Ted
at bonar@auras.com
By phone: Call AURAS at 301-587-4300 and ask for Ted Bonar for help with any questions.
