We all want our written work to look nice.
That weird formatting youre battling is probablyyourfault.
You are actually making this harder than it needs to be.
When you hit the tab key, your word processing program (Word, Google Docs, etc.)
will insert an invisible tab character.
The whole tab concept is a holdover from typewriters, and we dont need it here.
So should you use spaces instead?
This is going to look even worse with digital wear-and-tear.
The size of a space depends on the size and style of the font youre currently typing in.
So maybe you think four spaces isnt enough, and youre going to use six.
But then if you change the font right before printing, those six spaces might now looktoowide.
How are you going to fix it everywhere?
By not getting into this mess in the first place.
By the way, youre not giving up your creative freedom when you do this.
you’re able to still punch in un-indented paragraphs.
Just start a new paragraph, and backspace to remove the indent.
It will be saved as a non-indented paragraph.
Want to start a new page?
like do not hit Enter until you get to the next page.
Insert a page break instead.
Thats literally what its for.
(Thats for Google Docs.Word instructions are here.)
Why does this matter?
(That someone is me.)
Wresting control by sprinkling in spaces and linebreaks is just messing up its work.
Theres a division of labor here: You provide the words, the computer provides the formatting.
This ultimately benefits both you and anyone else who needs to read or edit your words.
Think Header 2, not Arial, bold, 18 point.
And then change them back when you decide, no, thats not quite right after all.
And on that note, heres a bonus rule: Quit puttingtwo spaces after a period.
