Typography Best Practices for Professional Writing

Typography is the invisible art that separates amateur writing from professionally polished content. While most people focus on grammar and spelling, the subtle details of typography—quotation marks, dashes, spacing, and special characters—create the impression of quality that readers sense even if they can’t articulate it.

This guide covers the essential typography conventions that every serious writer should know, whether you’re crafting blog posts, preparing manuscripts, or creating professional documents.

Smart Quotes vs. Straight Quotes

One of the most common typography mistakes is using straight quotes (" ") instead of curly or “smart” quotes (“ ”). Straight quotes are a holdover from typewriters, which had limited character sets. Professional typography always uses curly quotes that curve toward the text they enclose.

The same principle applies to apostrophes. A straight apostrophe (') should be replaced with a curly apostrophe (’) in contractions and possessives.

Most word processors automatically convert straight quotes to smart quotes, but web content, plain text editors, and code often retain straight quotes. Using a typography tool ensures consistent, professional quotation marks throughout your text.

Understanding Dashes: Hyphens, En Dashes, and Em Dashes

English typography uses three distinct horizontal marks that are often confused: the hyphen (-), the en dash (–), and the em dash (—). Each serves a specific purpose.

Hyphens (-)

Hyphens are the shortest mark and are used to join compound words or break words at line endings. They connect closely related elements.

En Dashes (–)

En dashes are slightly longer than hyphens (roughly the width of the letter “N”) and are used primarily for ranges of numbers, dates, or to show connections between items.

Em Dashes (—)

Em dashes are the longest mark (roughly the width of the letter “M”) and are used for parenthetical statements, interruptions, or to set off additional information. They create a stronger break than commas or parentheses.

Different style guides have different conventions for spacing around em dashes. Chicago style uses no spaces (word—word), while AP style uses spaces (word — word). Knowing your style guide’s preference is essential for consistency.

The Proper Ellipsis

An ellipsis indicates omitted text or a trailing thought. While many people type three periods (...), professional typography uses a single ellipsis character (…). This ensures consistent spacing and prevents the periods from breaking across lines.

The spacing around ellipses varies by style guide. Some require spaces before and after, while others don’t. Be consistent with whatever convention you choose.

Prime Marks vs. Quotation Marks

Prime marks (′ and ″) are used for feet and inches in measurements, while quotation marks are used for speech and titles. These are distinct characters that serve different purposes.

Using straight quotes for measurements is technically incorrect, though it’s commonly seen in informal contexts. Professional technical writing distinguishes between prime marks and quotation marks.

Special Characters and Symbols

Several common symbols have proper typographic forms that differ from what’s easily typed on a keyboard:

Copyright, Trademark, and Registered Symbols

Multiplication Sign

When expressing dimensions or multiplication in running text, use the multiplication sign (×) rather than the letter “x”.

Non-Breaking Spaces

Non-breaking spaces prevent awkward line breaks between elements that should stay together. They’re invisible to readers but essential for professional typography. Common uses include:

• Between numbers and units: 5 kg, 100 m
• Between titles and names: Dr. Smith, Mr. Jones
• In dates: December 15, 2024
• Between figure references: Figure 1, Table 3

Without non-breaking spaces, you might see “5” at the end of one line and “kg” at the beginning of the next—a jarring reading experience that proper typography prevents.

Fractions

Common fractions have dedicated Unicode characters that look better than constructed fractions using slashes:

Why Typography Matters

You might wonder whether these details really matter. They do, for several reasons:

• Professionalism: Publishers, editors, and discerning readers notice typography. Proper typography signals that you care about quality.
• Readability: Correct dashes, quotation marks, and spacing improve reading flow, even if readers don’t consciously notice.
• Publishing requirements: Many publishers require adherence to specific typographic standards. Manuscripts with proper typography make better impressions.
• Legal and technical contexts: In contracts, technical documentation, and academic writing, precise typography can prevent ambiguity.

Tools for Typography

Manually correcting typography is tedious and error-prone. Automated tools can transform plain text into properly formatted typography in seconds, applying dozens of rules consistently. Our Typograph Tool handles all the conversions discussed in this article automatically, supporting multiple style guides including Chicago, AP, APA, MLA, and Oxford styles.

Conclusion

Professional typography is a learned skill that distinguishes polished writing from amateur content. By understanding the differences between straight and smart quotes, mastering the three types of dashes, using proper ellipses and special characters, and applying non-breaking spaces appropriately, you elevate your writing to meet professional publishing standards.

While these details might seem minor, they collectively create the impression of quality and attention to detail that readers appreciate, even subconsciously. In a world where first impressions matter, professional typography is an investment that pays dividends in credibility and readability.