How to use horizontal lists instead of bullets

Next time you find yourself typing a bulleted list, try this format instead: arrange them as a horizontal list.

You could just draw five text boxes. But a simple 1-row table is better. It will automatically handle the alignment, and if you want to add or delete items resizing the width is very simple. And to make sure the items don’t run into each other, increase the right-hand cell margin to create some white space.

You could create a 2-row table, where the item ‘header’ sits in the first row, and the ‘content’ in the second row.

In this format, you can think of each item as being a ‘card’. Here are suggestions for adding some visual design to these cards:

Note: in some of these options, we have inserted a narrow, empty column in between each item to help space them out.

Depending on your font size, you can probably fit up to six items across the page before they get too narrow. If you have more items than this, just break into two rows. Put an empty row in between them to provide you with some spacing.

Do you work in a professional or corporate setting? Do you write everything down in PowerPoint? Do you worry that your documents don’t reflect well on you?
‍
We’re creating a masterclass than turns 22 years of experience into an in-depth online course that you can work through at your own speed. Learn how to create clear, compelling deliverables for complex, critical content. And how to get faster and more efficient.

Related posts:

For those of you who don’t hawk the news feeds for any mention of Fibromyalgia studies — there was a recent study in the PLOS ONE medical journal which might well be shining a new light on Fibro and…

Non mi sono mai piaciuti i posti freddi e pensavo che Parigi mi sarebbe cominciata a piacere solo a Primavera. Invece, pure se oggi la luce è bianca e il balcone mi pare più grigio degli altri…

Beings have been fleeing to Earth from more advanced and stifling civilizations for millions of years. Probably because they found the freedom of this primitive civilization provided an opportunity…