Create a family newsletter

The photos you include can also set a tone for your newsletter—more or less intimate, serious, or silly, depending on your sensibilities.

Pictures are a must. They add pizzazz and visual interest to your newsletter and they’re great for breaking up blocks of text.

• One way to find a theme and get started on your newsletter is to pick a few favorite photos from the month or season that you’re writing about.
• You don’t need to include a lot of photos to make your newsletter effective. You could choose just one favorite photo each month and share that singular story.
• Let the photos drive the text by creating small stories to go with each image.

Get tips for taking better photos.

Don’t try to detail everything that has happened in your household. What would your friends or distant family members most like to hear about?

To get started, think about who will be reading your newsletter and what they would like to hear about. Good topics include:

• Job changes or promotions
• Births or adoptions
• New pets
• Engagements, weddings, or anniversaries
• Moving to a new home
• Family vacations or summer camps the kids attended
• Anecdotes or funny stories
• A theme that is applicable to the entire family—like an upcoming reunion or anniversary

If you have trouble with a conversational style, try recording yourself talking and then transcribing it as a jumping off point.

You don’t have to be a professional writer to create an engaging newsletter. Just follow these guidelines:

• Keep the tone casual.
• Write about your feelings or experiences. Tell a story about your photos instead of just stating facts.
• Pretend that you are describing these events to a friend—that’s the conversational tone you want to capture in your letter.
• Keep it light. Concentrate on the good things that happened to you and your family.
• Consider describing how thankful you are to friends and family for the support they provide for you.
• Keep descriptions short and sweet—one page is the ideal length for a newsletter.
• It is always a good idea to get a second set of eyes to proofread your newsletter before you print good-quality copies.

You can use an HP All-in-One like the HP Photosmart 6520 e-All-in-One Printer to scan photos, 3D objects, or the kids' artwork.

Don’t limit your imagery to photos. Lend a genuine, heartwarming touch to your newsletter by scanning images and 3D objects with an HP All-in-One like the HP Photosmart 6520 e-All-in-One Printer .

Also, unique objects make interesting illustrations. Using a flatbed scanner, you can use virtually anything that will fit onto the scanner.

Learn how to scan 3D objects.

Use our three newsletter templates for any event! Just add photos and text and you’re ready to print copies—or send the newsletter electronically.

Templates make it easy to create an attractive, photo-filled newsletter. And, with our free Word templates, anyone can do it. Just enter your text and photos—it’s fast and easy!

You’ll find the simple instructions within each downloadable template:

You can find additional downloadable templates on the HP Creative Studio that are perfect for colorful, one-page family newsletters.