Which is correct, one space or two after a period? I have fought the move towards one space that started decades ago, I was so firmly ensconced in my double-space habit. So why the change after so long? I think it comes down to simple vanity. I still prefer the look of double spaces. They look less crowded. But I read that double spacing after periods is a sign of age, a sign that you grew up in the typewriter era. (I actually took a typing class in high school, although it didn’t really take, with the exception of double spaces after periods.) In fact, I have read that college admissions officers commonly reject essays with double spaces because it is such a strong indicator that the applicant’s parents wrote the essay.

So I’m changing because I don’t want to be thought of as an old guy, despite my being, in fact, an old guy. I am hoping that with this change I will be able to slip my stories more stealthily into the book bags and Kindles of readers of all ages. So what if the text looks cramped? I can get used to it.

If I could just keep my thumb from doing that automatic double tap….