Newsletter Design
A River Runs
Through It
Avoiding Awkward
White Space in Your Newsletter
Rivers are great if you have your
fishing pole or kayak handy. But you'll want to avoid rivers in your
publications. "Rivers" are lines of white space that can run
through a selection of text. They are generally caused by the use of
justified text alignment and result when words are spaced out far enough
to cause these noticeable gaps. These gaps are magnified when they appear
near each other on consecutive lines of text, causing a flow of white
space through the text block.
The use of narrow columns, large type
sizes, and/or the use of two spaces after a period can increase the number
of rivers in your text. Rivers in text are undesirable and can cause
enough distraction to your reader as to cause a decrease in comprehension
and readability of your text. It is also unprofessional looking.
Rivers of White Space
Below is an example of vertical and
diagonal "rivers" in justified text. Just some of the more
noticeable rivers are identified in this sample.
The best way to pick out the rivers in your
document is to stand back and examine the text shape, not reading the
words themselves. Allowing your eyes to blur a bit will cause the words to
be less distinguished and will allow you to pick out the rivers more
easily.
So how do you dam up these rivers? These
tips will help minimize these white spaces in your text:
