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Step 1
Use templates to create the look you want for your document. Load existing templates or make new ones to save for later use. Look for pre-existing letter, greeting card or report documents. Drop your information into the correct places and print.
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Step 2
Change the Page Setup (usually under the "File" option at the top of the screen). You decide the page size and margins depending on the size of paper you're printing onto or the type of document you're making.
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Step 3
Use headlines to break up your document into sections. Make your headlines bold, centered, with a larger font size than your normal text. Use headlines in reports, stories and articles to designate chapter or section beginnings.
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Step 4
Make paragraphs easier to read by breaking them up with space, font and alignment. Normal documents--reports, newsletters, novels, letters--often use left or justified alignment and a 12-point font that is not bold or italicized. Create emphasis or draw your attention to a certain paragraph by changing the norm.
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Step 5
Add a table of contents page, an index page, headers and footers, footnotes and endnotes to organize your document. Reports often require source citations and carefully noted information. Use word-processing styles to give you this organization.
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Step 6
Create page numbers with the click of your mouse. Most word processors have an option for adding page numbers--you can choose to number every page, leave the first page out of tabulation and use Roman numerals or spelled-out numerals instead of numbers for a more sophisticated look.
