When subscribers’ email readers (programs) receive your text
newsletter, they will display it in all kinds of ways. Not only
are there different programs, but each one has several
customization options.
One of the problems arising out of this diversity is line
length. In extreme cases, recipients will get one extremely long
line for each paragraph, because their email programs have not
wrapped the lines (ended each line after a specified number of
characters and moved the text onto a new line). In other cases,
the lines may be too long for comfortable reading.
How do you deal with this? Opinions vary, again. Some publishers
recommend you hit the RETURN key at the end of each line (hard
returns), to make sure the text wraps. Others advocate setting a
line length (65 characters or less) in the Preferences section
of your email program.
If you do use hard returns, use a fixed-space font like Courier
or Monaco. That way you can simply set your margins to an
appropriate line length and hit the return key at the end of
each line. If you forget and use a variable-space font (like
Arial or Times), your readers will get all kinds of variations,
since many of them will use different fonts. You can also change
your fonts back to something you like again after putting in the
hard returns.
Apostrophes and quotation marks: Many of us use these symbols
liberally when we write, and quite frankly they improve the
reading process. But, be sure you use the appropriate versions
of these marks, which means using the straight foot and inch
symbols, rather than curled apostrophes and quotation marks.
If you don’t do this, some of your readers will get a message in
which all apostrophes and quotation marks have disappeared. It
will look like you don’t know how to spell, or worse. Overcome
this problem by using the Find & Replace function in your word
processing program to make the changes quickly and easily.
And, it may seem obvious, but if you send out a text email
newsletter, separate the paragraphs with double returns. Don’t
try to use tabs or spaces to set off a new paragraph - in many
cases the formatting will go astray and your readers won’t know
you’re starting a new paragraph.
If your original document doesn’t use double returns, you can
change it over quickly and easily, using our old friend, the
Find & Replace function in your word processing program. Put one
return symbol in the Find field, two in the Replace field, and
hit Change All (or whatever your program uses for these terms).
One thing you can generally ignore is the font or typeface
(unless, as noted you’re setting line lengths). Many readers
will set their email programs to display all text messages in a
font of their choosing, and likely won’t see the font you use
anyway.
After drafting your newsletter, email a copy to yourself before
sending it to your list. Even better, send it from one program
and receive it with another. If you’re like me, you’ll be
surprised at the problems that pop out when you do this. Not
only content, but also formatting and links may look different,
and you’ll likely find errors that were not at all obvious in
the original version.
While we’re on this subject, don’t forget to test the links you
place. Click on each one to make sure it takes you where you
want it to send your readers.
Summing up, be conscious of your formatting techniques when you
create a text newsletter. A little bit of extra attention will
keep the text itself from getting in the way of your message.
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