SCHOOL MAG:EVERY YEAR we get a range of magazine styles, from professional software creations to masterpieces in scissors and glue. If you go for the latter you need no help from me, except to remind you not to run with scissors and not to glue your mag to the desk.

If you are planning on using design software, however, there are a few things you should bear in mind. Before you embark on your design, find a printing service and ask for advice. If you’re going to produce it in InDesign or QuarkXpress you need to be sure that the printing service you’re using will be able to handle the software. If they can’t, you may need to save your final creation in what is called a PDF. This is a Portable Document Folder, which allows you to give work you created in a particular kind of software to someone who doesn’t have that software on their computer.

The issue with PDFs is that the person who receives them can’t make changes, so if there are mistakes – such as pages that are the wrong size or misplaced margins – the magazine will have to come back to you. This is the point at which panic sets in and deadlines are missed. That’s why you should have a good, detailed conversation with your printing service before you start, so you’ll know exactly what page sizes and margin settings you’ll need.

If you are using more basic desktop publishing software the same rules apply, but exchanging info should be simpler. No matter what software you use, remember this: stick to your own design concept and make the software work for you. It’s too easy to get your head turned by all the kooky functions that the software offers. Just because you can turn your headlines into graduated spectrums with drop shadows doesn’t mean you should. Choose fonts, colours and effects wisely, and don’t get carried away with design software gimmickry.

After Christmas: the rules of subediting