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Author	Message
bobby america	Post subject: Drop caps Posted: Mon May 02, 2005 2:53 pm
Joined: Mon May 02, 2005 2:43 pm Posts: 1	Currently brawling with art director: I insist that a space should follow drop caps of one-letter words ("I" and "A"); he insists it is "ugly." I am supported by the New York Times Magazine's style guide. Sports Illustrated is a former subscriber to this rule, although apparently changed its style in the past year or two. Anyone want to chime in here? Most magazines do not follow "I" or "A" drop caps with a space, but if anyone knows other reputable periodicals that do, please let me know.
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JaimeS	Post subject: Posted: Mon May 02, 2005 2:57 pm
Joined: Fri Jan 28, 2005 4:46 am Posts: 10 Location: Chicago area	Umm, I don't see why it's a debate. It's a word. All complete words have spaces after them.
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SusanV	Post subject: Posted: Mon May 02, 2005 3:53 pm
Joined: Thu Apr 18, 2002 12:01 am Posts: 1399 Location: In the newsroom	I think the last time I encountered that, I was able to persuade an ed to redo the lede to avoid it. Luckily it almost never comes up; 99 44/100 of our stories begin with words of at least two letters. I can't think of any story we have ever run that began with "I," anyway.
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Wayne Countryman	Post subject: Posted: Mon May 02, 2005 6:19 pm
Joined: Mon Apr 08, 2002 12:01 am Posts: 1775 Location: Baltimore	I've succeeded in getting such spaces inserted half the time. No particular tactic has worked better than another, including pointing out that without the space, two words are being run together.
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paulwiggins	Post subject: Posted: Mon May 02, 2005 7:23 pm
Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2003 12:01 am Posts: 3137 Location: Homebush NSW Australia	This one's a no-brainer. Use you eye and use a space, no space, a hyperspace, a thin space, an ultrathin space, advance horizontal position, begative horizontal position or what very other trick you have available to produce a result that works best. Adapt rules of thumb to best suit the font you are in.
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Wabberjocky	Post subject: Posted: Mon May 02, 2005 8:02 pm
Joined: Mon Feb 07, 2005 6:47 pm Posts: 1734 Location: Washington	I agree. Drop caps look too squeezed into the text without the space. It's a matter of pure aesthetics.
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paulwiggins	Post subject: Posted: Mon May 02, 2005 11:21 pm
Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2003 12:01 am Posts: 3137 Location: Homebush NSW Australia	paulwiggins wrote: begative horizontal position . When you find out what that is let me know. Negative. one suspects.
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SusanV	Post subject: Posted: Tue May 03, 2005 9:33 am
Joined: Thu Apr 18, 2002 12:01 am Posts: 1399 Location: In the newsroom	Something biblical, no doubt!
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DominEditrix	Post subject: Posted: Tue May 03, 2005 1:19 pm
Joined: Thu Dec 18, 2003 1:01 am Posts: 458 Location: Heart of Global Warming	Quote: begative horizontal position Isn't that the getting-down-on-one's-knees-to-plead-for-a-space-dear-ghod-any-space position? D.
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