What happens when you open Word in safe mode instead?

The best way to check on this is to start Word in Office Safe Mode (press Ctrl while Word is loading and answer yes when asked if you want to start in Safe Mode); if you can do what you want normally in safe mode, then you know the problem is with Normal.dotm, the Registry, an add-in, or the printer driver.

For more help, see “How to troubleshoot problems that occur when you start or use Word 2010, Word 2007, Word 2003, or Word 2002” at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/921541. (preceding cribbed from an answer by Suzanne Barnhill – if it works give her the credit, if not, let me know)