Build a Newspaper
Build Better Stories
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Q & A for Creating your own Newspaper


GETTING STARTED
Q. Why bother when I can use newsLETTER templates?

A. Great question. Let me answer it this way:

1. Would you like the writing in your stories to flow automatically for you from column to column?

2. How about that professional "newspaper" look? Would you like to have that from using only Microsoft Word?

3. Could you use a nifty little byline and header that precedes every story?

4. Ever have the need for a folding newspaper, maybe for a school newspaper, instead of the usual front-back thing?

5. If you're a teacher, wouldn't you love to differentiate and use content from different subject areas to write a newspaper?

6. What if comics, crosswords, and weather could be included?

Seriously.  A newsletter?

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Q. How do I make sure that I get only the template pages I want?

A. After you go to the Templates page to find what you want, read the description of each “series” on the page.  We offer different levels to differentiate through both elementary and secondary, from the low 100 series to the high 400 series. You can also click the thumbnail picture of each page to get a closer look.

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Q. How do I ensure I can use the templates again with my students after we replace the everything with our own stories?

A. Easy but often overlooked.  Always keep the original download on your computer and give only a copy to your students.  Each time before using with students, make a copy from the master to use. We also recommend using the school network if you have multiple students accessing the same page.  It becomes a great collaborative project!


Q. I downloaded my template(s) to my computer and now I can't find them.

A. If you're using Firefox, go up to TOOLS>DOWNLOADS. This brings up the box with your recent downloads; click on the templates to reopen them.  And then do a SAVE AS and save each one where you want on your computer. 

If you want to know where all your downloads are going (and to change that location if needed) go to TOOLS>OPTIONS and making sure the MAIN tab is selected at the top, take a look under Downloads to see where they go.  Then navigate to that folder to find it!



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BASIC USE

Q. How do I replace the default photos?

A. New photos added to pages are inserted in two ways and then resized to fit the width of one column (2.45”) or across two together (4.9”).  First, click the default photo and delete it.  Then, to insert photos, either go to Insert>Picture>From File, or copy/paste from a source into the document.  You may have to move the photo a bit to desired location.  See questions under Formatting for how to move and re size.

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Q. Can I add a photo anywhere else in the template?
 
A. Yes, insert pictures as described above. However, though your template may be altered you risk some formatting issues or blank spaces. All pictures, text boxes and columns are equal in size: 2.45”

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Q. How do I add another text box to my story?

A. You can add it to the template but don’t forget to link it if you want a story to flow from existing boxes to your newly added one. Go to Insert at the top and choose text box.  Then draw where you want it.   You should see a tiny toolbar on your screen with a picture of what looks like a chain “link.” (if you don’t, go to View>Toolbars>textbox) Click the link, which turns your curser into a bucket.  Click the new box you want linked from the preceding text box. Writing will now overflow into the new box.  Lastly, if you don’t want a border, double-click the border; go to the colors and lines tab, and under Lines, choose No Line.

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FORMATTING

Q. I’ve pasted or inserted a photo into my newspaper template but text boxes hide part of it. What did I do wrong?

A. Pictures brought into Word contain special formatting.  Reformat the picture so you can resize it and move it around.  Find a section of the picture that’s visible, even if it’s mostly under the boxes.
  1. Right-click the photo>format picture.
  2. Click Layout tab> advanced button>text wrapping tab, and choose through.
  3. Click OK twice.
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Q. How do I re-size pictures?

A. Before resizing, make sure you have formatted the picture so you can move it around the page (see above). Now, choose option 1 or 2.
1. Grab a corner of the photo and click and drag to make smaller as you eyeball it. Or
2. Right-click or double-click the photo and choose the Size tab.  Change width and/or height of photo, taking into account the preset column dimensions of 2.45”

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Q. No matter what I do, I can’t move objects or a picture slightly to move it.  I click and drag, but it moves too far.  I want to move it every so slightly to make the perfect newspaper. Help!

A. The secret here is to click the object (you’ll see diagonal lines).  Next, click the border.  When you see the lines turn into dots, hold CTRL (alt on a mac) and use your navigation arrows to move the object.  It moves only slightly, allowing you to adjust perfectly for alignment.  For pictures, click the photo once and move it the same way.

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Q. What do I do if a message pops up saying that the Margins are Set Outside of the Print Area of the Page?

A. The newspaper template was created with set margins so everything prints.  Choose "Ignore" or "print anyway" and do not adjust margins.
Warnings and Suggestions

When you're ready to print your newspaper, do not change the margins, even if you get a message saying the margins are outside of the print area. Ignore and print anyway. I have set the margins to print all words.

Image quality – make sure if you’re using Google images that you click the image to see the full-size version; THAT'S the one you want to copy or save.

Google images may be filtered through use of the drop-down at the top of the search results page.  Click the drop-down to filter from small to extra-large.

You WILL receive an email from me with the link to download your template(s). You have exactly one download so click that link and choose yes to download it. Be careful and note where you are saving it.  See Getting Started for more information.

Word has a great feature called Word Count under tools.  Highlight the text in the story (or your own words in a separate document) and click Word Count to get an estimation of what can fit into a new story. You may have change the wording a bit to make it but that ends up benig excellent practice for writing brevity.

Lastly, do you think I've treated you fairly and offer a good service? If so, perhaps you'd recommend Buildanewspaper.com to others.  Please use your Facebook page, a school website, your portaportal, or even a blog -- Google will find it for people's search results. Thank you!

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