Formatting practices/paragraph

A paragraph is an element of a document that contains one or more sentences. In print, paragraphs are often rendered by indenting the first line. On screen, a paragraph is often rendered by inserting a blank line between two paragraphs. (The reason for the difference is, as rumour has it, that it is harder to read from a screen than from paper; a blank line is apparently more noticeable than mere indentation.)

When reading a text, the pause between two paragraphs is longer than the pause between two sentences.

Source

Target: DP text

Project Gutenberg prescribes that paragraphs in "plain vanilla" text are separated using a single blank line.[1] Distributed Proofreaders agrees.[2]

The sample shown above is rendered as follows during early processing at DP:

flesh-tints and sombre blues, formed a harmony of colour
that was both delicate and sumptuous.

'When the Duke of Grimiti comes back, show him up,'
he said to the servant.

Into this room too, the sun, sinking towards the Monte
Mario, shot his dazzling rays. You could hear the rumble

Target: PG text

The sample above may be rendered as follows in the PVT version at PG:

flesh-tints and sombre blues, formed a harmony of colour that was both 
delicate and sumptuous.

'When the Duke of Grimiti comes back, show him up,' he said to the 
servant.

Into this room too, the sun, sinking towards the Monte Mario, shot his 
dazzling rays. You could hear the rumble

The only difference between this rendering and that of DP, is the point where the words are wrapped.

At DP, words are wrapped where they are wrapped in the source scan. This is an important visual aid during proofing and formatting, where a volunteer contiously needs to compare original text with current text.

At PG,[3] words are wrapped at a point that is convenient for those readers that use a terminal or other device with a limited display width. (There are exceptions, see the PG FAQ.)

Target: DP/PG HTML

Paragraphs are wrapped in HTML's p elements:

flesh-tints and sombre blues, formed a harmony of colour that was both 
delicate and sumptuous.</p>

<p>'When the Duke of Grimiti comes back, show him up,' he said to the 
servant.</p>

<p>Into this room too, the sun, sinking towards the Monte Mario, shot his 
dazzling rays. You could hear the rumble

Note how the PVT word wrap is maintained, in order to more easily compare different formattings of the same etext once the project has been posted to PG.