Creating a Newsletter in Microsoft Word

Freeform

Without Using a Template

Created by Bill Ernst

Getting Started• Select Microsoft Word. It will be located on

the dock and is represented by a blue “W” icon.

• A “Project Gallery” box will appear and “Word Document” will be highlighted (in blue). Select “Open” to bring up a blank document on your desktop.

Microsoft Word Toolbars

• The key to control is using the toolbars, which are located at the top and bottom of the document. If no toolbars are present, select “View”, then “Toolbars”, then check “Standard”, “Formatting”, and “Drawing”. These three toolbars will appear at the top and side of the desktop. Additional toolbars (specialized in nature) are also available.

Microsoft Word Toolbars

The “Standard” toolbar lets you• Create a new blank document• Open a previous document and save your current

document• Print, copy, cut, paste, undo and redo an action• Create tables, borders, and columns• Increase and decrease your document size

• Pull down a floating Formatting Palette • Get help from the Toolbox or MS Word Help

Microsoft Word Toolbars

The “Formatting” toolbar lets you• Choose a font and style• Choose a font size• Make words (or letters) bold, italic, or underlined• Align the document (left, centered, right)• Make a bulleted or numbered list

• Control indentation and adding borders • Highlight (with color) words and change text from

black

Microsoft Word Toolbars

The floating “Formatting” toolbar lets you do everything the fixed Formatting toolbar does and

• Lets you move the Formatting Palette to any convenient location

• Add objects such as symbols, lines, graphics, WordArt, and AutoShapes

• Control the margins of the document with numeric control (in inches)

Microsoft Word ToolbarsThe “Drawing” toolbar (by default) is a

vertical panel that• lets you draw and create shapes with

straight and curved lines• add objects such as WordArt, ClipArt,

AutoShapes,and pictures• create and place geometric shapes on

your document• add text using a text box• control the color and thickness of your

lines• Rotate any object you’ve place on

your document• Fill in areas with color

Creating a Newsletter

• Here is a sample newsletter. This step-by-step tutorial will guide you through the steps required to create this document. This document relies heavily on the creation of “Text Box” information areas. Also included is WordArt, ClipArt, and a photograph.

Creating a Newslettero Open a new blank document.o Type the desired date (size 14 bold)

and place it in the top right corner by highlighting the text and selecting the right-hand justify icon.

o Now type in your newsletter title. (Use font size 24 and make it bold.) Center this title by using the centering tool.

o Create a Text Box by selecting “Insert”, then “Text Box” from the Standard Toolbar. Expand the box to your desired size and move it to your desired location.

Right-hand justify

Centering toolBold Tool

Creating a Newsletter

Font Size Change Tool Right Hand

Justify

Text inserted into the box will automatically wrap around to give a neat appearance. Size 14 works well; use size 12 if you have a lot of information to convey. Use the bold tool for titles.

The Text Box feature allows a user to create any size box. This newsletter is divided into two columns. The text boxes can be moved anywhere and can be resized. The right text box is wider and is given a border. The three text boxes on the left are customized to fit the amount of information displayed.

Creating a NewsletterAdding WordArt, in this case “Happy New Year”, is added from the WordArt folder. Select “Insert”, then “Picture”, then “WordArt”. You will get a large selection of styles from which to choose. Make your choice and select “OK”. Then type your text and select “OK”. You can resize your WordArt if you think it is too big or small. Your WordArt will appear on top of your document and can be moved to any position.

Change WordArt size here

Note: WordArt can also be added from the “Drawing” toolbar

Creating a NewsletterClipArt is added from the ClipArt folder. Select “Insert”, then “Picture”, then “ClipArt”. You will get a category list from which to choose. Highlight the category and image you want to use and select Insert. The image can be resized and moved anywhere on your document. You can even put ClipArt inside a text box.

Creating a Newsletter Adding photographs can be

problematic because megapixel cameras generate huge images. You may find the newsletter can’t print correctly unless you shrink the size of the photo. Here is one way to make an image smaller.

1. Download your image to iPhoto from your digital camera.

2. Put the photo on your desktop by dragging it from iPhoto.

3. Note the photo’s name and location on your desktop. We will use Preview to reduce the photo’s size.

Preview

Creating a Newsletter4. Using Preview, “Open” the image.

5. Find the image on your desktop (it will have letter/number name unless you renamed it) and open it.

Select the image and Open

Creating a Newsletter6. The photo will appear on the Preview

clipboard. Choose “Tools” and “Adjust Size”. The Image Dimensions box will appear.

7. Choose “Other”, then select “640 x 480”. This will downsize the photo to a manageable size.

Creating a Newsletter8. You will now see a much smaller

image on the Preview clipboard. Select “File”, then “Save As”, and rename the image with a memorable name. Select “OK” and the image will appear on your desktop. You can now drag the image onto your newsletter. Resize it to fit your needs.

Another way to downsize your photo is to highlight it from the iPhoto contact sheet. Then select Email from the bottom right of the window.

Creating a Newsletter A “Mail Photo” box will appear.

Change the size to “Small”. Then select “Compose”. It will take about 15 seconds for the downsized photo to appear in a new email window. Drag this smaller photo onto your document. You can now resize and move the photo to your desired location.

Creating a Newsletter

Each of the elements presented (text box size and shape, fonts, ClipArt, WordArt, photographs) can be changed from week-to-week. Common and recurring topics (such as weekly work or the date and title) can be in a fixed position and size through-out the school year.

Creating a Newsletter

Remember to use the “Help” tool (located on the right-hand side of the topmost Word tool bar) when you have questions.