Top 10 Best Fonts to Use in Your Poetry (2024)

So you’re looking for a font that suits your poems eh? Well look no further, this article will give you the best 10 fonts for poetry. But first, let’s talk about why you should care a bit more about fonts.

Why picking the right poetry font is important

Regardless of what some people may say, font use in poetry is important. Period. Poetry is about aesthetics. The typography font is also all about providing and preserving that aesthetic sense of the literature.

First, it attracts readers. Plain and simple. A good font will help readers perceive and even enjoy the content of the text better. It also helps hold their attention.

You might object: ”A good poem doesn’t need a pretty font to hold readers’ attention.” To that, I have to agree. But just like there’s no reason for a beautiful girl to not wear pretty clothes if she can, why not pick a nice looking font for your poems?

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Also, a good font will help convey a certain mood or feeling. That’s why different types of poems will suit different types of fonts. Some show seriousness, others show a more creative, playful attitude, etc.

Ok, so if I’ve convinced you that font does play a role, you maybe are wondering, which font should I use for my poems? Well, without further ado, let’s take a look at the suggestions below.

Top 10 best fonts for writing poetry

1. Times New Roman

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Times New Roman is a very classic font. The font was commissioned by The Times in 1931 and conceived by Stanley Morison, an artistic adviser.

While being very plain and simple, Times New Roman has become one of the most popular typefaces in the world. It’s hard to find a computer that doesn’t have Times New Roman installed nowadays.

The font has a robust color and was influenced by European early modern and Baroque printing. Times New Roman is very popular in general publish and book printing (poetry included, obviously).

If your poems require a professional vibe, or you just simply like a safe option, this font is for you.

2. Baskerville

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Baskerville is a font with centuries of age. It was designed by John Baskerville, an English businessman, in the 1750s.

Baskerville essentially made some changes in the earlier design popular in Britain at the time.

Things like increasing the contrast between thick and thin strokes, shifting the axis of rounded letters to a more vertical position, making the curved strokes more circular in shape, etc.

Those changes were influenced by the calligraphy Baskerville had learned and taught as a young man.

Baskerville is used a lot in academic publications nowadays. The font personality lies in the traditional clean look with a bit of old-style flair. See for yourself if Baskerville fits the vibe that your poems bring.

3. Palatino

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Palatino is an old-style font designed by Herman Zapf, a German calligrapher.

The font was named after Giambattista Palatino, the 16th-century Italian master of calligraphy.

The Palatino font was intended to be a design for trade use such as headings, advertisem*nts and display printings.

The font has a solid, wide structure as well as apertures. That way, the text can be seen clearly on poor quality paper, printed at small sizes or read at a distance.

Because of the way that Palatino was designed, it is a very functional typeface that can be used for pretty much any purpose.

As you can see, with Palatino, text can be read under many inferior conditions. A choice that is worth considering for your poems.

4. Zapf Chancery

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Zapf Chancery, does that name ring any bells to you? It is another typeface that was designed by Herman Zapf, the man who designed the Palatino font in the previous section.

The font was announced in 1979 in six styles from light to bold. Herman Zapf named it after the English name for a Renaissance handwriting style (and his own name).

Zapf Chancery is one of the most commonly used fonts out there. If you own a computer, you probably have seen it. The font is pretty versatile and brings a familiarity vibe. It’s definitely a good choice for your poems.

5. Arial

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Arial, the font that needs no introduction. Because it’s literally everywhere. The font was designed in 1982 by a ten-person team with Robin Nicholas and Patricia Saunders as leaders.

Originally, Arial was created to be used by the IBM 3800-3 laserxerographic printer. It was intended to be the font of the digital age.

Many people don’t have high opinions on Arial, however, claiming that it has too many similarities with Helvetica while being inferior in design.

This doesn’t come as a surprise, as Arial was created to be metrically identical to the popular typeface Helvetica. This is Microsoft’s (smart?) way to avoid paying a Helvetica license fee for Linotype.

So should you use Arial font for your poems? Well, you totally can, but it also depends on your own personal preference.

