Debunking Myths

In many visual seminars at Poynter, we talk about design rules that don't make sense. These myths are picked up along the way, like rotten fruit, as people move from paper to paper. Once a seed takes root, it can be very difficult to get rid of it.
These myths can be funny and frustrating. Funny because someone actually believes that readers notice that two headlines are butting up against each other. Frustrating because time is wasted by worrying about things that don't matter when crafting better content is more important.

Here are a few popular myths you may have encountered.

Myth 1: Photos facing/looking/pointing off the page make readers leave the page

Myth 2: Interrupting reader flow drives readers away

Myth 3: The grid limits what you can do with a page design

And several more ...