Advanced longform typography techniques: Fixing rivers in justified text in InDesign

In this video, you'll learn advanced techniques in InDesign to correct rivers - distracting spaces in between words - in your justified text. This technique is great not only for readability and improving your longform typography, but for accessibility as well. We'll also learn how to turn on highlighting of hyphenation and justification errors in InDesign to make rivers easy to identify. Justified text is common in professional newspaper, magazine, and book design, so learning to set it well is a great skill to have in your toolbox!

Chapters in this video:
[00:00] Introduction
[00:41] Set up your file
[00:57] How to clear overrides
[01:44] Adjust the spacing of the text
[02:13] What is justified text alignment?
[02:57] What are rivers in typography and how can I spot them?
[04:20] How to highlight hyphenation and justification errors (rivers) in InDesign
[05:32] Changing the justification settings on a paragraph style
[08:39] Refine the justification using tracking
[10:07] Using discretionary hyphens to fix hyphenation and justification errors
[10:41] Finalizing the typesetting
[12:24] Make sure the last line of your type is left aligned, not justified
[13:46] Final placement
[14:30] Closing remarks

[brucestrickland]

You covered everything the other videos I watched did not. The "justify all lines except for the last line" corrected 95% of my issues. Tracking took care of the rest. Thanks again for making this video!!

[Sixxiron]

This is a really GREAT video! One of the most thorough tutorials on this subject I've seen. Beyond helpful – THANK YOU!!!

[philphilphil]

Wow, thank you so much. Just working through a document and the rivers were driving me bonkers. I went through several tutorials but this one really fixed it perfectly. The document looks absolutely amazing. Thank you!!!

[JORICTV]

To anyone having trouble with video quality: I suggest watching the video in 1080p. Maybe on a TV while you're on your computer following along.

Also this video was super helpful, thanks!

[Randaakarim]

doing my first publication for my Masters typography class and this has SAVED me! THANK YOU

[aaronchiusano-mcss-]

Very helpful! You defined everything first and then showed the technical end that made following along easy. Much appreciated!

[Hendrik...]

The best justified text tutorial on youtube!

[lydiabeek]

Thank you very much for this tutorial! I am designing my own dissertation and want it to be justified, so this was super helpful!

[Artiin]

I'm working on a school assignment where we work with justified text and I had to redo the page 3 times and still couldn't manage to get rid of those rivers. You saved me from hours and hours of struggling, thank you so much xx

[soominssi]

Thank you so much! This was the most detailed explanation I found till now and it will really help me with my project, thanks!

[josuez]

This helped me on a typography class assignment, thank you, subscribed

[alysawakefield]

thank you!! this totally saved my annual report!

[Lanaleem]

Thank you so much for this! I'm currently laying out a book with tons of dialogue and this has saved me a lot of time.

[salwatching]

I'm so relieved I caught your tutorial!
For years I'd been feeling inadequate, thinking I must be doing something wrong that the 'first pass' was always so riddled with H&J violations.
Now I see that fixing them is PART of the craft. Whaaat a relief!
So do you feel (pun unintended) justified in asking for a little edit if you encounter stubborn H&Js?

[StillOnTrack]

Cool. I've been learning about accessibility with regard to websites but I didn't know there were recommendations out there for longform copy too.

[tjuszaa]

this is what ive looking forrrr, thank you so much for the tutorial lovely

[thedanielefeni]

Thanks for the video.

There are some cases where the client doesn't allow a discretionary hypen. Do you suggest we just increase the tracking even though it might look a little obvious?

[tatyanahavrylchyk]

Thanks a loooot! Finally, i understand how to justify in right way)))

[krista]

thank you thank you thank you thank you! I wish I had sucked it up and learned these better long-type techniques earlier.

[Leyla]

Thank you so much for this tutorial, so thorough and concise at the same time!