Journal
Announcing: Five Simple Steps the Book
- Posted on: October 27, 2006
- In: Simple Steps
- Comments closed
This is a project of mine that has been kicking around for well over a year now, so I thought I’d stick my neck out and just go with it. I’m going to be releasing Five Simple Steps: Designing for the Web as a PDF download book in a couple of months time (around Christmas). It will cost $19. It will be stacked full of useful, practical information for applying graphic design principles to designing on the web.
How much will it cost?
It will be priced at $19, but you can get $5 off by signing up to the mailing list.
What’s it about?
Like my Five Simple Steps articles, the book will be based on five steps you can work on to improve your design. These vary from very short and simple things like how to set a list correctly, to how to design a complex, modular grid system. They’re not meant to be a complete design lesson in the varying fields. More like a refresher for those pople who have design schooling and a brief, practical lesson for those who don’t.
What’s in it?
There will be five chapters; Ideas and Research, Typography, Grid Systems, Colour, Layout and Form.
In each of the five chapters, there will be five steps. Simple really.
Aren’t they the same as your articles which are free on this site?
No. The new book will have rewritten articles following the same basic subjects. Not only that, but there’s two whole new chapters in there: Ideas and Research and Layout and Form (which won’t be available free. Yet.) The chapters will be rehashed, reordered and rewritten. I’ve risen the bar in terms of quality and the illustrations produced. I’m pretty chuffed with the results and I hope you will be too.
Is there a printed version?
Not yet. I’ve thought about Lulu and other self-publishing printers, but at this stage I’m focussing on the core product and initial delivery as a PDF from this site. If there’s demand for a printed version, then I’ll certainly consider it.
Why not just get it published?
There’s a few reasons and I’ve thought long and very hard about the whole self-publishing thing. The first is market value. This book, as it’s very niche, has limited market value (in the grand scheme of things). This would make the returns for any publisher lower than, say, a CSS book with a slant to simple steps. You see, CSS sells books. Fair enough. But being a bit of a control freak, this project is my baby and I wanted it produced and released on my terms.
Give me your email address
And I’ll give you $5 off when the books available. How’s that for a bargain?
When is it out?
Christmas 2006 (ish).
So, there you have it. Pop over to the site and sign up now for the discount. Keep tuned for the next installment of the latest Five Simple Steps article (colour), which is due to be posted some time over the weekend.
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I'm a graphic designer from near Cardiff in the UK. I've been a designer for over ten years now and primarily work on the web. I'm still partial to a bit of print every now and then though. I used to work for Agency.com in London as an Art Director before working as a Senior Designer for the BBC in sunny Cardiff. This was all before I took leave of my senses and formed my own design consultancy, Mark Boulton Design Ltd.
I've got a thing about grids and typography and occasionally ramble on about them to anyone who will listen.
Mark Boulton Design
If you're after simple, clean and effective web design; let me know.
Comments
Count me in! I’m signed up and look forward to reading the book. I hope you choose to do something like Lulu, as I don’t really fancy reading PDF’s on a screen (personal preference), and I would pay the extra bit to have a printed copy in my hands.
Regardless, I am glad to see you putting all of these topics into one book. This will be very valuable for any web developer/designer.
Nate K
Fri 27th Oct 2006
at 2:38 pm
For my money, this is the most-anticipated release of the year. Well, maybe excepting the iPhone.
Can’t wait, Mark.
Jeff Croft
Fri 27th Oct 2006
at 3:05 pm
You’re too kind Jeff! Now I’ve just got to deliver on that anticipation! :)
Mark Boulton
Fri 27th Oct 2006
at 3:10 pm
Excellent news!
I’ve been an avid reader of your “simple steps” series of articles, but sometimes don’t quite understand you perfectly (due to little background in design related work). Hopefully, this book should help me understand some design fundamentals better.
Really looking forward to this, and for $19, you can’t go wrong!
One thing, will we see any excerpts before the official release?
Oliver Charles
Fri 27th Oct 2006
at 3:31 pm
You are a special, special man. Glad this has come together nicely. Definitely gong to blow some dollar on it.
Hey, don’t forget that other PDF book idea we had…
Colly
Fri 27th Oct 2006
at 3:38 pm
Perfect - can’t wait! The perfect designers Chrimbo present!
David Horn
Fri 27th Oct 2006
at 3:39 pm
Did I suggest this on your last tips post? I was meaning to.
I signed up for the mailing list and will buy it immediately upon release.
Love your writing.
Sheldon Kotyk
Fri 27th Oct 2006
at 3:44 pm
See, I told you that we would all appreciate you writing a book. Congratulations on taking that step of faith and releasing something that will definitely be a benefit to the community.
Can’t. Wait.
John Peele
Fri 27th Oct 2006
at 3:45 pm
Looking forward to it!
I was just reading one of the steps articles, and I thought someone had mentioned it.
