Use one of the three methods described below to create proper line length. The purpose of using one of these methods, or typographic rule of thumb, is to maximize readability by adjusting the length of line length of paragraphs and phrases. It is important to note however that correct line length ALONE will not assure good readability. Line length is only one of the important typographic variables you must consider when designing.

1. Apply the alphabet-and-a-half line length rule.
   The alphabet-and-a-half rules places the ideal line length at 39 characters regardless of type size. Measure the line length in inches or picas for your chosen body copy font using the alphabet-and-a-half rule. This is one of the measurements you’ll use in finding the ideal line length/column width for your publication. 
   
   abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzabcdefghijklm
   
   26 letters in the alphabet + 13 more (or half the alphabet) = 39 characters. This total length is a “rule of thumb” to help you determine a proper line length or column width. The actual measurement varies of course depending on the typeface you are using and the point size of those letters.
   
2. Apply the points-times-two line length rule.                                                    
   Take the type size of your body text and multiply it by two. The result is your ideal line length in picas. That is, 12 point type would have an ideal line length of 12 x 2 or 24 picas (approx. 4 inches).
   
3. Apply the optimum number of characters per line should be between 40 – 60 characters counting word spaces. To use this rule of thumb, you must pick one of the lines of copy you have already typed in and decided on the typeface and size. Then you literally count the number of letters and spaces. In any version in which the total number of characters falls with in the range of 40–60 characters per line, it is also important to avoid creating hyphenated words and typographic orphans or widows as a result. So, you may need to also do a soft return (shift + return keys) to eliminate those errors. Below are three examples illustrating proper line length using the 40–60 characters per line rule.
   
   This line would be the optimum length using this
   font because the total number of characters per
   line, counting spaces, is 49. (half way between
   the allowable range of 40–60)
   
   However this is also OK because the total
   number of characters is 41 characters,
   the minimum number allowed.
   
   And, this version is also OK because the total number of
   characters per line is 56, close but under the maximum
   number allowed for good design and ultimate readability.