SCHOOL MAG:TEAMWORK will take your magazine to new heights. If nothing else, the guilt of letting your friends down might motivate you to finish that article on Sunday night instead of watching the telly. Pick your magazine team with care – before you start, discuss your strengths as a group. The following are the key roles to fill. If everyone is clear about their job on the mag, it's easier to meet the deadlines, dish the blame and share the glory.

Editor: Editors keep everybody on target. Everyone has editorial duties but the editor needs to sign off on everything and strengthen up weak areas. Be prepared to support your editor and take his/her criticism on the chin.

Designer: Someone with a design eye to create a great cover and to decide on the overall look. They will also need to spend some time learning the design software you decide to use and teach what he/she has learned to the rest of the group.

Reporters: To bring fresh stories to your mag, send your reporters out into the corridors and streets for news. Don't rely on the web!

Section Editor: If you are planning a fashion or music section in your mag, put one person in charge.

Photo Editor: The photo editor will choose the images needed for each feature and find those photographs or arrange for them to be taken.

Sub-editors: To check for spelling errors, grammatical mistakes, inaccuracies, defamation and plagiarism. To cut long articles down to size and write headlines, captions and so on.

General staff: Feature writers, photographers, illustrators. Use all the available talent on the team to maximum effect.

Print liaison: Someone needs to take responsibility for dealing with printers from day one.

– Louise Holden

Next week: Choosing articles for your mag.

E-mail: lholden@irishtimes.com or visit the website irishtimesschoolmag.ie