Easy on the eye: Line length

Intro
Flick through a well designed magazine, coffee-table book or web page & you’ll notice that the number of words in a line of body text (*between the left and right edges of a text block) is usually between about 12-17 - give or take a few. What you’ll most certainly become aware of is that, even if the page is wide enough to fit 30 words on a line, it’s rarely done. Although it may feel instinctive to fill up space with a full line of text, there are more effective ways to lay out a large amount of text - ensuring your content is easier to read & your page feels more polished.

Good to know
If a line is too long, your eyes will have trouble finding the way back to the start of the next line. If a line is too short, jumping from line to line will tire your eyes. When the eyes get tired or bored, they’ll look for something else to focus on - which isn’t ideal when you have something to say!

Exercise: Ways to shorten line length
There are numerous formats to explore that can make text easier & more enjoyable to read - & that help make your content visually more dynamic. (Sometimes, we all need a fresh eye to provide a new perspective. You could work on this with a friend who also wants to work through this process - and offer new ideas for each others sites.) Find the most text-heavy page on your site. Is there a better way to lay out the text? If so, try one of the following:
— Where you have a lot to say, try using two columns of text.
— Try adding an intro or a pull-quote (in a larger font)
— Take advantage of white space.

Notes
The aim of this section is to draw attention to detail so that you can make informed choices when editing your content. Rather than going into depth I skim over design principles that can make your content easier to absorb. I’m simply pointing you in the right direction in case you want to find out more.

Further reading
- Readability: the Optimal Line Length
- *Butterick's Practical Typography
- Squarespace: Spacer Blocks