Goodreads Authors/Readers discussion
III. Goodreads Readers
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Indent vs block paragraph style
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I dunno. Online, mine is block (it's a fiction blog), but the print version is indented. I don't' remember if who came up with that idea, Amazon or us. I'm okay with it. It was a huge pain in the butt, but it is what it is.
To tell you truth, seeing it print, I like the way it opens up space. I was a graphic designer before this, and space in text is your friend. It really cuts down on visual "threshold anxiety." It might slow the reader down a bit, but it actually invites and encourages them to keep going.
Personally, I like the indent on blocks of text, makes it seem less onerous somehow, but that's just me. I see blocks and blocks of text, I do get that "threshold anxiety" and it tends to put me off.
Ed wrote: "I notice when you upload a file to Amazon they automatically indent every para..."If you define your CSS properly, you can control paragraph indentation and spacing. Amazon changes various defaults, but many of these can be overridden.
You either need to indent OR have spaces between paragraphs--if you don't have either, that makes it very difficult to read. (Especially for bad eyes like mine). Conventionally fiction uses indents, nonfiction uses block paragraphs. Amazon doesn't format what you upload. So unless you did it in html or something, it shouldn't have altered it. My eBooks go up exactly as I submit them.
Judy wrote: "You either need to indent OR have spaces between paragraphs--if you don't have either, that makes it very difficult to read. (Especially for bad eyes like mine). Conventionally fiction uses indents..."Hmmm, Judy what format do you submit in? Everyone of mine has been altered by Amazon.
Interesting replies. I do put a space between block paragraphs but the so-called "threshold anxiety" never entered my mind (or bothers me).Thanks for the input.
Indenting is a flaw of mine, sometimes I try to pick up on it but ehh. It's one of those things you gotta watch.
The manuscript has to be 'clean' and that could be why you think Amazon. Follow the instructions from Smashwords and then save in html as amazon asks and it will stay as you made it. Judy is right. YOu either indent or add space between paragraphs but not both. And NEVER EVER USE TAB.
In the year 2013 does it make any possible or logical difference? That whole indent thing has always irritated me. To me it makes for difficulty reading (which is why textbooks and journals are not indented).
What possible harm does it do? Another silly rule left over form the dawn of the printing press. And with the advent of ebooks taking over it makes even less sense since the formatting is fluid anyway.