Arial can be used pretty much in any situations where design sensibility does not play an important role, such as logo work. If you like a plain and safe choice, Arial is for you.

6. Comic Sans

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Comic Sans was released in 1994 by Microsoft. It was designed by Vincent Connare, a designer who worked for Microsoft at the time.

If you’re wondering about the name of the font, it’s named Comic Sans because it is a non-connecting script inspired by letters in comic books.

Vincent started to work on creating Comic Sans when he saw Times New Roman in the word balloons of cartoon characters in a beta version of Microsoft Bob.

Obviously, Times New Roman doesn’t do justice as it gave an overly formal look and not necessarily suitable for the young users that Microsoft Bob targeted.

Comic Sans was created with the intent for use in informal documents and children’s materials. Later on, when the font became more popular, some people argue that it was overused, especially in serious documents where its informal vibe could be inappropriate. That should give you a hint on whether you should use Comic Sans or not in your poems.

If your poems are light hearted and have an unserious vibe, especially if your target audience is younger readers, then Comic Sans is a perfect choice.

However, if you want something more serious or don’t have that much of a casual tone, maybe you should take a look at some other suggestions on this list.

7. Garamond

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Garamond font is named after the Parisian engraver in the sixteenth-century Claude Garamond.

It’s another popular font that is regularly used in book printing. Garamond’s signature characters are the smaller than average apertures that are closed off early on the stem and low line contrast.

It’s also one of the most eco friendly fonts due to lower link usage.

So should you use Garamond font for your poems?

I’d say that it’s a fine choice, especially for printed materials, as the font is a favorite for books.

Many best sellers choose Garamond, includes American editions of J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter, the Hunger Games trilogy and the Shiver Trilogy.

However, the very attributes that make Garamond such a great print font reduce its usefulness as a screen font. It doesn’t do well on screens in smaller font sizes, so use your judgement there.

8. Sans-serif

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The first Sans-serif typeface was designed by William Caslon IV in 1816.

At the time, the font was not widely used, but you can see it in pretty every computer nowadays.

That’s because when the design concept of form following function emerged at the same time with modernism, the Sans-serif font was hugely popularized.

Sans-serif brings a modern vibe to the text. It works well in narrow spaces, such as signs, text in apps, names on maps, etc.

That’s why the font is popular in the tech industry: if you’re building an app or a website, Sans-serif is almost always the default option.

What about poems? Should you use Sans-serif with your poems? Again, that’s totally up to you. The strength of Sans-serif lies in the modern look that it brings. If that sounds like something you want, go for it.

9. Century Gothic

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Century Gothic is a sans-serif typeface that was created by Sol Hess.

It was released in 1991 by Monotype Imaging, a typeface design company.

It’s an exclusive digital typeface, meaning that it has never been manufactured as a metal type.

The font design is strongly influenced by the geometric sans serif styles and was intended to compete with Futura.

Century Gothic signature characteristic is the enlarged x-height that has been modified to ensure it works well with modern digital systems.

Nowadays, Century Gothic is among the 10% of core fonts used in most computers. The font is often useful for headlines, general display work or advertising.

It’s also widely used in web design and many other universal applications.But what about poems? You can absolutely use the Century Gothic font for your poems!

The font has a clear and clean design, very easy to read. Its style is also somewhat open and friendly, so pick it if that’s what you’re going for in your poems.

10. Helvetica

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The last font on this list is another widely used sans-serif typeface, Helvetica.

The font was designed by a Swiss designer named Max Miedinger in 1957.

It was influenced by Akzidenz-Grotesk, the famous 19th century typeface as well as other German and Swiss designs.

The signature characteristics of Helvetica are the tall x-height, which makes it easier to read from afar, tight spacing between letters, etc.

According to Tobias Frere-Jones, an American type designer, “Helvetica can’t do everything…it can be really weak in small sizes.”

That being said, Helvetica still remains a great option for your poems. It’s no coincidence that the font is one of the most widely used fonts out there.

One of the best things about Helvetica is its neutrality, it doesn’t give any impression or inherent meaning.

