I'm a writer and I've created a template to be used for this purpose, but every time I start a new document, all I get is the same old Word default with all the wrong fonts and formatting. I have always hated the way Microsoft sets a default template with settings that are completely wrong for professional writing.
Where has my template disappeared to and how can I put it on the new-document selection page so I don't have reformat all the styles every time I start a new project?

Where is my template? Where are my keys?
Same answer - "Where you put it!"

I suspect but do not know that Office 2016 stores newly created templates in a folder in your Documents folder called "Custom Office Templates" like Office 2013. However, I also suspect that your template is from a previous version of Word.

The default storage location for templates Word 2003 and earlier was the user templates folder. The default for Word 2007 - 2010 is whatever folder you happen to be using.

If you recently "upgraded" to Office 2016 it should have brought your settings from a previous version.

Templates in Microsoft Word looks at where templates are stored by default as well as where they probably should be stored.

Try, with your search options set to search in system and hidden folders, to search for your template. I hope it is not called normal.dot or normal.dotm.

This page explores ways of accessing templates.
File New Variations in the Versions of Word

Thanks for your reply. It happens to me a lot, if I'm not paying attention to what I'm doing; I lose saves from many programs. They disappear into the maze of Microsoft's unbelievable filing system and I have to go searching for them.
I tried something different this time; I loaded the default Normal template and made all the changes I needed and saved it as Normal.dotm, but I still don't know where the template is stored. I'll see how that works. I'm going to look for it now.
Once again, thank you.
Vicki

You should not have any text in the normal template, but it is one of the best places for custom styles.

Normal Template in Microsoft Word - How to Find or Open the Normal Template

Other good places for styles are custom document templates and for especially good ones, a global stylesheet other than the normal template.

How to create numbered headings or outline numbering in Ribbon Versions of Word by Shauna Kelly

Got it! Thank you, Charles.
This is me.

You are welcome.