XLR8 Print Template Categories Explained: Choose the Right Design

Navigating XLR8 Print's 500+ Template Library

XLR8 Print includes over 500 professionally designed templates covering every newspaper need—from daily front pages to festival special editions to classified advertisement layouts. Understanding which template categories exist and when to use them helps you work faster and maintain visual consistency. This guide breaks down all template categories with practical usage examples.

1. Front Page Templates (50+ templates)

Breaking News Layouts (12 templates)

Designed for major breaking stories that deserve full front-page treatment.

Single Story Dominance: 70-80% of page dedicated to one major story
Large Photo Placement: Above-the-fold photo sized for maximum impact
Headline Sizes: 54-72pt for breaking news drama
When to use: Election results, major accidents, significant political developments, natural disasters

Standard 3-4 Story Layouts (15 templates)

Balanced layouts for normal news days with multiple important stories.

Lead Story: 40-50% of page
Secondary Stories: 2-3 smaller stories in remaining space
Variations: Horizontal layouts, vertical layouts, mixed grid layouts
When to use: Daily editions with multiple news items of similar importance

Photo-Focused Layouts (8 templates)

For days when compelling visuals tell the story.

Large Photo: 50-60% of page dedicated to powerful image
Minimal Text: Short, punchy headlines and captions
When to use: Major sports victories, cultural events, dramatic news photos

Festival/Special Day Layouts (15 templates)

Decorative templates for festivals and national occasions.

Diwali: Ornate borders, traditional motifs, gold accents
Holi: Colorful splashes, vibrant headers
Independence Day/Republic Day: Tricolor themes, patriotic elements
When to use: Major festivals, national holidays, cultural celebrations

2. Inside News Pages (200+ templates)

Local News Pages (40 templates)

Efficient layouts for multiple local stories.

4-6 Story Layouts: Accommodate multiple local news items per page
Photo Options: 2-3 small photos per page
Column Variations: 5-6 column grids for flexible story placement

Sports Pages (25 templates)

Dynamic layouts for sports coverage.

Match Report Layouts: Score boxes, statistics panels, player photos
League Tables: Pre-formatted tables for cricket/football standings
Action Photo Layouts: Large horizontal spaces for sports photography

Entertainment Pages (20 templates)

Movie Reviews: Star ratings, poster placements, review text boxes
TV Listings: Grid layouts for program schedules
Celebrity News: Photo-heavy layouts with gossip sections

Business/Finance Pages (18 templates)

Market Data: Stock tables, commodity prices, currency rates
Analysis Layouts: Charts, graphs, expert commentary sections
Corporate News: Text-heavy layouts for business stories

Opinion/Editorial Pages (15 templates)

Column Layouts: Single-author opinion pieces with byline photos
Letters to Editor: Multiple short items in grid format
Cartoon Spaces: Dedicated areas for editorial cartoons

Time-Saving Tip:

Mark your 8-10 most frequently used templates as "Favorites" in XLR8 Print. They'll appear at the top of the template browser, saving 30-60 seconds per page selection over a full edition.

3. Advertisement Pages (100+ templates)

Classified Advertisements (50 templates)

Automated layouts that arrange classified ads efficiently.

Full Page Classifieds: Auto-arranges 30-50 ads in optimal grid
Half Page Classifieds: For pages mixing classifieds with editorial content
Category Headers: Pre-designed section headers (Real Estate, Matrimonial, Jobs, etc.)
Auto-Sizing: System automatically fits ads based on purchased size

Display Advertisement Pages (30 templates)

Full Page Ad: Clean template for single advertiser
Half Page Splits: Top half + bottom half layouts
Mixed Sizes: Templates for 1/4 page, 1/8 page, ear panels

Public Notices/Legal Ads (20 templates)

Government Notices: Formal layouts for official announcements
Tender Notices: Tables and structured formats
Court Notices: Legal format compliance

4. Special Edition Templates (80+ templates)

Festival Special Editions (35 templates)

Diwali Supplement Templates (12 designs):

Decorative borders with diya and rangoli motifs
Gold/orange color schemes
Shopping guide layouts
Recipe pages with ingredient lists

Holi Edition Templates (8 designs):

Vibrant multi-color headers
Photo collage layouts for celebration coverage
Event listing pages

Independence Day/Republic Day (10 designs):

Tricolor-themed pages
Timeline layouts for historical content
Patriotic quote panels

Annual Reports/Supplements (15 templates)

Year in Review: Month-by-month recap layouts
Top 10 Lists: Numbered list layouts with photos
Data Infographics: Chart and statistics presentation

Education Supplements (10 templates)

Exam preparation guides
College admission information layouts
Career advice columns

Wedding/Social Supplements (20 templates)

Wedding season special pages
Fashion and jewelry layouts
Social event coverage

5. Feature Pages (70+ templates)

Interview Pages (15 templates)

Q&A Format: Question-answer layout with distinct styling
Profile Layouts: Large photo with biographical information
Multi-Person Roundtables: Panel discussion formats

Photo Stories (20 templates)

6-Photo Grids: Equal-sized photo montages
Progressive Layouts: Photos showing sequence/progression
Before/After: Comparison layouts

Infographic Pages (20 templates)

Statistics visualization
Process flow diagrams
Comparison charts

Long-Form Investigative (15 templates)

Multi-page investigation layouts
Document excerpt presentation
Timeline visualizations

Template Customization:

Every XLR8 Print template is fully customizable. Start with a template, adjust colors/fonts/layout to match your newspaper's brand, then save as a custom template. Build your own template library over time while benefiting from professional starting points.

How to Choose the Right Template: Decision Tree

For Front Page:

Is it a major breaking news day? → Use Breaking News Layout (single story dominance)
Is it a festival/national holiday? → Use Festival/Special Day Layout
Do you have a powerful photo? → Use Photo-Focused Layout
Normal news day with 3-4 stories? → Use Standard 3-4 Story Layout

For Inside Pages:

What content type? → Select from category (Sports, Entertainment, Business, etc.)
How many stories? → Choose template matching story count (4-story layout vs 6-story layout)
Photo-heavy or text-heavy? → Select template with appropriate photo/text ratio

For Advertisement Pages:

Classified ads? → Use Classified template, import ad list, auto-arrange
Display ads? → Select template matching sold ad sizes

Template Best Practices

Maintain Visual Consistency

Use the same template style for recurring sections (e.g., always use same layout for local news)
Readers develop expectations—consistency builds trust
Change templates only when content truly warrants different treatment

Template Selection Speed

Preview thumbnails help you select visually in seconds
Use search/filter: Type "sports" to see only sports templates
Recently used templates appear at top for quick re-selection

Conclusion

XLR8 Print's 500+ template library covers every newspaper production scenario. Understanding template categories and when to use each one accelerates your workflow and maintains professional quality. Spend your first week exploring the library, mark favorites, and you'll soon develop an intuitive sense of which template works best for any story. The goal: spend 30 seconds selecting a template instead of 30 minutes designing from scratch.