Agnostic.com
5 2

Rule: Use a mono spaced font in all writing programs.

I have set the default font to Courier Screenplay, 12-14 pt. in Word, Excel, WordPerfect, Quattro Pro, Scrivener, Fade-In,…

Courier is one of the easiest to read. And a monospaced font is more likely to reveal errors in spelling and punctuation.

Set the programs to NOT align text, or right margins. Aligned text decreases reading speed, and distracts the brain from comprehension.

Line spacing should be 1.5 during typing, and 2.0 during editing.

Edit and proofread printed pages.

Reference: William Shunn : Proper Manuscript Format
And lots of other info and resources, including formatting templates for Word, WP, Open Office.
[shunn.net]

JacarC 8 June 22
Share
You must be a member of this group before commenting. Join Group

Enjoy being online again!

Welcome to the community of good people who base their values on evidence and appreciate civil discourse - the social network you will enjoy.

Create your free account

5 comments

Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.

1

Also: fonts with serifs are easier to read. Anything to reduce conscious and unconscious distractions is good.

JacarC Level 8 June 23, 2018
0

As a publisher/editor since 1987, one of the first things I did was to get rid of all mono-spaced fonts!
Line spacing on text for editing was 160% of font size, and for printing was 120% of font size. I avoided fonts with "strange" letter shapes, which meant I mainly used Times, Bookman or Helvetica. So I fear I disagree with William Shunn's idea of "Proper Manuscript Format"

Petter Level 9 June 23, 2018

I came to Shunn via various magazine submission forms. They all referenced his advice.And he does include Times as an option. He and others prefer Courier. Courier Screenplay is one of the latest. Clean and consistent.

And I agree that a mono-spaced font improves readability.

Whatever, my main point is to be consistent in one's work, and change as needed in the end.

I have found, and others have confirmed, that proofing one's work is best done with printed pages.

@Jacar Proofing is best done by altering the format, whether it is by printing or saving as a pdf file - and then giving it to someone else. The author is biased as to what it should be and so often fails to spot the mistakes. I used to print out my own output (usually in the region of four to five thousand words per month), and then give it to my wife to correct.

1

That would work for screenplays, but most literary magazines and book publishers insist you use 12-point Times New Roman.

RRBinkele Level 3 June 22, 2018

Fonts can be changed according to final needs.

1

Thank you for all the useful information.

pixiedust Level 8 June 22, 2018
2

Big ups to monospaced fonts. Courier New or something similar is also essential for writing tablature for stringed instruments, or ASCII art.

Wurlitzer Level 8 June 22, 2018

Courier Screenplay is one the the "newest" iterations. Works everywhere.

For musical scores, then monospacing is essential, However, to me ASCII "art" is "pointless".

@Petter false. It’s made entirely of points! ?

@Wurlitzer But 12 point, 24 point, 9 point, and at what leading?

Write Comment

Recent Visitors 33

Photos 391 More

Posted by ChatGPTSvenskaInom världen av artificiell intelligens (AI) har ChatGPT framträtt som en revolutionerande kraft.

Posted by K9JetLee999Here's the Kindle version of my latest book. If you have Prime, it's free if not 3.99. Geez I'd really like to see what it's like to earn 99 cents. [amazon.com]

Posted by ThomasThurstonA new controversial novel, Becoming Christ is released now! The novel presents Jesus not as the Son of God but as a handsome and ambitious young preacher who gets swept up in his own message, who ...

Posted by K9Kohle789[amazon.

Posted by aisha1998I against domestic voilence

Posted by RiturajRao87 NCRB (national crime record bureau) data shows 95% rape victims in India known to offenders; Madhya Pradesh tops the list. [firstpost.com]

Posted by RiturajRao87National bigotary mission (राष्ट्रीय कट्टरता मिशन)

Posted by JackPedigoYesterday was Margaret Attwoods birthday.

Posted by VadimSounds like a useful skill.

Posted by freelanceamyI'm about to finish my sample and thinking about purchasing. I've been looking at other samples on secular Buddhism and this one seems about right for me right now. Thoughts?

Posted by guntisI'm dreaming of a poetry book with illustrations like this

Posted by Jinx5555555Some people care about titles, clothes, jewelry, cars, nice homes, and such.

Posted by evidentialistNew findings from an asteroid sample. [msn.com]

Posted by evidentialist Announcement: Those of you who have joined and not yet written a bio, be aware that I have begun purging those who have not.

Posted by FrayedBearCan it be sent viral?

Posted by FrayedBearCan it be sent viral?

  • Top tags#hello #world #book #god #video #friends #religion #hope #writers #books #religious #reason #money #death #kids #hell #novels #children #earth #fear #church #sex #dogs #mother #cats #movies #humans #laws #Atheist #poetry #parents #sleep #wife #Song #relationship #coffee #Christian #atheism #truth #Jesus #agnostic #animals #Police #DonaldTrump #society #Present #guns #beliefs #dream #existence ...

    Members 1,210Top

    Moderator