u/SnooPredilections53

https://preview.redd.it/uker1btrvojh1.png?width=1627&format=png&auto=webp&s=0714ec6d81fbce075a75743f30fec66877e34195

Helllo!

Absolute beginner here with EasyCatalog, I literally just downloaded the plugin today and I have zero idea what I'm doing lol. I've done Data Merge before in InDesign so I'm not totally new to automated layouts, but EasyCatalog feels like a whole different thing.

The reason I jumped into it is because I have a yearbook project for a client and this time the design has two different card layouts depending on whether the student lands on a left or right page. The photos and text blocks flip sides. Data Merge can't handle that so someone suggested EasyCatalog.

I don't even know where to begin honestly. Like I opened the plugin and I see a data panel and some options but I don't know what order to do things in or what the Pagination module even does.

If anyone could point me to a good beginner tutorial or just tell me the basic steps to get started I would really appreciate it. Bonus if you know how to handle the alternating left/right design thing because that's ultimately what I need to pull off.

Thanks so much, any help at all would be amazing.

I've been teaching English for a while now, mostly adults and teens preparing for IELTS. I've been using RedNote for a while too, and honestly never had trouble finding students before. But lately it's been different.

When I try to reach potential students by commenting on relevant posts, there are already a bunch of other tutors doing the exact same thing, so my comment just gets lost in the crowd. And when I do get responses, a lot of them are lowballing on price, which makes it hard to justify the time.

Has anyone dealt with this? What's actually worked for you to stand out or find students who are willing to pay fairly? Would love to hear what's worked for you.