The following are some Q&A concerning typesetting... especially for blocks of text. Information from:
1. Discuss why line length is
important when setting type.
- If the line is too short, there will be too many
hyphenated words. This forces the readers to jump to the new lines so often
that it affects reading comprehension. Conversely, a long line length is
cumbersome and confusing. A general guide is to have 45-75 characters per line
depending on type and x-height.
2. Should the default leading the best choice
for lengthy text?
It can be used, but each typesetter should pay close
attention to the line spacing according to what they are trying to achieve.
Different typefaces have different x-heights, and sometimes the leading needs
to be adjusted. For example, I have been setting the text for my novel in
InDesign, and I found that 140% of the point size is actually preferable for
readability. Careful attention should be paid to the leading of any body of
text. Additionally, all caps text begs to be leaded closer that upper and lower
case type. Because there are no descenders, the block looks good with negative
leading.
3. Discuss the different
types of alignment.
-Flush left- this is the default setting. It aligns text
to the left margin and allows the right margin to rag. I found that this is a
very bad alignment choice for novels!
-Flush right- this style aligns to the right and rags to
the left. It is difficult to read, and should only be used intentionally for
artistic style.
-Justified- both the right and left margins align. This
results in a geometric block of text. You have to be careful when using this
alignment tool, because it can result in characters and words that are too
compressed or too expanded. This looks very messy and amateurish. You can
adjust this alignment setting in your paragraph settings to achieve a better
look.
-Centered- this alignment method centers the text. It is
good for titles and headlines, but is hard to follow with larger blocks of
text.
-Wrap-Around- text that wraps around an object. It is a
useful tool when setting type with images, but careful attention must be paid
to make sure there are no widows hanging about.
-Countoured- Contoured type is arranged in a particular
shape or to fit a particular shape. This is used for aesthetic reasons.
4. Discuss different ways to
create separation of thought.
-First line indents are the most common. The indent can
be adjusted, and for stylistic purposes, the first line should be not be
indented. There is nothing to separate it from.
-Extreme indents are sometimes to the depth of half of
the column width. It is used on the first few paragraphs for a classy and
interesting look.
-Hanging indents are also known as an outdent. It is the
opposite of an indent in that the first line hangs out of the left of the
paragraph.
-Dingbats can be used to separate text. It is a graphic
element that is placed between the last sentence of a paragraph and the first
word of the new paragraph.
5. When should extra line
space in paragraphs be used?
-It is most appropriately used in e-mail and print
correspondence and in short pieces like advertisements and intro copy on the
web.
