First, do no harm. Best practices for typography in eBooks

First, do no harm.
Best practices for typography in eBooks

Sunday, January 12, 14

1. Read the text. Stop.
2. Study the design memo.
3. Research.
4. Make samples.
5. Read the samples. Share the samples.
6. Reiterate. Repeat 4 & 5 as necessary.
7. Prepare to fallback gracefully.
8. Press for better book design.

Typography =
History
+

Form
+

Use


3. Research.
4. Make samples. well.
a. Choose type
5. Read the samples. Share the samples.

Typography =
History
+

Form = Choosing type well
+

Use


1. Readability and legibility
2. Aesthetic (novelty, grace, style, etc.)
3. x-Height, Proportions, and Color
4. Character set
5. Family members
6. Font format
7. Price and licensing


Hanalei (Astigmatic/Google Fonts)


PT Sans (ParaType/Google Fonts)


Priva Sans One (DSType)

Helvetica Neue Light (Linotype)


Augereau (Abrams Legacy Collection/MyFonts)


Garamond 3


Minion Pro

Helvetica

Glegoo


Linden Hill

Georgia


Iowan

Seravek

Garamond (MicroSoft / Monotype)
��-��
�� •��

Minion Pro
!"#$%&’()*+,-./0123456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ[]^_‘abcdef
ghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz{|}~¡¢£⁄¥ƒ§¤'“«‹›fifl–†‡·¶•‚„”»…‰¿`´ˆ˜¯˘˙¨˚¸˝˛ˇ—ÆªŁØŒºæıłø
œß¹¬µ™Ð½±Þ¼÷¦°þ¾²®−ð×³©ÁÂÄÀÅÃÇÉÊËÈÍÎÏÌÑÓÔÖÒÕŠÚÛÜÙÝŸŽáâäàåãçéêëèíîïì
ñ ó ô ö ò õ š ú û ü ù ý ÿ ž ‥ ․ ₡ ‒ ⅛ ⅜ ⅝ ⅞ ⅓ ⅔ Ǻ Rp K R Đ Ŋ Ħ Ŧ Ȝ a e k m n r ſ đ ŋ ħ ĸ ŉ ŧ ȝ Ĳ Th ch ck ct fb ff ffb ffh ffi ffj ffk ffl
fft fh fi fj fk fl ft ĳ sp st ſb ſh ſi ſk ſl ſſ ſt ſſi ſſl 0 € ₣ ₤ ₧ ₧ ǻ ℮ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z đ ħ ı ø ŧ ŋ ð þ ȝ ß æ
