0

Is there a way, in InDesign, to indent every second and third line in a poem to look like this?!

enter image description here

3
  • Hi Mona, welcome to GDSE and thanks for your question. If you want to know more about the site, please see the help center or ping one of us in the Graphic Design Chat once your reputation is sufficient (20). Keep contributing and enjoy the site!
    – Vincent
    Jun 4, 2015 at 11:34
  • 4
    What have you tried?
    – Ryan
    Jun 4, 2015 at 12:35
  • As Ryan asks, could you tell us what you tried that didn't work? Always good to show some effort, and your chances for a good answer increase. Thanks!
    – Vincent
    Jun 5, 2015 at 10:42

2 Answers 2

4

Yes, by using "next styles" – a feature of Paragraph Styles.

First the preparation: at the end of each line in your poem should be a hard return, meaning each line is it's own paragraph.

Then create three paragraph styles: one for each of the first three lines. Paragraph style #1 has no left indent, #2 has a small left indent, and #3 has a big indent.

Now link the styles together:

  • Edit paragraph style #1, and set its "Next style" to paragraph style #2.
  • In the same fashion, set the next style of style #2 to #3.
  • And finally set the next style of #3 to #1.

Each style now "points to" the style that should follow it.

To apply:

  • Select all the text
  • In your paragraph styles palette, right-click (or control-click) your paragraph style #1
  • And from the menu that appears, choose "Apply paragraph style #1, then Next Style"
-1

Maybe you could try "nested styles" for indesign.

1
  • Hi user44834, welcome to GDSE and thanks for your answer. Could you please elaborate a bit? Why is this the right method, and how would one apply it to solve the question? Thanks! If you have any questions, please see the help center or ping one of us in the Graphic Design Chat once your reputation is sufficient (20). Keep contributing and enjoy the site!
    – Vincent
    Jun 5, 2015 at 11:22

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.