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Ricky TelgDept of Ag Education & CommunicationDept. of Ag Education & Communication

352-392-0502, ext. 224rwtelg@ufl.edu

InDesign templateInDesign template

Word document templateWord document template Internal audience publication: report about

goings-on in the organization to others within the organization.

External audience publication: External audience publication: ◦ “Public-driven”: public relations tool◦ Educational tool◦ Subscription-based: information about specific

items for a designated audience of subscribers.

“Traditional” letter: in a regular letter format “Traditional” letter: in a regular letter format Magaletter (small magazine-type format):

imitates a magazine in style. 4-16 pages. Newspaper or tabloid: produced on good

quality paper Looks like a tabloid newspaperquality paper. Looks like a tabloid newspaper.

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What is the newsletter’s function? Who is the audience? What kind of information will it contain? How many issues will there be? How will it be distributed? What format/size will it be? Who will produce/design it? Who will print it?

How will it be printed? What kind of paper will it be printed on? What is the budget? One color or several?

Audience considerations◦ May need more than one newsletter if you have more

than one audience. Content◦ Stories◦ Sidebars

Ph◦ Photos◦ Table of contents

Design◦ Graphics◦ Photos◦ Layout◦ Text/Typography

Write to be read fast. Start off with a “bang.” Get to the point. Use familiar words. Edit…edit….edit.

U d h dli / li / ll Use good headlines/cutlines/pull quotes.◦ Give the best articles the biggest headlines.◦ Use upper/lowercase.

Put the best first (cover page). Avoid jumps, if possible. Only jump to one

page. Avoid multiple jumps. If you HAVE to jump, use a “jumpline” from

the storythe story.

Nameplate/banner: where the name of the newsletter is. Sometimes called a “flag.”◦ Name: avoid using “newsletter” in the name.◦ Subtitle: may want a subtitle to explain the name.◦ Origin: Make sure people know where the g p p

newsletter is coming from.◦ Date

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Text/typography: ◦ Font style◦ Size◦ Number of columns Most use two- to three-column

formats. Some use four or five.◦ Justify or not? ◦ Best way to choose format

and look is by sketching out a “design.”

Lettering: 10- to 12-point font (depending on your audience).

Don’t use cutesy/funny fonts.◦ No Comic Sans.

Contrasting color with the background Contrasting color with the background. Serif (Times New Roman) for print.

Table of contents/ departments Charts/graphs Photos/illustrations

300 pixels per inch (ppi) If you use something off of the Web, it WILL

be pixilated UNLESS you use the photo extremely small.

Always use a cutline/caption. y p Try to use an “action” photo, not a “grip and

grin.” Try to use one photo per story, or at least one

photo per page. Avoid group photos. Difficult to see all of the

heads in the shot.

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Color Masthead: place where names of all who

contributed to the newsletter. ◦ Authors/contributors◦ Address, phone, Web site (email) of newsletter’s

origin◦ Date and volume number◦ Subscription information ◦ Usually on inside page (page 2)

An established format/look (an identity) Masthead Nameplate Table of contents Page numbers Sections (news features ads) Sections (news, features, ads) Graphics:◦ Photos, charts, graphs, illustrations

Captions/cutlines Headlines Jumplines Return address if a self-mailer

Drop caps Graphic symbols Photos,

illustrations, charts,

Icons to identify articles

Enlarged lead paragraphs

graphs Shaded boxes Boxes with shadows Icons for page

numbers

Special type Reverse type Pull quotes Enlarged numbers

Text-heavy newsletters.

Use short, punchy stories, when possible. “Jump” them to full stories on your Web site.

B k i h d i h Break up text with demonstration photos, action photos, or other similar graphics.

Informal/asymmetrical Formal/symmetrical

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Traditional Modern

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See the “Florida Master Gardener Identity Manual” on correct usage.

Use correct logo. Don’t alter it. No stretching, smooshing.

Who’s your audience? Internal? External? Characteristics?

Don’t put “social” information in an external newsletter.

Use correct MG logo (and don’t alter it) Use correct MG logo (and don t alter it). Content, content, content. Use visuals. Cite information. Don’t get text-heavy.

Fonts: ◦ Use professional-looking fonts. Don’t use Comic

Sans (unless it’s a very young audience).◦ Size: Use appropriate font size for your audience.

Layout: Important information goes first. y p g Use headings and color, but don’t overdo. Use boxes, but don’t make them too dark.

(5-10%).

For emailed PDFs, use low-res. Nothing bigger than 2 MB should be emailed. High-res can be linked on your Web site.