07/11/2024
We know, we know, we know . . . double-space is dead.
As a journalism major and being graded down for not using two spaces after a period, making the change to single-spacing has been a mind-bend. Somewhere I still have my 1984 copy of 'Elements of Style.' I'm going to go find it and frame it and try to shoe this horse in the new and improved way going forward.
~ Stuart
Here is a friendly prompt from friend and writer Pam Patton.
Need a writer? My friend Pam Patton is a great choice. https://www.paragraphwriting.com/about
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Double-Space is Dead
Hello Stuart,
Recently, a colleague sent me a quick Slack message:
“Double space or single space after punctuation?”
My answer: “Single. Always.”
His response: “Why?”
Here’s why.
How many of us took a typing class in high school? I learned on an old-school (dare I say vintage?) manual typewriter. My poor fingers! It was a Godsend when IBM Selectric® typewriters came out—so much easier!—and bonus! I could change up the typeball.
(I had to hide the Helvetica one from my co-workers.)
But one rule from typing class has expired, and if you’re over 40, no one may have given you the message. Here it is:
Unless you type on a typewriter, you no longer must put two spaces after a period/full stop. Or a question mark. Or an exclamation point.
The rule applies to all end punctuation—just one space.
Here’s why: Back when we used typewriters, every character was given the same amount of space on the page. That meant the letter i was given the same amount of space as the letter m, even though it clearly didn’t need it. This is called monospaced typesetting. We needed that extra space between sentences to make it easier to see the beginning of new sentences.
The typeball introduced proportional spacing.
Today, programs like Word or Google Docs use proportionally spaced fonts, which adjust the spacing to the size of the letter. That’s why a proportional font can squeeze 12 letters into the same space, whereas a monospace font can only fit nine:
See? The Bottom Line: Don’t double-space after punctuation. Ever.
