🚀 go-pugleaf

Nicky, 

      what is the best software for creating crisp and professional looking
      flyers/posters/leaflets and publications of that sort?




Fireworks is the wrong app for print materials. Look into the Creative Suite CS4. Its key design apps are generally used together. Multi-page documents are best served by starting with page layout software, such as InDesign. (Or QuarkXPress). Single page documents, such as posters can be done with that software or with Illustrator. Graphics or illustration, Illustrator or Photoshop, or a combination of the two, which can then be placed into a page layout app. Photo retouching and enhancement, Photoshop. Logos, Illustrator. Heavy typography, InDesign or QuarkXPress.

Personally, I do most work in a page layout app, and add elements from Illustrator and/or Photoshop.

Client presentation and final art files for print reproduction are often file conversions to Acrobat PDFs.

Assuming that you have some natural creative talent, it would appear that, in addition to becoming proficient in a lot of professional software, there is still another long learning curve ahead of you, from learning everything about typography, graphic design, copy writing (or at least copy editing), and photo retouching to appropriate stock (paper) choices, color management, ink, bindery, printing, and how best to prepare art for print production.

I hope this helps get you started, and I wish you well.

Neil