Best of luck to you!
Damian Karlson
Fri 27th Oct 2006
at 3:56 pm
By the way—looks like the comment error page has a few errors on it.
Damian Karlson
Fri 27th Oct 2006
at 4:03 pm
Signed up. Debit card on desk...tapping...tapping. This book is by far one of the most anticipated reads for me this year (hopefully...on the 2006ish note) - no offense Jeff, I’ve preordered yours - ok...so they tie for first place. =)
Adam Spooner
Fri 27th Oct 2006
at 4:04 pm
Hot damn! I’m looking forward to this.
Kevin Tamura
Fri 27th Oct 2006
at 4:25 pm
Starting as a designer-by-circumstance in a small company, your articles provided exactly the prompting I needed in my early days to return a professional result. Thanks for that! This book can’t come soon enough.
Malcolm McDonald
Fri 27th Oct 2006
at 4:30 pm
Hi Mark, I think I’ll wait until you’ve got a printed version but all the same best of luck with your project.
Just one thing, make sure you secure the PDF documentproperly. By being this format you leave it open for people to email etc
Graham Sanders
Fri 27th Oct 2006
at 4:35 pm
I’m excited about this. I think the ebook is a great idea--I like the quick accessibility and the fact that I don’t have to fret about something making it through Canadian customs without another $25 fee on top of the book’s price :) I’d love to see more ebooks like this, and I think you have a strong market for them.
reese
Fri 27th Oct 2006
at 4:36 pm
Signed up… and eagerly awaiting the download.
Thanks Mark.
Joshua Brewer
Fri 27th Oct 2006
at 4:59 pm
I’m doing a web design course at the moment and I’ve found your simple steps invaluable. I’m also an editor in the educational book publishing industry, so I appreciate the value of good graphic design. I think you could easily make a strong case to a major publisher to print something like this. There’s little out there like it—I’ve looked.
Good luck. And I look forward to reading it.
Nick Canham
Fri 27th Oct 2006
at 5:31 pm
Looking forward to it! Signed up. thanks.
Matthijs
Fri 27th Oct 2006
at 5:36 pm
Yay, fantastic! I’,m really looking forward to this. It’s great to see you formalize these ideas. Not that a weblog isn’t something significant in and of itself, but putting them together in a book is really great.
Khoi Vinh
Fri 27th Oct 2006
at 6:22 pm
Looking forward to it! All the best, Ian.
Ian Fenn
Fri 27th Oct 2006
at 6:41 pm
Mark,
Awesome project. I’m signing up right now, and I would definitely support a printed version as well. Question: Are you still working on Flow?
Matt
Fri 27th Oct 2006
at 6:57 pm
This is great news! I’m signing up immediately, and looking forward to Volume 2.
Carolyn Wood
Fri 27th Oct 2006
at 7:21 pm
Dear Mark,
I’m a huge fan of your Five Simple Steps series, and I cannot wait until you release this book!
Katie
Fri 27th Oct 2006
at 9:47 pm
Great stuff Mark! I’m really looking forward to the release date as I’ve been an avid reader of your free articles here so far :)
Callum Mcleod
Fri 27th Oct 2006
at 9:54 pm
Matt: Yep, Flow is still being worked on. We’re not commiting to a launch date or anything yet as we’re both just so busy at the moment and there’s just so much you can do on the side. That said, we’re hoping to ramp up work on it in the next month or so.
Mark Boulton
Sat 28th Oct 2006
at 8:20 am
Great! Can’t wait to read it?
Julian Schrader
Sat 28th Oct 2006
at 3:03 pm
Looking forward to it Mark, signed up for the Maillist.
^licks^
jammie & lion
Jamie Knight
Sat 28th Oct 2006
at 11:30 pm
Looks good. Call me old fashioned though - I’d love to see a printed version - bit of a book lover I’m afraid.
Damien
Mon 30th Oct 2006
at 4:03 am
Hey Mark. Give me a shout if you want any proofreading done! Will swap services for a free copy ;-)
J
Joe
Mon 30th Oct 2006
at 9:47 am
Damien: A printed version could be a possibility with a service like Lulu. However, the problem is colour, especially when you have a chapter dedicated to the subject. Printing one-off copies with Lulu in colour is pretty expensive. However, I may well offer it for people who want to pay a premium for a bound, colour version.
Joe: Hey joe - I may well take you up on that offer… :)
Mark Boulton
Tue 31st Oct 2006
at 12:00 pm
I was reviewing your 5 simple steps to better typography - Hanging punctuation and I realised you haven’t yet hung your bulleted lists. Just a reminder.
And now a question: When will you post the last 2 steps of Typesetting on the web?
Alex Ciobica
Tue 31st Oct 2006
at 7:19 pm
Nice can’t wait to get my hands on it!
Marko Mihelcic
Fri 3rd Nov 2006
at 8:05 am