# Fix overflowing newspaper text in Canva Original page : [Fix overflowing newspaper text in Canva]() Language : English (United States) Edit a fictional story in three passes, adjust its box, and check reading size before shrinking the type. Authors : [Clervie Fournier]() and [Louis Choquet]() Updated : 2026-09-30 ![A hand arranges three blank cards beside a notebook, pencils, and a photograph.]() ## Give the text box one job When newspaper text overflows in Canva, edit the content before shrinking all the type. Give the box one job: tell a scene, introduce a person, or accompany a photograph. A sidebar may not have room for a biography and a full anecdote. Read the text outside the layout to decide what belongs in this particular section. Keep the original wording in your notes so you can recover a useful detail without reconstructing every cut. Inspect the box boundary and neighboring objects too. The issue may be a long passage, a narrow box, or a font change. Before widening the text area, check that you are not pushing a caption or photograph out of place. Solve the local problem before changing the entire page. ## First pass: remove repeated information Use this fictional sample: “Every Sunday, we regularly went to Grandma’s house. It was something we did every single Sunday. We arrived at noon for lunch, and lunch started at noon. She brought out an apple pie she had made herself that morning. We would playfully argue over the last slice because we all loved her apple pie so much.” First pass: “We had Sunday lunch at Grandma’s house. She made an apple pie that morning. We playfully argued over the last slice.” Repeated information about the day and time disappears, but the scene remains. This is an editorial example, not a customer story. When editing a real contribution, keep expressions that carry the person’s voice rather than replacing every sentence with your own. ## Second pass: keep a detail and choose a headline A shorter second pass of the fictional sample is: “Sunday lunch at Grandma’s ended with negotiations over the last slice of apple pie.” A possible headline is “The Last Slice.” This version suits a small sidebar. If the story needs more space, keep the three sentences from the first pass and use a coherent paragraph rather than forcing everything into one line. Do not cut information that would make a memory misleading or change the meaning of a quotation. Let the contributor check a shortened quote when appropriate. The headline should give readers a way into the scene without copying the first sentence word for word. If two ideas are essential, move one to a more suitable section instead of squeezing both into the same box with smaller and smaller type. ## Third pass: adjust the layout carefully Place the chosen version and inspect the actual lines. A paragraph break can help reading, but it does not shorten the passage and may take up more height. Remove accidental line breaks, then check width, spacing, and neighboring objects. Exact controls depend on your editor version; an old screenshot does not establish a universal menu path. If the box remains too small, choose a more suitable space or use the sidebar version. A modest font adjustment can come afterward if the result stays readable. Avoid shrinking every passage in the newspaper to rescue one long contribution. A box that appears to contain the text in the editor is not proof that the final line will be visible in the exported file. Check the result rather than trusting the border. ## Inspect the final line at reading size Download a test page and view it at the size intended for the newspaper. Read the first and last lines, punctuation, and special characters. Check that the text does not collide with an image or another block. Do not rely solely on a comfortable editing zoom: small type can look acceptable on a large screen and become tiring on paper. Your decision sheet has three boxes: repeated information removed; scene preserved; exported page readable. If one box remains unchecked, return to that stage. Keep cut passages in your notes instead of automatically creating another cramped sidebar. The existing photo-and-story preparation guide in the sources helps you draft content before the layout limits become a distraction. It complements this three-pass edit rather than replacing the reading-size check. For an English layout, view the 22routes The 80th birthday newspaper, a 12-page digital Canva template. Check its actual preview and editable age and occasion labels first; consider changing them only if the design fits your intended project. The grandparents template starts in French. Printing and shipping a paper newspaper are arranged separately. Product pages appear in the sources so you can check the template language. ## Frequently asked questions ### Should I shrink the font as soon as text overflows? Start with repetitions and the box’s purpose. Adjust the layout afterward; reduce type only if the exported page remains readable at its intended size. ### Will a paragraph break save space? Not necessarily. It may improve reading while adding height. Check both the text box and the exported file. ## Related templates - [The grandparents’ newspaper]() - [The 80th birthday newspaper]() ## Keep building your newspaper - [Open a Canva template: from access document to finished newspaper]() - [How do you prepare photos and stories for a Canva newspaper?]() - [How do you print a personalized newspaper in the US?]() ## Sources and resources - [Canva: download file types]() - [FR: published-guide]() - [FR: published-guide]() - [FR: product]() - [EN: published-guide]() - [EN: published-guide]() - [EN: product]()