Non-Designer’s Type Book, The, Second Edition

First Paragraphs are not Indented

The purpose of an indent is to warn the reader that a new paragraph is about to begin, right? Well, if it’s the first paragraph on the page or the first paragraph after a subhead, the reader does not need that clue—it’s redundant. This is another one of those details where it might not look correct at first, but once you know it is correct and you apply it, other work will look foolish to you when the first paragraphs are indented.