How to design a newsletter?

Vioarr10 February 2011 · 12:01

Ok so I've got to put together this newsletter and I just get thrown all this text that I've got to fit on a 4 or 8 page newsletter, like its going to be folded so that it'll have a spine. Anyway I always end up with gaping holes where I've ran out of text or have to change the type size to fit all the text in a certain area. The person wants to have the images under certain paragraphs so some images end up with completely different proportions than others so as they fit.

So I'm not sure if I should just make a template first and the writer can make the content to fit in my space? I'm not a graphic designer but I need to put together a eloquent newsletter quickly.

Any help would be appreciated.

blank

You need to hire a graphic designer.

Bendy

Start with a template. Fitting the design around text will make a real mess. Any good editor can fit text to the space available.

Vioarr

Dunwich: Unfortunately it's not possible, I'm not the one hiring.

Bendy: Thanks.

James Michaels

Tell your editor how many words they need to add or cut from each article. It may take a few rounds of changes to get it right.

Don't change the text size from article to article, but sometimes you can get away with making a slight change to the leading (like maybe 1/2 point) between lines to make an article a little shorter or longer. Not ideal technique, but it works. And if your columns are rag right (rather than justified) you can change a column's width very slightly to adjust the depth a little. But it's better just to let the editor edit the article's length.

"Filler" articles (quotes, jokes, or whatever) can be used to fill gaps. And callouts can be used to fill space and add visual interest.

This article has some tips on newsletter design:
http://www.creativepro.com/files/story_images/20050316newsletter.pdf

oprion

Also, creative cropping of the images is a great way fill some gaps.

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