"Silly" formating question

bluejester12 · Apr 21, 2006

Final Draft 7 has me confused. Should there be an extra space before the slug, or is it spaced like the action---or does it matter?

Drake watches stoically as his father COUGHS, blood trickling from the corners of his mouth. He rattles a last breath and becomes still.
Leave the jeep, pass over the smoking village and statue of St. Nicholas to--

EXT. ROOFTOP OF CHURCH - DAY

A BOY sits against a balustrade, weeping. A rifle lies across his legs. Mud is smeared across his face in the rough shape of a snake.

icerose · Apr 21, 2006

How yours is looks correct to me. That's how I have mine. With a double space between each paragraph including sluglines.

dpaterso · Apr 21, 2006

Your sample looks as if it's missing a space before the scene heading.

I've seen some writers say that 1 extra space is enough, while others have suggested 2 extra spaces to help the reading eye even more. But no one has ever suggested no extra spaces.

This is controlled via Format / Elements / select Scene Heading / select Paragraph tab.

My copy of FD7 has "Space before" set to 2 as default.

-Derek
My Web Page - naked women, bestial sex, and whopping big lies.
Stop reading this and get some writing done instead.

Chesher Cat · Apr 22, 2006

I use 1 space above and below the slug because I prefer to come in with a lower page count. Other people use 2 above, 1 below. Either way is acceptable.

Set your default, as Derek suggested, to whichever one you prefer. Then write a great story. That's what counts.

"Silly" formating question

bluejester12

I write and I wrong

icerose

Lost in School Work

dpaterso

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Chesher Cat