Dear All,

In word processing and page layout programs, I've always tried to
standardize on adding space *after* paragraphs when creating styles or
direct formatting. In my simple brain, it seemed like the simplest, most
logical way to do it. I've learned that Word's "open up" property (method?)
adds space before. Wondering if there is a best practice on this -- space
between paragraphs and where to add it when it's called for.

Sincerely,

Ridge

It all depends on what you are doing with your paragraphs, I guess. My
preference is to use space-before.

Out-of-the-box, though, I think body text adds space after.
--
Charles Kenyon

Word New User FAQ & Web Directory: http://addbalance.com/word

Intermediate User's Guide to Microsoft Word (supplemented version of
Microsoft's Legal Users' Guide) http://addbalance.com/usersguide

See also the MVP FAQ: http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/ which is awesome!
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
This message is posted to a newsgroup. Please post replies
and questions to the newsgroup so that others can learn
from my ignorance and your wisdom.


"Ridge Kennedy" wrote in message
...
Dear All,

In word processing and page layout programs, I've always tried to
standardize on adding space *after* paragraphs when creating styles or
direct formatting. In my simple brain, it seemed like the simplest, most
logical way to do it. I've learned that Word's "open up" property
(method?) adds space before. Wondering if there is a best practice on
this -- space between paragraphs and where to add it when it's called for.

Sincerely,

Ridge

I usually use Space After for Body Text, plus a large amount of Space Before
and a small amount of Space After for headings.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://word.mvps.org
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

"Charles Kenyon" wrote in message
...
It all depends on what you are doing with your paragraphs, I guess. My
preference is to use space-before.

Out-of-the-box, though, I think body text adds space after.
--
Charles Kenyon

Word New User FAQ & Web Directory: http://addbalance.com/word

Intermediate User's Guide to Microsoft Word (supplemented version of
Microsoft's Legal Users' Guide) http://addbalance.com/usersguide

See also the MVP FAQ: http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/ which is awesome!
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
This message is posted to a newsgroup. Please post replies
and questions to the newsgroup so that others can learn
from my ignorance and your wisdom.


"Ridge Kennedy" wrote in message
...
Dear All,

In word processing and page layout programs, I've always tried to
standardize on adding space *after* paragraphs when creating styles or
direct formatting. In my simple brain, it seemed like the simplest,
most
logical way to do it. I've learned that Word's "open up" property
(method?) adds space before. Wondering if there is a best practice on
this -- space between paragraphs and where to add it when it's called
for.

Sincerely,

Ridge

I find Spacing Before convenient, because it "saves" styles, in the
following sense: I frequently use first line indents for new
paragraphs, which (not surprisingly) means that I need a style with a
first line indent.

But, of course, I also need a style without a first line indent for
the first paragraph below headings; if this style also has some
Spacing Before I can use it for any paragraph where the first line
indent should be suppressed (for example, for the first paragraph
below a table).

Spacing Before is also convenient with bulleted and numbered lists,
since you can have a smaller amount of spacing for those paragraphs
(to keep them closer to the previous unnumbered paragraph to which
they belong). This is trickier with Spacing After. Of course, if you
are using the same distance between all items, it doesn't make a
difference if you used spacing before or spacing after.

--
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP


"Suzanne S. Barnhill" wrote in message
...
I usually use Space After for Body Text, plus a large amount of
Space Before
and a small amount of Space After for headings.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://word.mvps.org
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the
newsgroup so
all may benefit.

"Charles Kenyon" wrote in message
...
It all depends on what you are doing with your paragraphs, I
guess. My
preference is to use space-before.

Out-of-the-box, though, I think body text adds space after.
--
Charles Kenyon

Word New User FAQ & Web Directory: http://addbalance.com/word

Intermediate User's Guide to Microsoft Word (supplemented version
of
Microsoft's Legal Users' Guide) http://addbalance.com/usersguide

See also the MVP FAQ: http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/ which is awesome!
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
This message is posted to a newsgroup. Please post replies
and questions to the newsgroup so that others can learn
from my ignorance and your wisdom.


"Ridge Kennedy" wrote in message
...
Dear All,

In word processing and page layout programs, I've always tried
to
standardize on adding space *after* paragraphs when creating
styles or
direct formatting. In my simple brain, it seemed like the
simplest,
most
logical way to do it. I've learned that Word's "open up" proper
ty
(method?) adds space before. Wondering if there is a best
practice on
this -- space between paragraphs and where to add it when it's
called
for.

Sincerely,

Ridge

I usually have a Body Text style (with Body Text First Indent as the
following style) that I use after left-aligned headings and a Body Text
Space Before style that I use in the other instances you cite (including in
fiction where the passage of time is indicated).

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://word.mvps.org
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

"Stefan Blom" wrote in message
...
I find Spacing Before convenient, because it "saves" styles, in the
following sense: I frequently use first line indents for new
paragraphs, which (not surprisingly) means that I need a style with a
first line indent.

But, of course, I also need a style without a first line indent for
the first paragraph below headings; if this style also has some
Spacing Before I can use it for any paragraph where the first line
indent should be suppressed (for example, for the first paragraph
below a table).

Spacing Before is also convenient with bulleted and numbered lists,
since you can have a smaller amount of spacing for those paragraphs
(to keep them closer to the previous unnumbered paragraph to which
they belong). This is trickier with Spacing After. Of course, if you
are using the same distance between all items, it doesn't make a
difference if you used spacing before or spacing after.

--
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP


"Suzanne S. Barnhill" wrote in message
...
I usually use Space After for Body Text, plus a large amount of
Space Before
and a small amount of Space After for headings.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://word.mvps.org
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the
newsgroup so
all may benefit.

"Charles Kenyon" wrote in message
...
It all depends on what you are doing with your paragraphs, I
guess. My
preference is to use space-before.

Out-of-the-box, though, I think body text adds space after.
--
Charles Kenyon

Word New User FAQ & Web Directory: http://addbalance.com/word

Intermediate User's Guide to Microsoft Word (supplemented version
of
Microsoft's Legal Users' Guide) http://addbalance.com/usersguide

See also the MVP FAQ: http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/ which is awesome!
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
This message is posted to a newsgroup. Please post replies
and questions to the newsgroup so that others can learn
from my ignorance and your wisdom.


"Ridge Kennedy" wrote in message
...
Dear All,

In word processing and page layout programs, I've always tried
to
standardize on adding space *after* paragraphs when creating
styles or
direct formatting. In my simple brain, it seemed like the
simplest,
most
logical way to do it. I've learned that Word's "open up" proper
ty
(method?) adds space before. Wondering if there is a best
practice on
this -- space between paragraphs and where to add it when it's
called
for.

Sincerely,

Ridge

Thank you very much. R.