FAQ QUICK LINKS
GETTING STARTED
GETTING STARTED
Q. Why bother when I can use newsLETTER templates?
A. Great question -- unless you're asking AFTER you've seen my templates and what they offer for less than $4. Let me answer your question with six rhetorical question(s):
1. Would you like the text 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 them again with my students after we replace the text 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>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 story?
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 the text box 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 your box 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 text box you want linked from the preceding text box. Text will now overflow into the new box. Lastly, if you don’t want a border, double-click the textbox 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 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 text boxes.
- Right-click the photo>format picture.
- Click Layout tab> advanced button>text wrapping tab, and choose through.
- 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 my text box or picture slightly to move it. I click and drag, but it moves too far. I want to move it every so slightly. Help!
A. The secret here is to click the text box (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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Random Thoughts and Miscellaneous Suggestions
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.
Watch margins for printing if you edit/modify the template.
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