I wish to create a document in Writer similar to a Newspaper page. I can split a page into 3 or more columns with simple formatting, but I want to be able to type text directly into any one of the columns, not to have to create the text elsewhere and then copy and paste it into one of the columns ( which I cannot find out how to do either ). I have the same problem if I try to create a Table split into columns. The Table/Column function requires that I pre-specify the number of Rows to be created in the columns. I want the entire column to contain infinite rows as I type unless I insert a Section break.
Background
A Writer document constitutes a single “content stream”. The stream’s entry point into a new page is top left. If you have multiple columns, the entry point is in the leftmost column. You can not directly insert content into the subsequent columns, but you can use column breaks to skip to next column. As I gather, you have found that this does not work for you. Tables (which I understand that you also tried) and frames may provide solutions to your task at hand.
Tables
A table can split that content stream visually, but technically it still is a part of the stream. You can type or paste into either one of the cells, and what you enter will expand across multiple pages if necessary, staying within the column you started in. Each cell of the table is an independent entity. You can merge cells to some extent, but it soon gets messy.
Frames
A frame is anchored in the basic flow, but content entered into the frame constitutes an independent flow. Frames can expand to fill a page, but will not extend across multiple pages. You can link frames on different pages as required. Such a “frame chain” will have one frame as the “entry point”, just like with pages/columns as mentioned above. You can have multiple frame chains in a document.
A frame can have its own column setup, independent of page columns, and linked frames can have different column setups. This gives Writer something close to desktop publishing abilities. Just remember the “main stream”: Pages are not created as objects. To have a new page without content, you need to “force” it by inserting a manual page break into the stream (i.e. on page level, not inside frames).
Text flow in the page stream will wrap around frames, but text in overlapping frames does not wrap to avoid the overlap.
Bottom line
Experiment with combining columns with frames and/or tables. Either way, complex layouts may get messy. You may need a different tool to provide proper DTP functionality, like Scribus. Provde additional info about your requirement in comments to get more relevant advice.