You're going to find that page layout and HTML layout are worlds apart. A guy I work with used to work in page layout (adobe, etc...), and he used to constantly complain about HTML.
However, I have one word of wisdom that will make your lives much better.
tables
Ok, more than one word.
tables tables tables
Tables are not only your friend, they're my friend, and anyone else who's doing HTML's friend. I summation, tables are good.
As for implementation, put a table on your page. Size its overall width (usually 800px wide, but whatever you're aiming your site for, set it for that).
I will normally layout a page with a single column, multiple row table to start of with. From that template, I "nest" tables on the individual rows to get the desired indentation, aesthetics, etc...
For indentation, just nest a table on a row, and set overall width to 100% this time (which will conveniently be whatever width you set on the parent table). Set the left most column to be a pixel width (15, let's say) and then do your typing in the right column(s).
Feel free to nest as many tables inside of tables that you want to get what you're going for. You'll find it awkward at first, but will soon get the hang of it, and there's really not much you can't do with html layout once you do.
For printable versions of your books, you might very well consider purchasing Adobe Acrobat Writer. Any docs that you currently have in print, the Writer will most likely come with a plugin for that application where you will just be able to "save as" an acrobat file. Then you can simply stick a link out there for downloads, and they can print to their hearts' content.
Peachpit Press puts out some very easily digestable books on Dreamweaver that will have the beginning user up and running in no time flat. Half of each page is pictures, which you follow along with onscreen as you do the exercises.
Oh yea, and don't forget to use tables. ;-)
good luck!
paul
