How Important is the Font in a Collection?

I personally think that fonts don't really matter much if a person can read it clearly and it isn't too distracting. I always thought of a font as just an artistic choice, so in my rough drafts I just write my poems in Comic Sans to make myself giggle. (Unfortunately, once my poems are done, I change it into something less goofy.)

I feel like the only times that a font will truly matter is if you want to sell your work and/or compete against other poets. In that instance, I would recommend thinking about the images inside of your book (if there is any), the themes, and what you're aiming for with a visual first impression.

So have fun exploring all of the fonts out there and deciding what you personally like the most!

I wanted to reply to this sooner but couldn't at the time and I haven't been able to get back on since. Been working flat out on the radio and new book!

Honestly, I have read a fair amount of collections this year, and get sent even more since doing reviews (I'm just not accepting any at the moment as I am swamped). I find that a traditional font like Times, Garamond etc are the way to go. A typewriter font works nicely too, if the book is designed to be edgy like that and the font isn't just out of nowhere, but make sure that it is readable! I tried experimenting in my white cover series and I am going to do revised editions with just a regular font.

I've seen many different fonts used for artistic expression. Honestly, I think it all depends on how serious you want the reader to take your collection (unless the poems are silly, of course). However, I'm a stickler for choosing readable fonts. Leave the artistic fonts to Instagram, children's books, and paintings/coloring pages.

Typewriter lettering, I think, is an excellent intermediary font to use. It gives that sense of professionalism from a later era and an overall classical vibe. The same goes for a lot of cursive-based fonts. All of which have a space and place for use.

I like any serif font for printing purposes, namely Crimson Pro or Garamond. I appreciate any sans serif font for online purposes, namely Gabriel Sans Condensed or Cerebri. I think the medium used has a significant impact on font selection and readability. Besides, if anyone is like me, I want to read what is in front of me without squinting.

Obviously WingDing is the superior font 😉

In all seriousness, I think typewriter font is fine If that is what you want to use. I’m boring so I use Times New Roman lol

Honestly I think subtlety is your friend. If the font is overbearing or trying too hard to look **a r t i s t i c** then I may be turned off. It comes off to me as a bit juvenile.

I love this question.. currently, Im busy working on a new video for my channel, I always get so overwhelmed by the many options available to me (that I can now freely explore- as it isn't determined by the requirements of work.) The answer is tone- which font best sets the tone? I can't begin to tell you how long i spend, just trying out each font, that can best help to express the message that I'm portraying.. For example I'm working on a cognitive psychology video that details and explains Thinking... Now, do I go for serious? Maybe lighter? Maybe Chalkboard as it gives it a fun, cheeky after school feel... But I digress, the point is that I'm so glad that you opened this for discussion. I'm looking forward to seeing the answers.