The #1 thing you need to keep in mind when selecting a body font? CONTEXT. You have to make the reading easy on your reader, especially if there’s going to be a lot of text. It needs to be literally easy on the eyes.
Here are the main things I look for when choosing a body font:
Contrast and Flexibility
Aim for lower contrast fonts. If you use a display or a higher contrast font for your body copy, it will exhaust your reader. The whole point is for them to read what you’re writing! Lower contrast fonts offer more flexibility in size adjustments. You can decrease or increase the font size without too many consequences. High contrast fonts, with thin lines, can make the text difficult to read when the font size is reduced. Thin lines may disappear, causing eye strain, which we want to avoid.
Font Width
Lean toward more neutral or condensed widths. Avoiding extremes in font width is also important. Fonts that are too wide can be difficult to read. I prefer fonts with a neutral width or slightly condensed. This ensures the text remains easy to read and doesn’t overwhelm the reader. Kindle uses the same font across its books for a reason—if you’re writing a lot of copy, stick with what works and keep it easy on your reader!
Usage and Adjustments
Consider how you’re using it! You can have the right font, but if your leading (line spacing) is too tight, it’s going to be difficult to read. Once a font is selected, I type out a long paragraph of text and adjust the leading (line spacing) and tracking (letter spacing). Subtle adjustments here can significantly improve readability.
Just Print It Out!
Just print out a copy! Don’t leave it up to chance. Once you feel like it looks good on screen, trust your printer and give it a shot physically. Print a few paragraphs of your text, set it to the appropriate size, adjust the leading and tracking, and then read through it. If your eyes feel tired after a few paragraphs or even a few sentences, you need to make adjustments. These adjustments typically involve changing the spacing. If letters are too far apart, it can be tiring. Similarly, if lines are too close together, it can also cause strain. It’s all about finding the right balance, and printing out the text is the best way to determine if everything is balanced correctly.
So that’s great and all, but where do you even find a font you like?! I got you.
If you’re looking for some reliable body copy fonts, here are a few of my favorites:
And a few of my favorite Google fonts (free!) are:
I hope these tips help you choose the perfect body font for your next project! Remember, the goal is to make the text as readable as possible to keep your audience engaged with the content.
Want to learn how I pair fonts? Get my free font pairing guide below!
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