œi▶ĳ&!¡?¿0123456789$¢€ƒ£¥₡₣₤#%‰℮01234567890$¢€ƒ£¥₡₣₤#0123456789$¢€ƒ£¥₡₣₤
#abdeèghilmnorst0123456789.,$¢-()0123456789.,$¢-()0123456789.,$¢-()0123456789.,$¢-()▷◀◁◉◆■̓ᾼᾈ
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Ŭ Ű Ū Ų Ů Ũ Ẃ Ŵ Ẅ Ẁ Ŷ Ỳ Ȳ Ź Ż Ǽ Ț Ťh ă ā ą Ѓ ć č ĉ ċ ď ĕ ě ė ē ę ğ ĝ ģ ġ g̃ ĥ ĭ ī į ĩ ĵ ķ ĺ ľ ļ ŀ ̂ ń ň ņ ̂ ŏ ő ō ǿ ŕ ř ŗ ś ş ŝ ș ť ț ŭ ű ū
ų ů ũ ẃ ŵ ẅ ẁ ŷ ỳ ȳ ź ż ǽ ̦ ̦ ˇ ´ ˘ ˇ ¸ ˆ ¨ ˙ ` ˝ ¯ ˛ ˚ ˜ á ă â ä ǽ à ā ą å ã Є ć č ç ĉ ċ ď é ĕ ě ê ë ė è ē ę ğ ĝ ģ ġ g̃ ĥ í ĭ î ï Ѕ ì ī į ĩ ĵ ķ ĺ
ľļŀł̂ńňņñ̂óŏôöòőōǿõŕřŗśšşŝșťțúŭûüùűūųůũẃŵẅẁýŷÿỳȳźžż´˘ˇ¸ˆ̦¨˙`˝¯˛˚˜ΑΒΓΔ
ΕΖΗΘΙΚΛΜΝΞΟΠΡΣΤΥΦΧΨΩΆΈΉΊΪΌΎΫΏΆἉἍἋἏᾸᾺᾼᾉᾍᾋᾏᾈᾌᾊᾎἈἌἊἎᾹΈἙἝἛῈἘ
ἜἚΉἩἭἫἯῊῌᾙᾝᾛᾟᾘᾜᾚᾞἨἬἪἮΊἹἽἻἿῘῚἸἼἺἾῙΏὩὭὫὯῺῼᾩᾭᾫᾯᾨᾬᾪᾮὨὬὪὮΌὉ
ὍὋῸὈὌὊῬІΎὙὝὛὟῨῪῩЇЈЉЊЋЌЎЏАБВГДЕЖЗИЙКЛМНОПРСТαβγδεζηθικλμνξορστυ
φχψωςϐϑϕϖϛϙϡϰϝάέήίϊόύϋώΐΰἀἁἂἃἄἅἆἇἐἑἒἓἔἕἠἡἢἣἤἥἦἧἰἱἲἳἴἵἶἷὀὁὂὃὄὅὐὑὒὓὔὕὖὗὠὡὢὣὤ
ὥὦὧὰάὲέὴήὶίὸόὺύὼώᾀᾁᾂᾃᾄᾅᾆᾇᾐᾑᾒᾓᾔᾕᾖᾗᾠᾡᾢᾣᾤᾥᾦᾧᾰᾱᾲᾳᾶᾷῂῃῄῆῇῐῑῒΐῖῗῠῡῢΰῤῥῦῲῳῴῶῷ
ᾴ ῧ ʹ ͵ ; · ᾽ ι ῁ ῍ ῎ ῏ ῝ ῞ ῟ ῭ ΅ ῾ ΄ ᾿ ΅ ΅ ῭ ̏ ΅ ῭ ̏ У Ф Х Ц Ч Ш Щ Ъ Ы Ь Э Ю Я а б в г д е ж з и й к л м н о п р с т у ф х ц ч ш щ ъ ы ь э
юяёђѓєѕіїјљњћќўџѢѣѲѳѴѵҐґә‐ℓ№•••••••••••••••••••••••••••
—←Ӏ←←˘ˆ˘ˆƠƯơư₫₫ẠẢẤẦẨẪẬẮẰẲẴẶẸẺẼẾỀỂỄỆỈỊỌỎỐỒỔỖỘỚỜỞỠỢỤỦỨỪỬỮỰỴỶỸạ
ảấầẩẫậắằẳẵặẹẻẽếềểễệỉịọỏốồổỗộớờởỡợụủứừửữựỵỷỹắặằẳẵấậầẩẫạảếệềểễẹẻẽắặằẳẵấ
ậ ầ ẩ ẫ ạ ả ế ệ ề ể ễ ẹ ẻ ẽ ị ỉ ố ộ ồ ổ ỗ ọ ỏ ơ ớ ợ ờ ở ỡ ụ ủ ư ứ ự ừ ử ữ ỵ ỷ ỹ ˘́ ˘̀ ˘̉ ˘̃ ˆ́ ˆ̀ ˆ̉ ˆ̃ ̣ ̉ ̛ ˘́ ˘̀ ˘̉ ˘̃ ˆ́ ˆ̀ ˆ̉ ˆ̃ ̣ ̉ ̛ ˘́ ˘̀ ˘̉ ˘̃ ˆ́ ˆ̀ ˆ̉ ˆ̃ ̣ ̉ ̛ A
B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Đ Ħ Ø Ŧ Ŋ Ð Þ Ȝ Æ Œ Ĳ Á Ă Â Ä Ǽ À Ā Ą Å Ã Ǻ Ć Č Ç Ĉ Ċ Ď É Ĕ Ě Ê Ë Ė È Ē Ę Ğ Ĝ Ģ Ġ G̃
ĤÍĬÎÏİÌĪĮĨĴĶĹĽĻĿŁ̂ŃŇŅÑ̂ÓŎÔÖÒŐŌǾÕŔŘŖŚŠŞŜȘŤȚÚŬÛÜÙŰŪŲŮŨẂŴẄẀÝŶŸỲȲŹŽŻẮẶẰẲẴ
ẤẬẦẨẪẠẢẾỆỀỂỄẸẺẼỊỈỐỘỒỔỖỌỎƠỚỢỜỞỠỤỦƯỨỰỪỬỮỴỶỸŞşŢţ ˉ∕∙i/ бǻfiflȷ’₹₹₹₹₺₺₺₺


