7 Tips for Yearbook Success

At the end of a Yearbook Project, school staff often realise things they would have done differently.

We've put together this quick invaluable list which you should carefully consider. Thank you to staff who helped us contribute this list!

1 - Start on the right foot

• Fail to plan - you plan to fail
• Set simple goals for you - and this year's book
• Evaluate past yearbooks, and work out what you'll do differently

2 - Be an architect

• Plan the overall structure and content of the yearbook early on
• Use a Content Spreadsheet to plan article length, location of colour pages
• Shuffling pages around afterwards is always more difficult that you think

3 - It's due now

• Teachers and school staff are just as bad, if not worse than students in meeting deadlines
• They do not appreciate the bigger picture that you have to manage
• Make Yearbook Articles due now - most events have already happened!

4 - Photos, photos, photos

• Fantastic Yearbooks always start with Fantastic Photos
• Continually request teachers, staff and students to take photos of school events
• Take photos with the highest quality settings

5 - Implement word limits

• Articles and report submissions you receive are often too long
• Clearly communicate word limits and guidelines to contributors first
• If you don't, you'll regret and end up spending many frustrating hours editing

6 - We're in Australia

• Chances are, you'd like the yearbook to be A4 size.
• Microsoft Word, Publisher and Adobe InDesign may default incorrectly to US Letter size
• Ensure you create pages at consistent (A4) size.

7 - Let go

• At the final proofing stage, your book will still not be 100% perfect
• Force yourself to let go, and accept minor imperfections
• If you do not, you're kicking yourself in the foot. Your books may end up being late.
• You cannot please everyone 100%. If others complain, politely ask them to be involved next year!