While the default settings for documents are designed to help you get started faster, relying on them for the final look of your document is usually not a good idea. Unfortunately many people accept the defaults simply because:
- it’s easier;
- they don’t know how to change the defaults, or;
- they mistakenly believe that because it’s the default it represents the best choice.
While there certainly may be times when the defaults work, don’t rely on them.
Some common default settings that probably need to be changed or fine-tuned for each document:
- Margins
- Grids/Columns
- Gutters/Column spacing
- Fonts
- Leading
- Tabs/Paragraph indents
- Paragraph spacing
- Drop cap settings
- Text wrap offsets
