There are several ways to add text to a word processing document in Pages '09. The method to use depends partly on whether you're adding text to a template or a blank document, and partly on the type of word processing document you're working on. In this Quick Tip, we'll look at a few different options for entering or pasting text into a letter in Pages '09.

If you haven't already created a new document, go to File, New from Template Chooser.

When the Template Chooser window opens, click one of the template categories under Word Processing. For this Quick Tip, select the Letters category, then select one of the templates (we selected the Modern Photographer Letter), or click the blank document template if you want to start from scratch. When you've made your selection, click the Choose button in the lower right corner of the Template Chooser window.

Enter or Paste Text in a Pages '09 Template

If you choose to use an existing template, some decisions are already made for you, which makes things quick and easy. Unless you have significantly more or less text than already exists in the template, it's a pretty simple matter of typing or pasting text to replace the existing text. Just click the text you want to change, and type or paste the replacement text.

If you've entered your business and home contact information in Address Book, Pages will automatically enter this information, as appropriate for the template you chose. If you don't have your information in Address Book, you can easily add it manually.

If you're writing a letter and the recipient's contact information is in Address Book, you can open Address Book, drag the recipient's address card to the Pages document, and Pages will automatically enter the information for you, including a salutation.

Enter or Paste Text in a Blank Pages '09 Document

If you chose to start with a blank document, there are a couple of ways to add text, depending on what type of document you plan to create. If you want to create a straightforward document, such as a simple letter or report, you can just start typing or you can go to the Edit menu and paste text you've copied from another document.

If you want to create something a little fancier, such as letterhead or a pull-quote for a report, you can use text boxes to organize and place text, in addition to or instead of standard text.

To add a text box to your document, click the Text Box icon in the toolbar at the top of the document. You can replace the placeholder text in the text box by typing or copy/pasting text.

Move or Resize a Text Box

To move a text box around in your document, click and hold the text box, then drag it to the desired location. You can move a text box to any location onscreen, even to the very edge of a document, but keep in mind that if your printer doesn't support edge-to-edge printing, then you may lose some of the text when you print your document.

If you add a text box to a document that already contains text, that text will flow around the text box as you move it.

If you add another text box to the document, one text box may end up overlapping the other when you move it.

To resize a text box, click once on the text box to make its selection handles visible, then click and drag one of the selection handles to make the text box larger or smaller.

Change the Font, Style, or Size

Whether you choose an existing template or start with a blank document, it's easy to change a font, font style, or font size. Click or click and drag to select the text you want to change, then go to Format, Font, Show Fonts, and make your selections from the Font palette.

If you prefer, you can make your font selections from the format bar, which is located across the top of your document, just above the ruler.