Bible Typesetting and Readability
Bible Typesetting and Readability
A critical component of every ESV Bible is the typesetting, which is the careful arrangement of the printed text on the page. There are multiple factors that go into the process of laying out the text, including readability, size, and any added material (study notes, references, maps, etc.). It’s the job of the typesetter to ensure that each page is easy to read and aesthetically pleasing.
Key Terms
Type Size: The size of the text. Larger type improves readability for low-vision readers and smaller type enables the text of the Bible to fit into a smaller format.
Font: The style of the letters, sometimes called a typeface. A well-designed font will have easily recognizable characters, even at small sizes.
Leading: The amount of vertical white space between lines of text. More leading makes it easier to follow each line of text, thus increasing overall readability.
Line Matching: The process of lining up the text on both sides (front and back) of a page. This helps the text appear more orderly, reduces ghosting (the degree to which print shows through from the opposite side of a page), and also highlights the white space between the lines of text, making it appear brighter and larger.
Line Length: The number of letters on a single line. The standard metric for a readable single-column setting is two and a half alphabets, or between 45 and 75 characters. Generally speaking, a shorter line length facilitates easier tracking from one line to the next.
Margin: The amount of white space between the edge of the text and the edge of the page. The more margin bordering the text, the more readable it is. Together with leading, larger margins promote a more comfortable reading experience.
Letter and Word Spacing: Maintaining enough letter spacing (so that letters do not touch) and enough word spacing (so that a line of text looks like a string of words, not a string of letters) is important to retain readability.
Kerning: The white space between two letters. A readable font will naturally space characters so they can be read comfortably, but there are times when those spaces need to be adjusted if characters are too close or too far apart.
