Paragraph Spacing Methods

Breat Up Text

Inject space into long blocks of text with indents.

• When using paragraph indents, don't use paragraph spacing to break up text.
• With very deep indents, pay careful attention to the length of the last line of preceding paragraph. If it is too short, it creates excess, distracting space.
• Ragged-right alignment usually requires deeper indents.

Indents or paragraph spacing should be your primary tool for most text. Use other techniques sparingly.

Inject space into long blocks of text with paragraph spacing.

• When using paragraph spacing, don't use indents to further break up text.
• Don't use double hard returns to create space between paragraphs.
• Use paragraph formatting to more precisely control spacing between paragraphs.

Indents or paragraph spacing should be your primary tool for most text. Use other techniques sparingly.

Use simple rules to break up text blocks, and signal a transition from one section to another. However, be careful using rules, they can signal an ending. Use between logical breaking or resting points in long text. And don't use a rule after a subhead -- it visual separates the subhead from the text with which it belongs.

Use ornamental dingbats to break up text blocks. Fill the blank space of an indent with a dingbat. If using ornamental dingbats or other graphic embellishments, keep the style and appearance consistent with the tone of the material and the style of the publication. Very formal ornaments can look out of place in a children's newsletter, just as cartoon characters are not usually appropriate for an annual report. Also, you wouldn't want to use this technique for every paragraph of text.

Place a dingbat between blocks of text. Use a graphic separator to set apart sections of text. It creates a more subtle separation than boxed text.

Putting just the first word or two of a paragraph in bold type or using a larger font leads the reader into the text. Use adequate contrast. A bold face or a font size change that is barely noticeable looks more like a mistake than an attempt to provide emphasis or interest.

A decorative initial cap is one way to lead the reader into a story. For the first paragraph, be bold with the initial cap. Use a contrasting color, large size, and a decorative font. Color, size, or a font change can also introduce sections within long blocks of text. Initial caps don't have to appear only at the start of an article.

A drop cap doesn't have to be a single letter (it could be a whole word or a symbol or punctuation) and the first few words of a paragraph don't have to be on the first line. Stack a few bold words, cutting into the paragraph like a drop cap. Combine techniques, such as rules with contrasting colors or indents with ornaments.