Spaces after a period

[Writer1]

Please forgive me...laughs.

My fiance and I argue about the number of spaces after a period. Her university profs said that the only reason we used to put two spaces is that typewriter keys were unforgiving in that they could not compensate for the size of a letter (or space). Computers, however, adjust the spacing on their own so we don't have to.

Further, kids in school are no longer using a double space after a period.

For screenplays . . . is it convention to still use a double space?
What do you use? Single or double?

Thanks!

[Salazkin]

I couldn't tell you what the convention is, but I use a single space.

[ComicBent]

Here we go again.

This question gets asked very frequently and usually generates a lot of passion.

The bottom line: It does not matter. Use one or two, as you want. However, be consistent.

[Deus Ex Machine]

Non proportional fonts such as courier which was standard on Type Writers do not adjust space based on character size, which is why it is a non proportional font which means the same space is given for a period as there is for a capital H.

Double spacing after a period was used to make locating the end of a sentence easier and make using periods that did not indicate the end of a sentence less confusing by no double spacing after them to alert the reader to the fact that the period did not indicate the end of a sentence when used with Mr. Smith and Dr. Watson.

It has nothing to do with keys or how much force was needed to work them in a manual typewriter since the standard was developed by typesetters who never used type writers and established the practice long before typewriters were invented.

As far as double spacing after periods in scripts, it really doesn't matter. I do use two spaces after a period but the choice is entirely personal. It's the way I was taught to type. People in HW don't care one way or the other if you use one or two spaces after a period.

HTH

[Writer1]

Comic...I've never seen this question before and didn't think it would create any passion wars.

About the number of spaces, I don't really care one way or the other. However, my fiance and I sometimes use the same computer and it's set for one space...so when she reads our scripts, and I've added two spaces, it shows it as an error...also, she's a hottie so anything that upsets her in the least is not to my advantage.

[Salazkin]

That's the best argument for one space yet, Writer1. :smokin

[pantalone]

Ya know, if she is getting upset by the number of spaces at the end of the sentence, then you are in for a long pain, my brother. She might be a hottie, but as the saying goes, behind every beautiful woman is a man who's tired of boinking her.

My vote is for two spaces. I like the visual space.

[vmf]

Join 2004 and use one space. :smokin

[csparks]

I just want to know if the info on this thread is still current... I thought I remembered reading somewhere re: screenplay format, that you use a double space after a period in descriptions, and a single space after a period in dialogue??? or does it not matter either way?...

[Jakkal]

That's WAY to specific and no one is that anal. As far as I know, it doesn't matter either way. I use one space to, as ridiculous as it sounds, save on space in the line of text. Saves me from dealing with widows sometimes.

John August likes double space purely for aesthetic reasons:

Modern typefaces are designed to look best with a single space after the period which ends a sentence. (Or the full stop, for the British in the room.) Courier, however, is not such a typeface. As a monospace font, it looks best with two spaces after the period.

http://www.johnaugust.com/index.php?s=spaces+after+a+period&submit=Search

[dpaterso]

I'm a double spacer, always have been and always will be, and you wouldn't believe how this turns some chicks on! Girls with glasses especially. Whenever anyone leans in and whispers, "Do you double space?" I know I'm in for a hot night. Oh yeah baby, I double space, all right. Single spacing is just too small for me, know what I'm saying?

-Derek

[Pull Back Reveal]

re: screenplay format, that you use a double space after a period in descriptions, and a single space after a period in dialogue???

What Jakkal said. Except that proper screenplay format also dictates a triple space in action lines, a full four spaces after periods in scene headings and the rarely used hairline space after periods in parentheticals (although it's odd to use a period in a paranthetical. it really is).

In fact, it's much easier if you ditch Final Draft and use InDesign or Quark Xpress, where you can encourage Courier to act like a proportiona font, and set different en-spaces, em-spaces and thin spaces galore depending on context the ligatures BEFORE the period (those are letter combos like ff where the actual space between the LETTERS changes the SHAPE of the serifs ... oh wait, nevermind, just stick to Final Draft and use one or two spaces consistently, whichever feels best.)

[ComicBent]

One or two, whichever you want. It has nothing to do with the sentence type.

Let's not start all this up again.