ITC New Baskerville family

Baskerville Roman
Baskerville Italic
Baskerville Bold
Baskerville Bold Italic

Roboto (Christian Robertson/Google Fonts) family

Roboto Thin Italic
Roboto Light Italic
Roboto Regular
Roboto Italic
Roboto Medium
Roboto Medium Italic
Roboto Bold
Roboto Bold Italic

Roboto Slab Thin
Roboto Slab Light
Roboto Slab Regular
Roboto Slab Bold

Roboto Black Italic
Roboto Condensed Light
Roboto Condensed Light Italic
Roboto Condensed Regular
Roboto Condensed Italic
Roboto Condensed Bold
Roboto Condensed Bold Italic


OpenType
TrueType
SVG


Google


FontSpring


ITC
1100+ foundries


1000+ designers

3800+ fonts

MyFonts


Linotype


3. Research.
4. Make samples.
5. a. Use type well. Share the samples.
Read the samples.

Use:
Typographic
Dos and Don’ts


Dos
Use fi and fl ligatures
Use true apostrophes
Use true quotation marks
Use true ellipsis
Use true italics
Use true fractions
Use true small caps
Use old style figures in text
Use en-dashes for ranges


Judiciously letterspace capitals
Reduce abbreviations
Set flush left, ragged right
Set readable sizes
Set readable line lengths
Define size and leading in ems

fi ﬁ
fl ﬂ

'
"
...

/’
‘

/”
“

…

1/2
1/4
3/4

½
¼
¾

Excelsior: Lining Figures

Xx1234567890
Xx1234567890
Georgia: Old Style Figures


10-20
June-Aug


10–20
June–Aug

FAKE SMALL CAPS
True Small Caps


ARISTOTLE’S ETHICS
Every art and every inquiry, and similarly every action and pursuit, is thought to aim
at some good; and for this reason the good has rightly been declared to be that at which all
things aim. But a certain difference is found among ends; some are activities, others are
products apart from the activities that produce them. Where there are ends apart from the
actions, it is the nature of the products to be better than the activities.

ARISTOT LE’S ETH IC S
Every art and every inquiry, and similarly every action and pursuit, is thought to aim
at some good; and for this reason the good has rightly been declared to be that at which all
things aim. But a certain difference is found among ends; some are activities, others are
products apart from the activities that produce them. Where there are ends apart from the
actions, it is the nature of the products to be better than the activities.


OBTAINING FBI RECORDS
You can see our full range of online records by visiting our Reading Room at
FBI Headquarters at 935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW in Washington, DC
The hours are from 8:30 am to 2:30 pm. You are required to make an
appointment 48 hours in advance of arriving by calling (202) 324-4682.
However, if you would rather review the material in your own home, all
Reading Room documents have been converted to CDs that are available for
$15 each. You can pay the FBI by check or money order, or make a debit/
credit card or ACH payment via pay.gov, a secure, web-based application
hosted by the US Department of the Treasury. The information on the CDs is
of the same quality as the original materials in the Reading Room. To obtain
these records, you must submit a FOIA request either by e-mail, mail, or fax.
Upon receipt of your request, we will mail you a letter requesting prepayment of $15 per CD. Upon receipt of payment, we will mail you a CD(s).


