Publication Pacing

One of the key concepts of publication design — whether we’re talking about print or digital — is pacing. Pacing is the rhythm of design. It’s the pattern within a layout that breathes life into the process of reading and enjoying content. It’s the set of visual cues that reach readers deep in their subconscious and trigger their expectations of the information they are about to read.

The easiest way to remove all of the joy from a publication is to remove the waypoints of pacing. Boring publications have medium size everything. Medium length articles. Medium size headlines. Medium size images. Medium, medium, medium.

“Nothing turns a publication into a dreary report more quickly than making everything medium.”

As you might have guessed, pacing uses scale to set the tempo. Typically this is done by setting a pattern utilizing short stories with small treatments at the beginning and end of a publication and long stories with grand treatments at the center. This creates a wave of sorts, with a peak at the center. It forms a welcoming introduction, a “grab a cup of coffee and get comfortable” centerpiece of features, and a short, sweet, and often utilitarian exit. Not that there are rules. The layout can be shifted in any number of ways to alter the pace. The importance is that there is a pace, and that it is distinct and purposeful and reflects the desired readership.

The publications we design at THOR adhere to this concept. All of our redesigns start with this focus on pacing. We avoid medium and embrace the bold and distinct energy derived from well executed pacing.