The Taos (N.M.) News switched to a five-column format as part of a redesign with Creative Circle that launched July 18.

"The Taos News is one of the best weekly papers in the United States," said Bill Ostendorf, president and founder of Creative Circle Media Solutions. "But their owner, Robin Martin, knew they could be even better and asked us to help them take their work up a notch."

Key elements of the redesign were to improve headlines, introduce alternative story forms, make content more relevant to readers, improve the layout and organization of the paper and make better use of their staff photographer (yes, they still have a staff photographer, and a good one). "We also worked on better planning and handling of deadlines," Ostendorf said.

But one of the biggest and most obvious changes was a switch to a five-column grid for both news and advertising.

In the digital age, the Sun Newspapers in southwest Florida are betting on the future of print.

Under the new ownership of Adams Publishing Group and after nine months of planning, the Port Charlotte Sun and its new sister paper, the Punta Gorda Sun, roll out Wednesday with a new look, new sections and new approaches to news coverage intended to expand what readers are getting for their subscriptions.

"Overall, we wanted to create a much better newspaper for our readers, and we wanted to grow our circulation, to modernize and give it a new exciting look and feel," said Publisher Glen Nickerson. But it isn't just one newspaper, it's several.

The biggest change is that the Charlotte Sun will be split into two editions. "It will become the Punta Gorda Sun and the Port Charlotte Sun," Nickerson said.

Over the next few months, I'm offering some of my best columns from the past few years.

This one focuses on things designers hear that drive them nuts.

COME JUNE 1, I will have spent 30 years as a newspaper consultant. That's a long time. I'll be retiring at the end of this year ... perhaps sooner.

It's time for me to turn my attention more toward Julia and my family ... and the pursuits that bring me joy.

Over for the next few months, I'm offering some of my best columns from the past few years.

Here's one that focuses on designers.

So ... how does design affect readability? And how does writing affect design?

Take a look at the two stories in the illustration with this column. Which do you think will be read by more readers?

Well, the one on the right, of course!

The short paragraphs make that story more appealing because readers understand a simple truth about writing: Shorter is better.

Do you want to grab the attention of your readers with your very first page?

Of course you do! With every issue, you want your front page to have high readership. You want it to be your best-read page.

You can get that strong readership by making sure the design of the front is compelling. And the key to that compelling design is a strong visual element.

Starting with a NCAA Hoops bracket page, the Center for News & Design can provide SNPA member newspapers with regional playoffs and paginated page coverage all the way through the NCAA playoffs, up to the Final Four weekend.

You've done it again. Success! Every page in this week's (or day's) paper is in by deadline. It took some doing, but like almost every issue before it, you've created another miracle: cramming thousands of words and photos together into your latest newspaper. And ... you've done it on deadline.

Well, before you stroll from your desk brimming with pride, let's take a closer look at the "miracle." Every page is in, perhaps, but most of them went to prepress in the last half-day (or last hour).

So, yes, all the pages are "in," but you've created a problem for those who have to turn those pages into files that can be processed and printed.

Steve Dorsey has been named vice president of news performance and partnerships for the Austin-based Center for News & Design. He formerly was vice president of innovation and planning at the Austin American-Statesman.

Good news design is the practice of understanding how readers read – then using that understanding to make your newspaper easier, faster and more comfortable for readers to follow.

Part of that calls for proper placement of captions.