Also, the font design rides the line between classic and modern, conservative and edgy, elegant and relaxed. If that what you’re looking for, Helvetica might be the answer.

Final thoughts

So that’s all the top 10 best fonts that you can use for your poetry. There are many other great options outside of this list, but these ten fonts stand out the most because of their versatility.

I think 90% of you guys will be satisfied with the suggestions in this list. And don’t forget, while fonts are important and choosing them can be fun, what makes the readers stay are your poems.

Other interesting posts about poetry:

  • [Answered] Which Best Defines The Word Repetition In Epic Poetry?
  • Everything You Need To Know About Parts Of Speech Poem
  • Puritan Poetry: How Did Poetry Connect With Puritanism?

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Thomas Dao

Thomas Dao is the guy who created Poem Home, a website where people can read about all things poetry related. When he’s not busy working on his next project, you can find him reading a good book or spending time with family and friends.

Top 10 Best Fonts to Use in Your Poetry (2024)

FAQs

What font size should I use for my poetry book? ›

You typically want your poem titles to stand out from the poem itself, so you may wish to style them in a slightly larger font than your main body font. The standard main body font for a trim size of 5.5x8. 5" (216 x 140mm) would range between 11pt and 12pt.

What font is most easily read? ›

Helvetica. Along with Georgia, Helvetica is considered to be one of the most easy to read fonts according to The Next Web. This is a sans-serif font and one of the world's most popular typefaces—a modern classic.

What font should I use? ›

Serif vs Sans

Serif fonts help the eye travel across a line, especially if lines are long. But it's also important to consider your target audience. Sans is preferable for young children, or anyone just learning to read. Sans is also good for readers with certain visual impairments.

What font do writers use? ›

Use A Standard Font (Times New Roman or Arial)

The most common print font is the serif font Times New Roman. The most common web font is the non-serif font Arial. They both work great. Don't use anything else for your manuscript.

What are 3 common font styles? ›

Some of the most popular types of fonts include serif, sans serif, slab serif, script and decorative.

What is a popular font type? ›

Times New Roman

This is the most common font on earth. It's a medium weight serif font.

What makes a good poetry book? ›

The best books of poetry contain poems that are in conversation with one another, unified by theme, style, or choice of poetic form, and placed in a meticulous and deliberate order. Finally, make sure your work is free of typos.

How many poems do most poets write? ›

The average poetry collection is between 30 and 100 different poems. To create a unified collection of this size, you're going to need a big body of work to pare down.

What is the most relaxing font? ›

Serif. Simple but respectable. Google is the benchmark for stability and reliability for many of us. Its serif font has a calming influence.

Is Calibri a good font? ›

The ideal word count for most resumes is 600 to 700 words (per the research). Calibri delivers better than any other font. Don't Overthink It: If people can easily read your resume, they're more interested in the content than the merits of Calibri versus Helvetica or any other font.

What is the formal font style? ›

Bearing this in mind, when looking for the best font to use for a formal letter, I found that the top spot had to go to the people choice 'Times New Roman'. Times New Roman is a very common choice for most people and happens to be the default font for most electronic devices.

How do you read a font? ›

What Is a Typeface? A typeface is a specific style of letter work and punctuation marks, also known as glyphs, that share a common design. Within any typeface, there is a family of fonts that can be altered to different sizes, thicknesses, or styles. The core design of the letter work, however, is called the typeface.

Which font makes you write more? ›

The consensus among most experts is that serif fonts are easier to read in print than their rivals, sans serif fonts such as Helvetica and Arial. I think that's probably true. You can try to convince yourself that you're getting into the book-writing mood by trying to knock out words in something like Cochin.

What font is best for creative writing? ›

All screenwriters write in Courier. Partly because it's supposed to mimic what text looked like coming out of a typewriter (romantic!), but mostly so that all of our scripts have a standard, measurable length, thus making it easier to guesstimate how long the resulting movie will be.

What font is Harry Potter written in? ›

Adobe Garamond in the Harry Potter books — not a character but a font.

