First determine what type of image you want to project and who your target audience will be:

• Sophisticated?
• On the cutting edge?
• Professional?
• Modern?
• Old Fashioned?
• Romantic?

Take a look at some of the letters that are different from font to font: g's, y's, a's, W's. If you'll be emphasizing a certain letter, make sure you look for that letter.

A font for body text
The bulk of what we read is body copy. It's the novels, magazine articles, newspaper stories, contracts, and Web pages we read day after day. Body type or a body face is the typeface used for body copy.

• Choose a typeface that is readable at body copy sizes (14 point).
• In the US at least, serif faces are the norm for most books and newspapers making them familiar and comfortable.
• Choose a body face that blends in and doesn't distract the reader with oddly shaped letters, or extremes in x-height, descenders, or ascenders.
• In general (with many exceptions) consider serif faces for a subdued, formal, or serious look.
• In general (with exceptions) consider sans serif faces for a crisper, bolder, or more informal tone.
• Avoid monospaced typefaces, they draw too much attention to the individual letters distracting the reader from the message.
• Avoid script or handwriting typefaces for body copy. Some exceptions: cards and invitations where the text is set in short lines with extra line spacing.
• Fanciful or unusual typefaces are best used in headlines, logos, and graphics.

See Tips