The Double-Space

[Guest]

I wouldn't suggest not following written regulations of those who employ you.

Perhaps I should have been a little more specific.

I was speaking about changing my double space in personal correspondence and stories, not memorandums and inter-office communiques. I will, of course continue to follow the rules of AR 25-50, "and like it" (as I have been told in the past) at work.

~Paul

 

[sr71plt]

Perhaps I should have been a little more specific.

I was speaking about changing my double space in personal correspondence and stories, not memorandums and inter-office communiques. I will, of course continue to follow the rules of AR 25-50, "and like it" (as I have been told in the past) at work.

~Paul

Well good. I'm not so anal retentive about editorial style that I don't recognize that the one paying my salary decides how it's going to be done.

 

[Guest]

I shot a private message your way.

 

[sr71plt]

I shot a private message your way.

I shot back. I wonder if this constitutes war.

 

[Guest]

War? Nah. No ballistic plates needed as of yet.

 

[ole_grouch_1124]

Wow. Every time I log onto here, I learn something new. I learned to type on a manual typewriter in school, an automatically carried it over on to a word processor throughout my life.

In the army, we tend to double space after terminal punctuation (another new phrase for me) because our regulations say to. I had never noticed that other people don't do it. However, now that I know, I will knock it the hell off and give my editor an easier time of it.

We're not all stubborn. I try to learn as I go. So no more doubles for me.

~Paul

The same goes for me. I learned on a typewriter and double spaced between sentences. This one's new on me. I won't do it anymore. Now I have to go back and re-edit some stories.

 

[snoopercharmbrights]

The same goes for me. I learned on a typewriter and double spaced between sentences. This one's new on me. I won't do it anymore. ...

Fine, if that's what you want to do.

... Now I have to go back and re-edit some stories.

Only Mr.Monk would waste time like that. I'm sure very few readers have noticed.

 

[Guest]

Fine, if that's what you want to do.

Only Mr.Monk would waste time like that. I'm sure very few readers have noticed.

Hell I was writing and didn't notice. Shows how much I paid attention.

~Paul

 

[manyeyedhydra]

Guilty as charged on this one, which is odd considering I'm not from the typewriter generation. Personally I prefer the extra space as it makes paragraphs look less crowded and gives more emphasis to the break between sentences.

Thankfully, technology makes it easy to fix foibles like mine

 

[CopperSkink]

That's more less what I was interested in. I know it used to be a rule and that it's outdated now, but I was quite curious whether anyone thought it had value in writing. There are a few places I might disagree with the laws of punctuation, but this seems to me more of a forgivible sin.

 

[CopperSkink]

Thinking again (whoops). What if writers across California demanded equal rights for the new-age computer people who only use the single space? Would we get struck down with Bibles by people quoting Leviticus 18:22? Would it be the most expensive bill in the country's history?

 

[sr71plt]

Thinking again (whoops). What if writers across California demanded equal rights for the new-age computer people who only use the single space? Would we get struck down with Bibles by people quoting Leviticus 18:22? Would it be the most expensive bill in the country's history?

You seem to be making an assertion about who are the only people using single spaces. Need to get Lance to come in and help you with this argument.

(I can tell you that when the Gutenburg Bible was printed, it didn't have double spaces after terminal punctuation, if that will help in the discussion.)

 

[CopperSkink]

I thought of that, but I didn't want to go too over the top.

 

[sxyoldguy]

This falls under the heading of teaching the old dog new tricks.
I've written about 500K words in the past 3 years and it all was double spaced between sentences.
JJ pointed that out to me last week.
Arf
Tnx SR71Plt for the quick fix. Hadn't thought of that.
Oh yes Fly Navy

 

[AsylumSeeker]

I'll weigh in (theoretically)

I was a one-time user of single spaces, then took on the two-space rule. I actually prefer this as it sets the sentences apart, more delineation. When reading online the extra space, IMHO, helps. But this is merely my humble opinion.

 

[Son_of_Battles]

Thank you god! I'm not alone! I wrote my first story and submitted it to a volunteer editor and was told in very strict terms that I needed to do double spaces after periods. I tried to explain that since the mono space typewriter was replaced this practice was obsolete but all I recieved back was a reply that I didn't know what the fuck I was talking about because they were an award winning journalist. Ok I'm ranting now. This thread lifts my spirits.

 

[sr71plt]

Yep, the world of publishing has not reverted to the needs of the typewriter. In the age of the computer there should be only one space inserted between sentences. It doesn't matter what an individual author may think is nice to look at. Publishing machinery is set up for just one space being inserted.