Well, this isn't a normal pagemaking job because I am not actually starting from scratch.
I am starting off with a copy of the pagemaking file that I used for creating version 0.6. I then went through and deleted all of the text frames (excluding the title and credits page), leaving all of the art in place. This also allows me to work with the already existing page layout and borders and stuff, without having to recreate them from scratch.
The first step is to take this and import the manuscript (a Word document). In the past when I have done this, I used an option that told it to fill up the pages (and it would add any needed pages), but this time, since I know that I had added pages here and there within the text, I only expanding the imported text one frame at a time (i.e. half a page at a time), so that way I can add or subtract pages more easily as needed. For example, I ended up adding several page, and Talents will start on page 26 instead of page 24 in version 0.7 (remember, we added to Fate Points, added a new Class, and reworded some other things. Also, I will be looking for orphans and such as I place the text to get things looking nice.
Anyways, once I have all of the text placed (leaving room for art in some places), I will go back and add in that art. In some cases, this will mean futzing with the text again (to again make it look nice).
Next up is the index. To do the index, I have to go through the manuscript page by page and tag the words I want to include, and also give them a hierarchy if they will be under other words. For example if I tag "Sanju", I can have it be on the top level and then I can also tag it as "Combat Style|Sanju" and/or "Combat Skill|Sanju", so there are decisions to be made. This process can take a while to catch everything. Once the index list of tagged words is complete, then I generate the index and pop it into place and format it accordingly. Luckily, I have some styles setup for that already (one of the reasons for using the same base pagemaking file).
Once that is done, then I will generate the Table of Contents (which the software does automatically), and place it and work on formatting it as well. I have only given myself one page for the TOC, so I have to be choosy about what I actually include. Perhaps I should go to 3 columns for the TOC like I do for the index? I would like to hear your thoughts on that.....
Once the TOC is done, the next step is the page references. All those "see p. xx" have to have numbers put to them, and while that isn't hard, it does take a short bit of time.
Once that is done, then I can distill the PDF, and then add the covers to it.
The next step is to make a copy of the pagemaker file, and then strip out the art and the index. And then distill that (using other options) to create the free version. This process takes maybe an hour in total (to make the free version, once the deluxe version is complete).
Anyways, once the free version is done, I then do the official release!!
(and yes, I took a break from pagemaking do write this -- frequent breaks are a requirement to prevent errors from creeping in....)