What color font is easiest to read? ›

Their general findings were: 1) Black and white were consistently rated as the most readable; 2) Color combinations that included black were rated more readable than those that did not; and 3) Darker text on lighter backgrounds were rated higher than lighter text on darker backgrounds.

What is the best size font? ›

16px is the ideal font size for your main body text.

It's neither too small nor too big, so it really helps improve your paragraph's readability. In fact, the font size we use in the main content areas of our articles is 16px.

What fonts are appealing to the eye? ›

Stick with sans-serif fonts - As mentioned earlier, fonts without serifs, such as Arial, are much easier on the eyes.

What are the 5 types of lettering? ›

Exploring different lettering styles.
  • Traditional calligraphy. Calligraphy is the design and creation of hand lettering with a brush or other writing tool. ...
  • Gothic lettering. ...
  • Modern calligraphy. ...
  • Serif lettering. ...
  • Sans serif lettering. ...
  • New lettering styles.

What are 6 common font styles? ›

6 Font Types and Their Uses | Choose Your Right Font
  • Serif Fonts. Slab Serif Fonts.
  • Sans serif fonts.
  • Script Fonts.
  • Decorative Fonts.
28 Jul 2020

Which font is best for quotes? ›

12 Best Fonts For Quotes
  • Stoic Script.
  • California Dreamer.
  • Barcelony Signature.
  • September Spirit. Bold Fonts for Motivational Quotes.
  • Bison.
  • Gelion Typeface.
  • Basecoat Family.
  • Articulat CF. Cool Fonts for Quotes From Song Lyrics.
1 Feb 2022

How do you write a powerful poem? ›

If your looking improve your poetry writing, or start writing now, here are our top 8 tips for amazing and impactful writing.
  1. Know your end goal. ...
  2. Avoid cliches or common subjects. ...
  3. Embrace metaphors and similes. ...
  4. Use images. ...
  5. Use concrete words over abstract words. ...
  6. Understand your theme. ...
  7. It doesn't have to rhyme.

How long should poems be? ›

Poets should consider limiting their poems to one page—two pages at the most—when possible. At Writer's Relief we recommend poets submit five poems MAX in one group and that their submission not go over ten pages total.

Does poetry still sell? ›

Poetry remains a niche market. Even large bookshops will typically just sell acknowledged classics, academic anthologies, and a few books by today's most famous poets.

How can I sell my poems? ›

12 Ideas On How To Sell Your Poems
  1. Self-publish your poetry in the form of an eBook with the Kindle Store other online publishers. ...
  2. Sell your poems to literary magazines. ...
  3. Submit your work to poetry anthology publishers. ...
  4. Win a poetry competition and get the prize money. ...
  5. Self-publish your poetry book.
1 Mar 2022

Is there any money in poetry? ›

If you want to get paid to write poetry, you can reasonably expect between $1.50 to $300 per poem. While that might not sound like a lot, compared to copywriting or other writing markets, getting your poetry published can be a stepping stone for bigger things.

How do you end a poem? ›

In poetry, an end-stop refers to a pause at the end of a poetic line. An end-stop can be marked by a period (full stop), comma, semicolon, or other punctuation denoting the end of a complete phrase or cause, or it can simply be the logical end of a complete thought.

What are the 3 types of poems? ›

There are many types of poetry. These can be grouped into 3 main genres: narrative poetry, dramatic poetry, and lyric poetry.

Where do I start with poetry? ›

Poetry is published in anthologies, collections and magazines; performed and recorded live and online; and shared more widely than ever before on social media – especially by young writers. “If you've never really got into poetry, there's always one thing I say: start with an anthology,” says Palmer.

What is a good print font? ›

The best fonts for print

Nearly all books, newspapers and magazines use serif font such as Times New Roman, Garamond and Courier mentioned earlier which are amongst some of the more popular ones used.

What is the biggest font on Word? ›

Available font sizes range from . 5 point to 999.9 points.

Is bigger font better for eyes? ›

You're focusing for so many hours that your eyes are relaxed when the font is bigger because your lens does not have to focus as strongly in order to read larger print,” Nagori said.

