#lang pollen

◊(define-meta title "why typography matters")
◊(chapter-from-metas metas)

◊margin-note{A recreation of the “butterfly ballot” from Palm Beach County, Florida, and a butterfly-free redesign, by William Lid­well, Kritina Holden, and Jill But­ler, from their book ◊em{Uni­ver­sal Prin­ci­ples of De­sign}. (See ◊xref{bibliography}.)}

◊image[#:border #f "butterfly-before.svg"]	
		
◊image[#:border #f "butterfly-after.svg"]

You are already a typographer. You may be a reluctant typographer. You may be an unskilled typographer. But every time you’ve put words on a printed page, you’ve made typography happen. So you are a typographer.

This book is about making you a better typographer. And if you’re wondering “what’s in it for me?”, start with this chapter. 

Typography isn’t just the frosting on the cupcake that is your text. Typography has consequences. Just ask the person who was responsible for the ballot used in Palm Beach County, Florida, for the 2000 presidential election. 

The typography of the infamous “butterfly ballot” wasn’t random. Like every terrible and misguided project throughout history, it seemed like a good idea at the time. Someone considered a number of typographic options and approved that one.

Typography helps you engage readers, persuade them, and ultimately spur them to action. The more you appreciate what typography can do, the better your typography will be.

And you can ensure that you never turn your own work into the equivalent of a butterfly ballot.