Hello There,
Thanks for writing in!
1.) You can set a maximum width for your text element. Click the text element that you want to be skinnier and in the settings. Find the maximum width and insert your desired maximum width. You also need to make sure that the left and right margins is set to auto so that the text element will display at the center of the column.
2.) Please keep in mind that a column needs a row as a container. A row can consists of one or up to 5 columns. If you need to add more columns, you will have to add a row first and then set the number of columns.
Hope this helps.