Grammar Tip – Text Style Guide

Carlene’s question: “I am trying to find a good reference for a text style guide. I want to address readability of word-based text documents. Are you aware of a guide that provides information on how to use headings, bolding, font size, etc.?”

BizWritingTip response: Design is a very personal thing, and many organizations have even developed their own style guide.

You might find my article  Twelve Ways to Increase the Readability of Your Business Documents helpful.

These thoughts are based on my own research, experiences and discussions within my workshops. If your organization has a style guide that differs — follow it. (Always go with whoever pays your salary.)

In terms of a reference guide, I like  Looking Good on Paper by Garrett Soden. Writing in Bullets by Kim Long is also interesting. They are both available through Amazon. However, I am sure there are other guides out there. If anyone has a favourite book that deals primarily with fonts and layouts, I would love to hear from you.

Jane’s onsite workshop  Writing for the Web also explores the differences in writing for print as opposed to screen.