You cannot select more than 25 topics
Topics must start with a letter or number, can include dashes ('-') and can be up to 35 characters long.
This repo is archived. You can view files and clone it, but cannot push or open issues/pull-requests.
This file contains invisible Unicode characters that may be processed differently from what appears below. If your use case is intentional and legitimate, you can safely ignore this warning. Use the Escape button to reveal hidden characters.
This file contains ambiguous Unicode characters that may be confused with others in your current locale. If your use case is intentional and legitimate, you can safely ignore this warning. Use the Escape button to highlight these characters.
#lang pollen
◊ ( define - meta title "who is typography for?" )
◊ hanging - topic [ ( topic - from - metas metas ) ] { Readers , not writers }
Typography is ◊ em { for the benefit of the reader } , not the writer .
Other kinds of professional writers — say , novelists and journalists — don ’ t have to worry about typography . They can pass their work to professional designers who optimize the typography for the intended audience .
But you can ’ t . You have to handle your own typography . So you must also negotiate the conflict of interest between your perspective as a writer and that of your future reader .
“ But every writer is also a reader — I end up reading the text several times while I ’ m editing it . ” True , but you don ’ t have the same goals as your future reader: to learn and possibly to be persuaded .
In fact , your reader is quite different from you:
◊ quick - table {
| Writer | Reader
Attention span | Long | Short
Interest in topic | High | Low
Persuadable by other opinions | No | Yes
Cares about making your client happy | Yes | No
}
Legal writers , unfortunately , often imagine that the comparison looks like this:
◊ quick - table {
| Writer | Reader
Attention span | Long | Whatever it takes
Interest in topic | High | Boundless
Persuadable by other opinions | No | Barely
Cares about making your client happy | Yes | Of course
}
The only reader who might match that description is your mother .
Typography has to be oriented to actual readers , not idealized ones . Writers often get attached to idealized readers because they ’ re easier to please . Of course — they don ’ t exist . Don ’ t fall into that trap . Set aside the wishful thinking and try to see your document from your reader ’ s perspective . You won ’ t get it perfectly right . But a rough approximation is better than none .