Do you prefer Centered or F/L Chapters and Heads?

1611mac · 01-28-2013, 10:03 AM

surprisingly... didn't fine this question in a search on the forums...

Do you prefer chapter titles, heads, and sub-heads to be Centered, or Flush Left? And how does you preference affect your reading?

I find that I prefer flush left heads as I'm reading from left to right and a sudden "jump" to centered text is a bit "distracting"....

DiapDealer · 01-28-2013, 10:10 AM

I like a bit of variety in chapter headings, actually. Mostly centered I guess, but I've seen left- and even right-aligned used to great effect as well. That's one area of artistic freedom I'm perfectly willing to concede to the will of the digital "type-setter." The chapter is a natural breathing point for me as a reader anyway.

1611mac · 01-28-2013, 10:13 AM

I create/convert ebooks (mostly from existing pbooks) and I find it difficult not to "push" my preferences on others.... that's why I ask...

but I'm off topic..... Centered or Flush Left?

DiapDealer · 01-28-2013, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1611mac

but I'm off topic..... Centered or Flush Left?

Yes.

Ripplinger · 01-28-2013, 10:20 AM

What DiapDealer said. I don't mind any method for chapter headings. I use centered most often so I guess I could say I prefer it only because I'm so used to seeing it. But left aligned is perfectly fine too, right aligned would be my 3rd choice, and not that it's objectionable in any way either.

Edit: There's also the case of 2 lines for the chapter headings, maybe number on 1 line, and the title on another line. When left justified, the 2nd line can be full left justified, but also I've seen the 2nd line indented a bit more, and even that's fine with me. I'm pretty flexible for the chapter headings, as long as it display correctly.

BWinmill · 01-28-2013, 10:45 AM

Fiction: doesn't matter (since it's usually just chapter headings).

Non-fiction: flush left, since I like section headings flush left and I don't see the point of doing chapter headings one way and section headings another way.

QuantumIguana · 01-28-2013, 10:57 AM

I prefer chapter headings to be centered, but it is only a slight preference.

Apache · 01-28-2013, 11:01 AM

Why should I care? It isn't going to affect my reading.
Apache

ucfgrad93 · 01-28-2013, 11:14 AM

It doesn't really matter to me.

JSWolf · 01-28-2013, 11:17 AM

I've seen too many left/right chapter headers where the publisher put in space so it's not flushed to the margin. That looks awful.

icallaci · 01-28-2013, 11:26 AM

I prefer centered titles because to me flush left looks like lazy formatting from a poorly scanned print edition. Flush right is ok, but in general, centered titles satisfy my OCD.

afv011 · 01-28-2013, 11:49 AM

Never cared.

HarryT · 01-28-2013, 11:51 AM

I prefer titles to be centred. Just looks "right" that way to me.

tilia · 01-28-2013, 02:19 PM

I guess I have a small preference towards centred headings, but variety is good. I'm all for artistic freedom in this case.

graycyn · 01-28-2013, 02:56 PM

Variety, please. One thing I enjoy about paper books is the layout and styling. It's nice that all books don't look identical.

When I digitize a book for myself, I try and follow the styling within reasonable limitations, i.e. it needs to still function well.

01-28-2013, 10:03 AM	#1
1611mac eWanderer Posts: 523 Karma: 1441998 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: NC, USA Device: iMac,iPad3,iPhone5-Kindle Fire,Touch,PaperWhite	Do you prefer Centered or F/L Chapters and Heads? surprisingly... didn't fine this question in a search on the forums... Do you prefer chapter titles, heads, and sub-heads to be Centered, or Flush Left? And how does you preference affect your reading? I find that I prefer flush left heads as I'm reading from left to right and a sudden "jump" to centered text is a bit "distracting"....

