It’s time for my annual “Don’t Double Space After a Period” post. I love posting this blog again as a PSA (Public Service Announcement) for my current and future editing clients—while taking out double spaces from manuscripts can be very meditative, it is also time-consuming/labor intensive. Plus, many writers don’t know they shouldn’t double-space, especially if they are coming from a government or scientific background which still uses double spacing after periods. You wouldn’t believe the amount of comments I got from this post; I had to eventually disable them because of several fights that broke out—seriously! So, here’s the post again in its entirety, along with steps you can take in the proofreading process where you can fix your double spaces, which mirror I what do for my editing clients.
Are you still double spacing after you end a sentence? Well, stop! All of the style guides The Chicago Manual of Style, the AP Stylebook, and the Modern Language Association (MLA) except for the (APA) American Psychological Association want you to space only once after you end a sentence. I know, I know, it may be really hard to break the habit of hitting the space bar twice, but you’re still not listening to 8 Tracks today, right?
Why the Change?
You might be wondering how you didn’t get the one-spacing memo. Since word processors came into being in the late 70s/80s, spacing only once after a sentence has become the norm. This is because typewriters monospaced all of the characters, so that an “i” took up the same space as an “m.” Computers use proportional spacing so each character is adjusted for the space and double spacing after periods became an extra unnecessary step. In addition, newspapers frowned on having all of that wasted space in columns which could become valuable ad dollars. When I took typing back in the late 80s, I was taught to double space after periods and colons—it took me awhile to change my old habits, but I know you can do it like I did!
But Don’t Two Spaces Look Better?
Not really. Two spaces make the document “holey” and disjointed. It DOES NOT make it easier for someone to read your work or does it help the reader know you ended your sentence. As an editor, my eyes go directly to the double spaces and then I start hyperventilating, wondering how many spaces I’ll need to correct. When I edit manuscripts, I get so excited when I don’t need to correct the spacing issue—yay, someone got it!
What if You Don’t Want to Change Your Double-Spacing Ways?
My, aren’t we stubborn? Well, you can stick it to the Man by double spacing in your emails, drafts and letters. Just don’t double space when you’re sending off that email to your future agent, editor or publisher.
Bottom line: please save the spaces! It only takes a small change to make a big difference!
To Fix The Two Space Issue
Once you’re in a document, go to your Review Tab in Word 2007, select Spelling & Grammar on the far left, then hit “Options,” then at the Dialog Box, select “Grammar Only” and hit the “Settings” tab, where you’ll see the option for “Spaces Required Between Sentences” and hit “1.” Easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy, right?
Your Turn:
Are you a single spacer or a double spacer? How do you feel now after reading this post?
Thanks so much for this, Alice. I talked about this with one of my critique groups who didn’t know about the change. Were they surprised! I am downloading this to give them!
My pleasure and so glad you’re spreading the single space gospel!I believe we can eradicate the two space rule in the next five years! Have a great week, my friend! A:)
Many thanks! As an artist and writer needing to make a living, I’ve also worked as a typesetter, graphic designer, with a special affinity for typography. I even notice poor spacing on road signs! With some clients, I got in the habit of beginning my work by searching for double spacing, replacing with singles.
Thank you so much for your comment, Tina-Joy! That’s how I begin my work with editing clients too, by searching for those double spaces.
Thanks, I now feel more confident. I know my single spaces are accepted by my editor from the newspaper and I assumed it was to save space, but I wondered how to be proper with queries and other correspondence and writing. Now I know for sure.
Thank you for your comment, Cindy, and glad my post put your mind at ease:) #gosingle!
Most word processing software will let you run a quick find and replace. Just find two spaces and replace with one! Done!
One space! Clearly civilization is doomed. 🙂
Many moons ago, I pledged to follow this rule. But sometimes old habits sneak back in.
Ok, ok, I’m a trained little monkey in double spacer APA style, but I specialize in changing behavior (I’m a psychologist) so there’s hope! This answers a niggling question for me about those after period spaces. Thank you. Does anyone know how to fix the two-space issue in Word 2013?
Life changes when we learn new, healthier behaviors. Now I feel so happy knowing that I’m on the single spacer track. Whew!
Thank you so much for your comment! Here’s a quick video on how to fix the double-space problem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUVErTujg2Y
Good luck!
Now, if we can just get the people who drive slow in the left lane to move right, we would have Utopia!
So true, Matt! Thanks so much for checking out my blog!
Done! The single space conversion is complete not the book ?; But I am making progress. Thanks!
Great to hear, Eve! Yay on your book’s progress:)
Though it must be ok to double space within a sentence? Fourth paragraph, second line, between work and or!
Thank you for the sharp eyes! Fixed it!
what is happening in the world? double spacing is the ONE thing I was taught to ALWAYS do!! well into the 90’s and 2000’s at that!