FrameMaker's layout tools are always accessible.  You may not use them until the writing is complete, but it's easier to write length if the text looks "final" as it's written, flowing between columns and around graphics.  You may even find it inspiring.

Use a template, and your design is virtually finished before you start.  FrameMaker offers many, from business letters to newsletters, and you can easily create a library for your own office.  Right now, though, we're going to create a layout from scratch.

First, you define your page size--it can be as small as a business card or larger than a full newspaper spread.  Then, think about how you want your key pages to look: the chapter openings, the main text pages, the index and so on.  FrameMaker lets you create as many master pages as you want.  In fact, you can even have the freedom to mix horizontal and vertical pages within a single document.

You'll find FrameMaker especially helpful in creating documents of epic proportion.  As you write, it compiles tables of contents, indexes, and lists.  It handles cross-referencing automatically so when you move an illustration, every reference to it across hundreds of pages will update itself.

Even page numbering goes beyond what you've used before.  You can separately number individual sections of a document, or continuously number files created by different people in a group effort.  And you can actually freeze pagination to allow the addition of new pages between consecutively numbered pages.  (If you've ever filed a government bid, savor this for a moment.)

With the power of the NeXT Computer, layout is no longer a separate step you put off until the end.  It's an invaluable part of the overall process.