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1ndivisible
Inspiring
August 13, 2017
Answered

Handling Spacing With Titles and Infrequent Subtitles

  • August 13, 2017
  • 3 replies
  • 4510 views

I have what should be a simple layout, but I'm finding it surprisingly hard to find a simple solution.

I am working on a book of poems. Each poem has a title and body and some have a subtitle that needs to sit below the title. Each poem is broken into paragraphs.

This gives me three paragraph styles:

- Poem Title

- Poem Subtitle

- Poem Body

I need to fulfil the following:

- The body sits two lines below the title.

- If there is a subtitle, it sits on the line below the title.

- If there is a subtitle, the body sits two lines below the subtitle.

The problem is that if I add space below to the title, it pushes the subtitle down two lines when the subtitle follows it. If I add space above the body, every paragraph is pushed down by two lines.

I know I can work around it by creating extra paragraph styles - for example a special style for titles that are followed by subtitles or a special style for the first paragraph of each poem body, but this feels overcomplicated.

Does inDesign offer a better solution for situations like this?

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer Obi-wan Kenobi

    Obi-wan Kenobi​ Yes. That is what I mean.


    The way to do it is obviously and so simply given in post#10! 

    (^/)

    3 replies

    Willi Adelberger
    Community Expert
    Willi AdelbergerCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    August 13, 2017

    I think the base line grid could be a different solution.

    I work with text frame based base line grid. Chapter title and and Subtititle are not aligned, text is aligned, For chapter pages I apply a text frame with a deeper baseline grid. So I have starting test on the same line.

    1
    1ndivisibleAuthor
    Inspiring
    August 13, 2017

    @Willi Adelberger Thanks for the suggestion. My problem with that approach is that it assumes that the text will always sit on that page which is inflexible. If some text is added before it and it is bumped onto the next page then the layout breaks.

    amaarora
    Community Manager
    amaaroraCommunity Manager
    Community Manager
    August 13, 2017

    Hi,

    I can give tell you a way with which i achieved this in a hurry. You will need to however tweak the style definitions to suit your need.

    I used Baseline Grid in InDesign and created 2 Paragraph styles..one (p2) that writes 2 lines below the above line and one(p1) that writes 1 line below the above line. I then used p1 for title and subtitle and p2 for the body.

    Below are some screenshots that can help you set this up: (Fyi: please set baseline grids and leading as per your needs, but it is easy)

    1. Enable the show baseline grid option.

    2. Determine the viewing threshold of the grid from the preferences

    3. Set your zoom level equal to or greater than this threshold to view the grid

    4. Make two styles that help you align the title and subtitle(p1) and one for the body(p2)

    4. Use the styles in your document as needed.

    You will need to set the "Align to Baseline grid" option in both the styles. Your baseline grids would be spaced at equi-distance separated by a distance you specify in the preferences.

    When the leading is such that it crosses the baseline grid, it will snap to the next baseline grid.

    With careful and simple calculations you can easily achieve something like:

    Do take into account character size before setting up the baseline grids. Please see how baseline grid works with leading and you will be good to go

    Use grids in Adobe InDesign

    Apply leading in InDesign

    I am sure other people here will have better and easier solutions though.

    -Aman

    1
    1ndivisibleAuthor
    Inspiring
    August 13, 2017

    amaarora​ Thanks, but that is simply using multiple paragraph styles. As I said in my question I'm looking for an alternative.

    amaarora
    Community Manager
    amaaroraCommunity Manager
    Community Manager
    August 13, 2017

    Hi,

    I second what Bob said. using Paragraph styles is the best way to go.

    -Aman

    BobLevine
    Community Expert
    BobLevineCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    August 13, 2017

    You already know the solution. More paragraph styles.

    It’s not all that difficult. Just copy the ones that need to be tweaked a bit and change the spacing.

    Obi-wan Kenobi
    Obi-wan Kenobi
    Legend
    August 13, 2017

    Title => 1 Space after

    Subtitle => 1 Space after

    Body => 1 Space Before

    (^/) 

    1
    1ndivisibleAuthor
    Inspiring
    August 13, 2017

    Obi-wan Kenobi Almost, but there needs to be no space between title and subtitle:–'If there is a subtitle, it sits on the line below the title.'–this is what makes things difficult.

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