Non-Designer’s Type Book, The, Second Edition

Line Length and Justification

If a line is too long, we have trouble finding the beginning of the next line. If a line is too short, it breaks up those phrases we recognize. If you try to justify your type on a short line, you will get awkward word spacing and rivers. So how do you know what’s a decent line length?

There are several rules of thumb to determine this measure. Some people suggest no more than nine to ten words on a line as a maximum, or no more than 2.5 times the alphabet, which is 65 characters. The rule I find easiest to remember for an optimum line length (the minimum line length for justifying) is this:

Double the point size of your type, and use a line length no longer than that in picas.

Say what? Well, let’s say your type ...