jmcmichael

A sloppily set text invites being read like a first draft – with a red pen in hand. A text set too tight or cramped does not merit the little bit of space it demands. A text set with narrow columns (as a newspaper) says it should be read with haste. An interrupted text tells you it isn’t worthy of sustained attention. A text surrounded by ads is reduced to a delivery method – the wrapping paper steals the spotlight from the gift.

On the other hand, a text set with ample whitespace is confident. A text printed on smooth paper is deserving. A text set with a comfortable line length and appropriate leading demands to be read, not skimmed. A text wrapped in cloth deserves to be held, not discarded.