Is there anything else you have used for text layout, whether small time or big time program? I thought about taking a look at Scribus or some version of Latex. Both free, though I have no problem paying for good software.
I have tried several App Store offerings including
iStudio and
Swift Publisher and found them in some ways superior to Pages. Adequate for home or perhaps very small business maybe, but not worth my effort to produce the caliber of output I wanted.
I found I could get closer to what I wanted with NeoOffice. Like MS Word it is ill suited to text layout/desktop publishing but if you know it well enough it can produce acceptable, but not great results. (It is amazing what you can
force fit if you use a big enough hammer 😠) At least you aren't saddled with having to shovel your way through and use a bunch of glitzy templates that are the stock in trade of so many desktop publishing apps.
I have also explored some open source/freeeware apps, but their learning curve was steep and their documentation either too scanty or targeted toward knowledgeable pros using Windows so like the App Store products they ended up in the trash folder.
I would have gladly used InDesign but it was too pricey for my budget and/or needs and then then Adobe went to the software rental business model and I simply could not justify the annual cost. The same could be said for Photoshop. Then Affinity came along and I climbed on their bandwagon early. I have started with Version 1 or earlier of Affinity Photo, Designer, and now Publisher and so far I feel I have been well rewarded for being an early adopter. As I said, I keep hoping they will come up with an alternative to Adobe's Dreamweaver.
