Beyond Palatino: How to Change the Default Font in Scrivener for Better Writing

As a writer, you spend countless hours staring at your Scrivener editor. And if you‘re not happy with the default font, those hours can feel like a slog. The good news? Changing the font is quick and easy – and it could revolutionize your writing process.

In this guide, we‘ll dive deep into how and why to customize Scrivener‘s default fonts. Whether you‘re a novelist, blogger, screenwriter or academic, you‘ll walk away with the knowledge and tools to create a writing environment that truly works for you. Let‘s get typography!

Why Fonts Matter: The Science Behind Typefaces

Sure, fonts affect the aesthetics of your editor. But did you know they can also impact your productivity, creativity, and even the emotions of your readers? Here‘s what the research says:

• In a study by Cisco, certain fonts were found to significantly improve reading comprehension, with Garamond and Courier topping the list.

• According to a famous study by psychology professor Kevin Larson, font choice can impact our mood and emotional response. For instance, Comic Sans scored highest for "happy" and "humor."

• Fonts can even affect how readers perceive the writer‘s intelligence and credibility. One study found that Times New Roman was rated as more "professional" than Georgia.

• In a survey by WriterUnboxed, nearly half of respondents said the font affected their perception of the author‘s writing style and voice.

So while it might be tempting to stick with Scrivener‘s default Palatino, the research is clear: Fonts matter, both for your own writing experience and your readers‘ response to your work.

Font	Reading Comprehension Score
Garamond	90%
Courier	88%
Georgia	82%
Arial	80%

Data from Cisco‘s "How Fonts Impact Learning" study

Finding Your Ideal Writing Font

So how do you go about choosing the perfect font for your Scrivener projects? Here are some factors to consider:

1. Serif vs. Sans Serif

In general, serif fonts (like Times New Roman) are considered easier to read for large blocks of print text, while sans serif fonts (like Arial) are preferred for digital screens. However, many writers find sans serif fonts cleaner and less fatiguing for long drafting sessions.

2. Font Size & Spacing

For optimal readability, aim for a font size between 10-14 points, depending on the specific font. You‘ll also want to consider the line spacing and margins. Scrivener‘s default is 1.0 line height, but many writers prefer 1.15 or 1.5 for more breathing room.

3. Mood & Tone

Different fonts can convey different moods and tones. For instance, a classic serif font like Baskerville might suit a historical fiction novel, while a modern sans serif like Avenir could fit a contemporary self-help book. Consider the emotions you want to evoke.

4. Genre Conventions

Some fonts are more common in certain genres. Courier is the standard for screenplays, while many academic journals use Times New Roman. It‘s worth researching the norms in your field, especially if you‘ll be submitting to agents or publishers.

Our Font Recommendations

Still not sure where to start? Here are some of our favorite fonts for different types of writing projects:

• Fiction: Garamond, Sabon, Minion Pro, Palatino
• Non-Fiction: Georgia, Verdana, Myriad Pro, Source Sans Pro
• Screenwriting: Courier Prime, Courier Final Draft
• Academic: Times New Roman, Baskerville, Cambria
• Creative Writing: American Typewriter, Didot, Futura

Remember, these are just starting points. The key is to experiment until you find a font that feels right for your project and writing style.

How to Change Scrivener‘s Default Font on Mac

Now that you‘ve chosen your ideal font, it‘s time to make it your Scrivener default. Here‘s how to do it on a Mac:

1. Open Scrivener‘s Preferences (Scrivener > Preferences in the menu bar).
2. Go to the Editing pane and make sure the Formatting tab is selected in the sidebar.
3. Next to Main Text Font (for new documents), click the font name dropdown and select your desired font.
4. Adjust the font size in the neighboring dropdown.
5. If you want to customize fonts for other elements like notes and comments, use the respective dropdowns.
6. Close Preferences. Any new documents created will now use your selected default font.

Changing Default Fonts in Scrivener for Windows

The process is slightly different on a Windows machine:

1. Go to Tools > Options in Scrivener‘s menu bar.
2. Select the Editing pane in the left sidebar.
3. Under Formatting, click the arrow next to Main Text font to open the font picker.
4. Choose your desired font and size.
5. Repeat for any other elements you want to customize under Notes, Comments, etc.
6. Click OK to save your changes.

Pro Tip: Creating Project Templates

If you want to use the same font settings across multiple projects, Scrivener‘s project templates are a handy shortcut. Here‘s how to create one:

1. Open a project with your desired default fonts and other settings.
2. Go to File > Save As Template.
3. Give your template a name, select an icon, and add a description.
4. Check "Set as default template" if you want to use it for all new projects.
5. Click OK to save the template.

Now when you create a new project (File > New Project), you can choose your custom template with your preferred default fonts ready to go.

Perfecting Your Fonts for Publishing

So you‘ve found the perfect font and sailed through your draft. Time to publish? Hold up! The ideal font for writing isn‘t always the best choice for publishing. Here‘s what to keep in mind.

Ebooks

For most ebook formats, the reader can override the book‘s default font with their preferred selection. So your font choice won‘t always display. Still, these are some best practices:

• Use a sans-serif font for the body text, 12-14 points
• Use a common font like Arial, Verdana, or Open Sans to avoid display issues
• Stick to 1-2 fonts total; more can look cluttered on small screens

In Scrivener, set up your ebook fonts in File > Compile. Modify the fonts under Section Layouts:

Print Books

With print, you have more control over the final output. For most books, you‘ll want to:

• Use a serif font for the body text, 10-12 points
• Opt for a classic font like Garamond, Caslon, or Minion Pro
• Use a sans serif font for headings or captions
• Set up headers, footers, and page numbers in Compile

Level Up Your Writing with Custom Fonts

Still on the fence about diving into font customization? I‘ll leave you with this wisdom from author Stephen Coonts:

"I do believe that a good font can help the writer. I don‘t think a font makes a bad book better, but the right font can make a good book more easily readable."

Your font choice won‘t turn a rough draft into a bestseller. But it CAN make your hours logged in Scrivener more enjoyable and efficient. And for most writers I know, that‘s a worthy goal in itself.

So go forth and font, intrepid Scriveners! Dig into those preferences, download some fresh type families, and craft your ideal writing workspace. The perfect font is out there, just waiting to inspire your next project.

Happy writing!

Sources:
How Fonts Impact Learning, Cisco
The Aesthetics of Reading, Larson & Picard
Font Psychology: Times New Roman vs. Georgia, New Yorker
Why You Should Care About Typography, Writer Unboxed