Q: I’m reviewing the page proofs for my book and the designer has eliminated the indent for the first paragraph of each chapter. Is this right?
A: It is indeed, Dear Author. In fine typography and well-crafted books, the first paragraph of a chapter is not indented. Ditto for the first paragraph following any heading or sub-heading.
Why?
Each new paragraph signifies a change in thought, direction or organization of the text. At the start of a new chapter, the reader already knows it’s a new paragraph. As for headings, adding indentation prevents the heading from lining up properly with the text following it.
More indenting rules: An alternative method of setting off each paragraph is to put an extra line break between each graf (shorthand for paragraphs used by editors and designers). This is sometimes called a “white line”. Indents plus white lines are never to be used together — only one or the other. Generally, books get indents. Websites and blogs usually use white lines, in part because different browsers may interpret indent coding inconsistently. Business writing, letters, and reports may use either (but not both).
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