Double-Spacing After Punctuation

Two spaces before a new sentence was the norm in typewritten documents. Now that we use computers, it's not so important or even required. I think the two-spaces idea is going the way of the dodo...

Different publishers have different norms so don't sweat it. Punctuation is always easy to fix after the fact. Search and replace is your friend.

ETA: Since I learned to type on a typewriter, you'll notice I always do use two spaces after a period. Old habits die hard...

I don't believe it is the standard anymore, nor required. It was the norm for typewriters (as Perle_Rage mentioned) but no longer is, as far as I know.

Say it ain't true, Perle. Using a single space between punctuation marks is, to me, is like kissing a woman on only one cheek. Why leave one out?

Single space.

Some people do it, some people don't, and from my experience no one really cares much either way.

Even 10 years ago, single space after a period was standard.

I was taught to do this. Now I'm told, single space. Very hard habit to break!

I wrote a pretty much comprehensive blog post about this back in May:

http://www.writers-edge.info/2008/05/writing-editing-spacing.htm

but the short and long of it is what everybody else said. Computers have obviated the necessity for two spaces between sentences. And many web software packages automatically convert to one space for those of us who are too old to learn a new trick.

dpaterso said:

I will type 2 spaces after periods till the day I die. Nothing shall blunt my resolve in this matter. Not even message boards whose software insolently and without my permission changes my 2 spaces to 1 space.

-Derek

Click to expand...

The software doesn't change the spaces -- Web browsers ignore spaces; you can type twenty, and HTML will treat the twenty as one, unless you use the non-breaking space entity.

dpaterso said:

I will type 2 spaces after periods till the day I die. Nothing shall blunt my resolve in this matter.

Click to expand...

I'm with you. I see no reason to squish my sentences together just because computers and typewriters are different beasts. And I've got my software set to ensure two spaces between sentences, not one. So there!

I learned to type on manual Underwood and Royal typewriters a long, long time ago. I only heard that two spaces was passe' about two years ago. I tried the switch and found it amazingly easy to pick up the new habit. Saves my thumb 50% of the strikes I'd been making. But to each his or her own.

I use two spaces between sentences because I find it easier to read.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_spacing#Readability

I'm having a hard time dropping the habit of two spaces, along with a lot of others. However, one of my editors, at a holiday writer's breakfast, asked for "only one space after periods" for Christmas from all his freelancers! I'm trying really hard!

Jennifer

JenniferDZ said:

I'm having a hard time dropping the habit of two spaces, along with a lot of others. However, one of my editors, at a holiday writer's breakfast, asked for "only one space after periods" for Christmas from all his freelancers! I'm trying really hard!

Click to expand...

Odd that they'd fuss over that, since it's a simple search-and-replace to change it. But there's your solution, too... just write the way you're used to and do a search-and-replace before you submit.

I guess they want the writers to do that find and replace so they don't have to! I consider it a value-added service.

Jen

Find/search and replace doesn't make you approve each individual sentace (as I understand that wordprossessing trick), so I don't really see a problem with still using two spaces when it can be 'fixed' easily.

Personally, I prefer two spaces after a period (one more reason to hate my computer LOL).

I submitted a rough draft of an expository essay (MLA style) to my English instructor for a quick review as was asked of me, and among a couple other comments she made, she also recommended that I double-space when I use a colon -- nowhere else... just when I use a colon.

She noted it was old practice, but I followed it anyway, mostly because I find that I can go between the two methods without a lot of difficulty.

In school, some ten years ago, I was taught two spaces. I continue to do it from habit. One space just looks wrong, like I should be staring at a comma and not a full stop.

Nobody will be such an anal-retentive ass that they will reject magnificent writing because you do a different spacing quantity than what they require. And if they do, frankly, they can blow me

Don't worry so much about the older folk here. It's single space.

JJ

Scribhneoir said:

I'm with you. I see no reason to squish my sentences together just because computers and typewriters are different beasts. And I've got my software set to ensure two spaces between sentences, not one. So there!

Click to expand...

Uh- yeah. Me, too. This is the first time I've even heard the rule had changed. Where have I been? I was taught in school that a comma was one space because it meant a short pause. Two spaces for a period because it meant a longer pause. Why change the format after it's been standard for eons??

I had never even heard of this rule until a couple of years ago. I always use one space after periods. Manuscripts typed with two spaces after punctuation look strange to me.

I'm pretty sure both methods are acceptable.