OBTAINING FBI RECORDS
You can see our full range of online records by visiting our Reading Room at
FBI Headquarters at 935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW in Washington, DC.
The hours are from 8:30 am to 2:30 pm. You are required to make an
appointment 48 hours in advance of arriving by calling (202) 324-4682.
However, if you would rather review the material in your own home, all
Reading Room documents have been converted to CDs that are available for
$15 each. You can pay the FBI by check or money order, or make a debit/
credit card or ACH payment via pay.gov, a secure, web-based application
hosted by the US Department of the Treasury. The information on the CDs is
of the same quality as the original materials in the Reading Room. To obtain
these records, you must submit a FOIA request either by e-mail, mail, or fax.
Upon receipt of your request, we will mail you a letter requesting prepayment of $15 per CD. Upon receipt of payment, we will mail you a CD (s).


Don’ts
No condensing or expanding of letterforms
No spaces around em-dashes
No spaces around en-dashes
No spaces around ellipsis
No spaces before colons or semicolons
No indents on ﬁrst paragraphs
No widows or orphans


Every art and every inquiry, and similarly every
action and pursuit, is thought to aim at some
good; and for this reason the good has rightly
been declared to be that at which all things aim.
But a certain difference is found among ends;
some are activities, others are products apart
from the activities that produce them. Where
there are ends apart from the actions, it is the
nature of the products to be better than the
activities.


Every art and every inquiry, and similarly every
action and pursuit, is thought to aim at some
good; and for this reason the good has rightly
been declared to be that at which all things aim.
But a certain difference is found among ends;
some are activities, others are products apart
from the activities that produce them. Where
there are ends apart from the actions, it is the
nature of the products to be better than
thelactivities.

Use:
Grooming Text


Type Size Intervals


Largest
Larger
Regular
Smaller
Smallest


1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34…
1+2=3

:

1 2

2+3=5

:

2 3

3+5=8

:

3 5

5 + 8 = 13

:

5 8

:

8 13

8 + 13 = 21

:

13 21

13 + 21 = 34…

:

21 34 …

1 : 2 1 : 1.5 1 : 1.67 1 : 1.6 1 : 1.625 1 : 1.615 1 : 1.619…

1 : 1.618

6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 24, 28, 30, 36, 40, 42, 48, 54, 60, 64, 72, 84, 96, 108
6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 24, 28, 30, 36, 40, 42, 48, 54, 60, 64, 72, 84, 96, 108
6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 24, 28, 30, 36, 40, 42, 48, 54, 60, 64, 72, 84, 96, 108
6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 24, 28, 30, 36, 40, 42, 48, 54, 60, 64, 72, 84, 96, 108
6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 24, 28, 30, 36, 40, 42, 48, 54, 60, 64, 72, 84, 96, 108

6, 9, 15, 24, 39, 63…
8, 11, 19, 30, 49, 79…
9, 12, 21, 33, 54, 87…


6.4, 10.5, 16.9, 27.4, 44.3…


The em


x

M

x

x = point size


n =½ M

em

en


mutton

nut

12 = M
M = 12

12 = M
.5 em = 6px

15 12
1.25 em

6
.5

1 em

12 × 2 × 1.25 = 30
12 × 2 × 1 = 24
12 × 2 ×.5 = 12


Read the text.
Research (Choose type well).
Make samples (Use type well).
Read the text again. Share.
Reiterate.
Fallback gracefully.
Advocate better eBook design.


Readability and legibility
Aesthetics (novelty, grace, style, etc.)
x-Height, Proportions, and Color
Character set
Family members
Font format
Price and licensing


Dos
Use fi and fl ligatures
Use true apostrophes
Use true quotation marks
Use true ellipsis
Use true italics
Use true fractions
Use true small caps
Use old style figures in text
Use en-dashes for ranges


Judiciously letterspace capitals
Reduce abbreviations
Set flush left, ragged right
Set readable sizes
Set readable line lengths
Create effective hierarchies
Define size and leading in ems

Printing Types
by Daniel Berkeley Updike

The Elements
of Typographic Style
by Robert Bringhurst

The Chicago Manual of Style

tdc.org/helpful-resources

Better Type by Betty Binns


Layout in Advertising
by W.A. Dwiggins

Thank you.
Charles Nix
twitter: @chasnix
instagram: chasnix
scottandnix.com


First, do no harm. Best practices for typography in eBooks

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First, do no harm. Best practices for typography in eBooks