The Art of Using Fonts in Your Writing

Search the Internet for free fonts and you will find literally thousands of typefaces of all types. So how many different typefaces are available when you design a publication, a brochure, an ebook, an annual report or promotional piece? Well, it's not so much how many fonts you can get your hands on as it is how many you should use to make your print or web copy look its best. With the advent of computers and desktop publishing, there are literally tens of thousands of font typefaces you could install on your computer and use to design your publication. Here are some basic things you should know about designing material meant to be read:

1. More than about 2 to 3 fonts in a publication makes it look disorganized. Too many fonts make things look cluttered and disorganized. Plan your font strategy ahead of time.
   
2. Keep fonts in the same font family (Times New Roman, Courier, Lucida, Garamond or other font family). Keeping the fonts in the same font family helps pull your text and headings together visually and helps your document look professional.  
3. Except for title fonts, stay away from very unusual or gaudy fonts. 3D fonts or elaborate fonts like Old English should have a specific purpose for using it. An unusual font supported by appropriate graphics and sparkling text draws readers in and helps you get that first paragraph read. Fonts for titles can be different with regard to serifs, font families, colors and special effects. For instance if your piece is about Western subjects, frontier or nature, you might use one of those log cabin looking fonts or Alamo or something similarly old fashioned. If the text is about city subjects, you might use a neon effects font or something like that.
   
4. Font typefaces provide the body of your copy with a textual color palette. The textual color palette is about the rhythm and clarity of the text; not actually the color of the font typeface. Don't confuse readers by switching fonts in the midst of the flow of your story. Using a coherent font strategy is a way to create a smooth road into your textual argument. 
5. Be careful with coloring your text. You need a really good reason to use blue, red or periwinkle colored text. Use colored text sparingly and only to draw your reader's eyes to important points that lure your reader further into the story you are telling. Just because you can paint your text in every color of the rainbow, doesn't mean you should.
6. Too many fancy flourishes distracts the eyes of your readers. Text and graphics that pull their eyes from the text can break up the flow as they cruise through your publication. Sparse use of headers, fonts, colors, graphics, italics and bold print is better. Save the fancy stuff for key points.
7. Choose serif or san serif fonts and stick to that style throughout. You could mix them up but it's much safer to match serif/non serif headlines, headers, text and inserts. If you don't know what serifs are they are the flourishes that font typefaces either have or do not have. For instance, TIMES is a serif font.  ARIAL and HELVITICA are sans serif (no serifs) fonts.
   

If you've got something to say, it's important to frame it with professional fonts and graphics. It's like framing a picture. The frame sets off the picture and draws your eyes in. In the same way the fonts you use and graphics and pictures frame your story, sales pitch or argument. 

© 2022 by Tom King

References: 

1. How to Choose a Font: 10 Expert Tips for Choosing the Perfect Fonts https://www.envato.com/blog/how-to-choose-a-font/ 

1. Design Shack - How to Pick a Font: 
   https://designshack.net/articles/typography/how-to-pick-a-font/
   

 

Avoid Zelle Scams on Facebook, Craigslist, Marketplace, Neighborhood, etc.

12 Things to Look Out for When Selling Your Stuff Online

I posted a treadmill I'm trying to sell on Facebook Marketplace. To my surprise I had 3 inquiries right away. They sounded like a sure thing to close the deal, but it soon became evident that all three of them were trying to pull almost carbon copy scams. 

It works like this:

1. They jump on the posting quickly to put you in a good mood and receptive. "Wow! That was fast," you think.
2. They create a group with you and the buyer that is managed by the buyer.
   
3. They claim to live in your area, but are "...out of town on vacation." or something like that. 
4. They want to pay you now, but won't be able to pick it up for a while. This gives them time to work the scam. They say they will pay you now to hold the item you are selling in order to increase your sense of trust.
   
5. They tell you they use Zelle. They need your information to send the money.
6. Next they contact you and say they sent the money, it was debited from their account, but Zelle says that because they are a business account and you are a personal account that they need more money to meet some sort of minimum payment.
7. They say they will pay the $300 or whatever if you'll refund extra pay back to them.
8. Zelle doesn't work that way. The scammer hopes you will go ahead and send them back the money because you mistakenly trust them. 
9. If you wait for the money to clear to your account, they disappear.
10. Track down the buyer's profile. I've had three, so far on a treadmill I listed. One was apparently German, another from the broken English was a semi-illiterate Nigerian, and the third posted largely in Italian and talked about going to events in Rome. It's unlikely any of them will come to my house in Washingtonn State to pick up a treadmill.
11. Don't share a lot of information with these guys. With Paypal, they only need your username so I have started telling buyers I don't use Zelle.
12. “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves."  - Jesus (Matthew 10:16)

Remember there are bad people out there. Fortunately most are not very bright because they do the same routine time after time. Then someone comes up with something new and the rest of them copy it with varying degrees of success. Even those of us who are wise about scammers are still, by nature, trusting souls. We want to believe there are decent folk out there who wouldn't scam us. But there are, just as there are political parties and governments that are evil. They promise a utopia and proceed to create a dictatorship and send anyone who complains to the gulags.

Sorry for the sermon there but they are part and parcel of the same thing. Some people believe that kind trusting people are nothing but lambs to be led to the slaughter. They have no morals, nor any decency. 

Be wise as serpents.

© 2022 by Tom King