HOW Magazine Newsletter

Here's what you'll find in this edition:

• Editor's Note
• Business Advice Every Designer Should Know
• HOW Design Annual On Newsstands, Plus A Sneak Peek Inside
• Win a Free Subscription to HOW!
• Don't Miss Out on What's Happening Now

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Editor's Note

In college, I majored in journalism and learned all about the art of crafting stories, grammar nitty-gritty and how to comb for research. When I graduated and took my first real job at HOW, I realized that those years of classes only prepared me for a sliver of what the real-world side of journalism looked like. Presenting new ideas in meetings, negotiating with writers, networking—each was a crash course of its own that I had to learn on the fly.

And isn't that often the case? We have no problem with the creative side of our jobs but end up under-prepared when it comes to the business part. To fix that, I've mined our newly revamped website for some of the best business basics you'll need (no suit required). Consider it the HOW Creative Business 101 class, and get schooled. (Then get back to why you became a designer in the first place: to design.)

— Carmen Pease, HOWdesign.com Email Update Editor

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Best Business Advice Every Designer Should Know

We filtered through the nearly 100 business-related articles posted on HOWdesign.com to pick our favorites—and help you get down to business:

• Designers' Hourly Rates
  See what other designers in the country are charging for their work and how they determine those rates.
  
  
• Make The Most of Downtime At Work
  When work gets slow, here are 6 ways to use that extra time to your advantage.
  
  
• Are You Ready To Freelance Full-Time?
  Look at our checklist to find out!
  
  
• Be Your Client's Best Friend
  8 ways to keep clients happy.
  
  
• How to Motivate Every Type of Creative
  Get specific ideas for encouraging—and getting the best from—any designer.
  
  
• Tax Preparation for Designers
  Our expert advises on top expenses creatives can write off for their taxes.
  
  

See all the business articles, specifically for designers.

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HOW Design Annual On Newsstands, Plus a Sneak Peek Inside

The next issue of HOW hits newsstands tomorrow: Our annual and highly anticipated International Design Annual where we spotlight the year's best designs, from annual reports and packaging to websites and logos. Here's a sneak peek at the project that won Best of Show this year in our International Design Awards.

Then grab a copy to see the rest and spark your inspiration for that next project or just to keep tabs on up-and-coming design trends; at more than 200 pages thick, this issue (with a blue-ribbon on the cover!) is sure to stick out on your shelf as a winner.

Read more about this year's Best of Show winning design.

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Win a free subscription to HOW!

Stock photography is a key component of every designer's toolbox. So we want to know how you use stock images and which stock-photo companies you like best. Then, we plan to share that information with HOW readers in our August 2008 issue. Please take our short survey and you'll be entered to win a free subscription to HOW (if you already subscribe, we'll extend your subscription for one year).

The 16-question survey should only take about 5 to 10 minutes to complete. Please be assured that your responses will be treated in absolute confidence and used only in combination with those of other readers. (View official sweepstakes rules.)

Take our survey.

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Don't Miss Out on What's Happening Now

Been too busy to pay attention to what's going on in the design industry lately? Here are some highlights from the past week, straight from the HOW Blog, where we deliver updates and inspiration every day, including:

• Lots of competition deadlines are coming up soon (4 in the span of one week alone for AIGA, Print magazine and Graphic Design USA). Submit designs you've done and get the recognition you deserve.
  
  
• Stefan Sagmeister has a new blog where he posts images and cool type treatments people submit about things they've learned.
  
  
• Get inspired by beautiful writing and calligraphy of yore.
  
  
• Check out a new resource that connects freelance creatives with the companies that want to hire them.
  
  
• Weigh in on the discussion about the new Animal Planet logo that's getting a lot of criticism. Love it or hate it?
  

Visit the HOW Blog for all the design news you need to know.