To make sure your yearbook shines and truly captures the heart and soul of your school, it’s super helpful to set up a Yearbook Style Guide. Think of it as a road map for your yearbook team, showing best practices and guidelines to follow. With set guidelines for content, design, photography, and ethics, you can keep everything consistent, high-quality, and efficient.

• STEP 1: Define the purpose and vision. This crucial step will set the tone for the entire project and ensure your yearbook tells a compelling story.
• What message do you want to convey?
• What themes or values should be highlighted?

STEP 2: Establish your editorial standards.

• Outline what types of content will be included, including student profiles, event coverage, club activities, etc.
• Set your standards for writing style, tone, and voice. Decide whether the yearbook will be formal, casual, or a mix of both. Include the writing style that matches the theme when writing for secondary coverage.
• Emphasize the importance of accurate reporting and ethical considerations like obtaining permissions for quotes and photos (read more on Ethics HERE).

STEP 3: Set your design standards.

• Provide guidelines for page layouts, including margins, spacing, and alignment. Create templates for different sections to ensure accuracy.
• Choose a set of fonts and specify their usage (e.g. headlines, body text, captions).
• Select a colour palette that reflects your school identity and is visually appealing (see more in Chapter 8: Design).
  
  
  
  
  

STEP 4: Determine your photography standards.

• Set standards for photo resolution and quality.
• Provide tips for good composition, rule of thirds, proper lighting, and avoiding cluttered backgrounds (read more about Photography HERE)
• Set guidelines for photo editing, including acceptable adjustments (e.g. brightness and contrast) and prohibiting excessive alterations.

STEP 5: Outline the content submission and review process.

• Set clear deadlines for content submission to ensure you stay on track.
• Implement a review process where content is checked for accuracy, adherence to guidelines, and overall quality. Multiple rounds of editing and feedback is okay!