01-28-2013, 10:10 AM	#2
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,552 Karma: 204127028 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	I like a bit of variety in chapter headings, actually. Mostly centered I guess, but I've seen left- and even right-aligned used to great effect as well. That's one area of artistic freedom I'm perfectly willing to concede to the will of the digital "type-setter." The chapter is a natural breathing point for me as a reader anyway. Last edited by DiapDealer; 01-28-2013 at 10:13 AM.

01-28-2013, 10:20 AM	#5
Ripplinger 350 Hoarder Posts: 3,574 Karma: 8281267 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Midwest USA Device: Sony PRS-350, Kobo Glo & Glo HD, PW2	What DiapDealer said. I don't mind any method for chapter headings. I use centered most often so I guess I could say I prefer it only because I'm so used to seeing it. But left aligned is perfectly fine too, right aligned would be my 3rd choice, and not that it's objectionable in any way either. Edit: There's also the case of 2 lines for the chapter headings, maybe number on 1 line, and the title on another line. When left justified, the 2nd line can be full left justified, but also I've seen the 2nd line indented a bit more, and even that's fine with me. I'm pretty flexible for the chapter headings, as long as it display correctly. Last edited by Ripplinger; 01-28-2013 at 10:59 AM.

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01-28-2013, 10:13 AM	#3
1611mac eWanderer Posts: 523 Karma: 1441998 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: NC, USA Device: iMac,iPad3,iPhone5-Kindle Fire,Touch,PaperWhite	I create/convert ebooks (mostly from existing pbooks) and I find it difficult not to "push" my preferences on others.... that's why I ask... but I'm off topic..... Centered or Flush Left?

01-28-2013, 10:45 AM	#6
BWinmill Nameless Being	Fiction: doesn't matter (since it's usually just chapter headings). Non-fiction: flush left, since I like section headings flush left and I don't see the point of doing chapter headings one way and section headings another way.

01-28-2013, 10:57 AM	#7
QuantumIguana Philosopher Posts: 2,034 Karma: 18736532 Join Date: Jan 2012 Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2 gen, Kindle Fire 1st Gen, Kindle Touch	I prefer chapter headings to be centered, but it is only a slight preference.

01-28-2013, 11:01 AM	#8
Apache Readaholic Posts: 5,277 Karma: 90000484 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: South Georgia Device: Surface Pro 6 / Galaxy Tab A 8"	Why should I care? It isn't going to affect my reading. Apache

01-28-2013, 11:14 AM	#9
ucfgrad93 Wizard Posts: 2,370 Karma: 9026681 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Colorado Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2nd Gen	It doesn't really matter to me.

01-28-2013, 11:17 AM	#10
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,680 Karma: 145864619 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	I've seen too many left/right chapter headers where the publisher put in space so it's not flushed to the margin. That looks awful.

01-28-2013, 11:26 AM	#11
icallaci Guru Posts: 817 Karma: 6528026 Join Date: Sep 2012 Device: Kobo Elipsa	I prefer centered titles because to me flush left looks like lazy formatting from a poorly scanned print edition. Flush right is ok, but in general, centered titles satisfy my OCD.

01-28-2013, 11:49 AM	#12
afv011 Captain Penguin Posts: 2,964 Karma: 2079777777 Join Date: May 2009 Location: Seattle, WA Device: Kobo Clara BW, Kobo Libra 2, Nook Glowlight	Never cared.

01-28-2013, 11:51 AM	#13
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I prefer titles to be centred. Just looks "right" that way to me.

01-28-2013, 02:19 PM	#14
tilia Evangelist Posts: 432 Karma: 1720909 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Voyage, K3	I guess I have a small preference towards centred headings, but variety is good. I'm all for artistic freedom in this case.

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01-28-2013, 02:56 PM	#15
graycyn Wizard Posts: 1,591 Karma: 11722446 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: NE Oregon Device: Kobo Sage, Pocketbook Era, Kobo Forma, Kindle Oasis 2	Variety, please. One thing I enjoy about paper books is the layout and styling. It's nice that all books don't look identical. When I digitize a book for myself, I try and follow the styling within reasonable limitations, i.e. it needs to still function well.