Question: line spacing

[Jackie.Hikaru]

Out of curiosity, what line spacing do you all use when you're writing/editing your stories?
I just realized I never gave this any thought and simply use the default provided by the writing software.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

I compose in MS Word, 12 pt, line spacing 1.15.

 

[EmilyMiller]

I use Google Docs and ‘normal text,’ which is single spaced. My formatting is all HTML.

 

[Britva415]

Out of curiosity, what line spacing do you all use when you're writing/editing your stories?
I just realized I never gave this any thought and simply use the default provided by the writing software.

I don't know why anyone would use anything else, unless there's something "not-default" about a specific section of text which really justifies* nonstandard prose formatting.

*no pun intended

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

Word. 12 point Aptos with 1.5 spacing and a first line indent on paragraphs.

 

[MrPixel]

13 pt. Times on 14 pt. leading spacing.

 

[SkyBubble]

Word, usually. 12 point. I tend to favor Arial. I have single spacing with a double space between paragraphs.

 

[SimonDoom]

I start with an MS Word document and delete all the formatting. The spacing doesn't matter to me since it won't make any difference for the published story. I don't care about the font, either. It looks like the default right now is Aptos, 11 point, but it makes no difference to me. I delete all automatic returns and paragraph spacing and enter them by hand as I go.

 

[Jackie.Hikaru]

I don't know why anyone would use anything else, unless there's something "not-default" about a specific section of text which really justifies* nonstandard prose formatting.

*no pun intended

I'm curious because I've been reading a book which offers practical guidance on fonts, formats, and design and in one section, the author goes into detail about the heuristics of choosing typefaces, especially line spacing, and it made me wonder whether the line spacing we write with effects how we think while we write. Just a random late night thought I guess lol

 

[SkyBubble]

the author goes into detail about the heuristics of choosing typefaces, especially line spacing

What did he have to say?

 

[AchtungNight]

A lot of sites, Lit included, incorporate their own preferred formatting styles of line spacing, font, text size, etc when you publish. Some sites, like AO3, even insert HTML code for you. I write in LibreOffice, default formatting. It works for me. Sites of course can publish as they prefer.

 

[IWroteThis]

I use the default font in my software, but I bumped up the font size to make it easier on my old eyes to read what I type. I submit my stories as raw text with a bit of HTML formatting, so my setup doesn't impact the readers' experience.

 

[Britva415]

I'm curious because I've been reading a book which offers practical guidance on fonts, formats, and design and in one section, the author goes into detail about the heuristics of choosing typefaces, especially line spacing, and it made me wonder whether the line spacing we write with effects how we think while we write. Just a random late night thought I guess lol

Ah.

Well...

Can I ask? Does that book address the digital medium? Everything you described sounds like matters for printed material.

Just speaking for myself: This wouldn't affect how I think while I write. If I thought about it at all, it would be a completely separate process from what gets written, and wouldn't happen until after the piece was complete. And in the case of Literotica, not even then. Because I already know the style which the site will impart by default.

To me, it is worth zero effort to deliberately override the site's stylesheet and format conventions.

 

[Britva415]

I do get that what you're talking about is what you see on screen while you're writing, and not about what the reader sees when they're reading. For me, all I care about is whether I can read it easily while I'm writing. So, the specifications of my personal typeface, color, page layout couldn't possibly be of interest to anyone else.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Out of curiosity, what line spacing do you all use when you're writing/editing your stories?
I just realized I never gave this any thought and simply use the default provided by the writing software.

Writing - raw draft - whatever is the default for the software.

Editing - I regularly change the font, the font size, and the colour, which forces the eye to see the text "differently". It's a good way to see errors that a simple spell check doesn't find.

 

[dirk2024]

Word
12 point
Maiandra GD font, pretty and pleasing to my eye.

When editing or inserting thoughts to consider, I change font color, or italicize it, or color hightlight. Green for "done", yellow for "alert" and blue for "I like this, but may need to flow better".

 

[Jackie.Hikaru]

Word
12 point
Maiandra GD font, pretty and pleasing to my eye.

When editing or inserting thoughts to consider, I change font color, or italicize it, or color hightlight. Green for "done", yellow for "alert" and blue for "I like this, but may need to flow better".

Writing - raw draft - whatever is the default for the software.

Editing - I regularly change the font, the font size, and the colour, which forces the eye to see the text "differently". It's a good way to see errors that a simple spell check doesn't find.

Oh, those are good editing techniques.

What did he have to say?

She has a lot to say on the subject. Its a pretty dense textbook. I guess the general idea of her philosophy is the importance of creating a "beautiful column of text" that accommodate the neurophysiology of human eyes (rapid eye movements, aka saccades). In other words, finding the right balance in spacing and line length to make the act of reading pleasing rather than exhausting. I know we don't have a choice in how literotica formats our stories, but I do wonder about the implications for writing.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

Default WriterPad sans serif x1.2.
Works OK.

If I do put a work on the PC it's LibreOffice and I'll use a serif font and then sans serif for editing. I don't edit the spacing so I guess it's 1.5.

I've read a few vintage books recently, printed in the 1920s to 1950s, and the fairly small Times-like type is fine and beautifully clear compared to a modern paperback, even though the letters are smaller and the lines closer together. Masterpieces of design.