What is a confident font? ›

Slab serif font psychology

Often regarded a “sub-set” of serif fonts, slab serif typefaces look like serifs, but have specific slab sections in them. They're associated most frequently with confidence, solidity, and a sense of bold attitude.

What is the most emotional font? ›

Sans serif fonts are progressive and emotional fonts, historically popular as advertising fonts and cool fonts for posters. Sans serifs culturally represent a break with tradition, giving these emotional fonts a progressive personality.

What makes a font elegant? ›

An elegant font is one that feels very formal, classic or luxurious from the moment you see it. Usually, most of these elegant fonts are script and handwritten typefaces or take their inspiration from the world of calligraphy.

What font is most legible in small size? ›

So something like Sitka Small will be very readable at small text sizes. Or Verdana, which while designed for low resolution screens, works very well for readability at tiny sizes. You can also look at fonts like Bell Centennial which was designed for phone books (bad printing, bad paper, tiny size, legible).

What font do publishers prefer? ›

Font: Your font should generally be 12 point Times New Roman. Though some agents and editors may prefer different serif or sans serif fonts like Arial or Courier New, Times New Roman with a 12 point font size is the industry standard.

What font does poetry Foundation use? ›

The identity is set in the forthright sans serif Gibson, and Pietro, previously utilized by the magazine for its poems, has an expanded role as a supporting typeface for collateral.

What font does Rupi Kaur use? ›

Aesthetically, this book of poetry is gorgeous: zero capitalizations and Times New Roman font, adorned with some of kaur's illustrations.

Should poetry be single spaced? ›

Poems should be single-spaced, with double spaces between stanzas. Indent the lines that would otherwise continue across the page, although some prefer to align all text left. Each poem should be on a separate page. Use page breaks at the end of each poem instead of hard returns.

Is calibri a good font? ›

The ideal word count for most resumes is 600 to 700 words (per the research). Calibri delivers better than any other font. Don't Overthink It: If people can easily read your resume, they're more interested in the content than the merits of Calibri versus Helvetica or any other font.

What font is most books written in? ›

Garamond— Developed in the 16th Century by Parisian engraver Claude Garamond, it is a popular font for books.

How many pages should a chapter be? ›

There are no rules when it comes to chapter length. The important thing is to concentrate on making your chapters fit your story, not on making your story fit your chapters. Many novelists these days prefer chapters that are between 1,500 words—or six book pages— and 8,000 words, or 32 book pages.

How many poems do most poets write? ›

The average poetry collection is between 30 and 100 different poems. To create a unified collection of this size, you're going to need a big body of work to pare down.

How many poems are usually in a book of poetry? ›

Most poetry books contain between 30 and 100 poems, so it's important to constantly be doing writing exercises and writing poems. Once you have a strong collection of poetry, you'll need to organize it.

What size font is Milk and Honey? ›

I appreciate the somewhat naive design of the book. It's almost entirely black ad white, and uses Times New Roman throughout, a default system font. Times New Roman set at 12pt might be considered a sin by most designers, but I appreciate that the book focuses on the poems without any frills.

What is the format of poetry? ›

Poetry is a type of literature that conveys a thought, describes a scene or tells a story in a concentrated, lyrical arrangement of words. Poems can be structured, with rhyming lines and meter, the rhythm and emphasis of a line based on syllabic beats. Poems can also be freeform, which follows no formal structure.

How long should poems be? ›

Poets should consider limiting their poems to one page—two pages at the most—when possible. At Writer's Relief we recommend poets submit five poems MAX in one group and that their submission not go over ten pages total.

How long is a book of poetry? ›

Poetry Collections: What's the Difference? In poetry publishing, there are two general formats: chapbooks and full-length collections. The difference here is one of length. Generally speaking, chapbooks run 20–30 pages, while full-length poetry collections may run 50 or more.

Do poems have to rhyme? ›

Very simply, poetry does not have to rhyme. While there are many more concrete styles of rhyming poetry, poets sometimes feel that non-rhyming poetry can express ideas in ways that rhyming can't. Neither rhyming or non-rhyming poetry is better than the other--it is a matter of personal preference.

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