1 LATEX blank lines
Inserting a blank line with LATEX works differently than typical word processing programs. There a blank line is inserted by pressing 2 times return.
1.1 How it does not work
If you use
LATEX and you press 2 times return, the result is not a blank line.
Example:
This is an example to show how with
\LaTeX{} blank lines can be made or not
Output:
This is an example to show how with
LATEX blank lines can be made or not
As you can see, pressing 2 times return created a line break, but not an empty line.
1.2 Blank lines with LATEX set
One method often used to create a blank line is to use the command \\ which forces a line break. The command \\ is simply written into an empty line and then it continues with text.
Example:
This is an example to show how with \\
\\ \LaTeX{} blank lines are or are not made
Output:
This is an example to show how to use
LATEX blank lines are or are not made
Depending on the position or what was in the line before, by using
\\, the following message appears:
! LaTeX Error: There's no line here to end.
In this case it is better to use the following
\ \\ where a space is forced and the line ends after it, with the result that you have a blank line.
1.3 Blank lines between paragraphs
To insert a blank line between two paragraphs, set \\ at the end of the first paragraph of the commands and then simply press 2 times return before continuing with the text of the second paragraph.
Example:
That is the text of paragraph one, and this one ends here. \\
Here begins the text of the second paragraph.
Output:
This is the text of paragraph one, and this one ends here.
Here begins the text of the second paragraph.
In contrast to the previous example, the new second paragraph is automatically indented like the first paragraph.
parskip
Alternatively, an automatic space can be inserted between the paragraphs.
By setting a new value to parskip, an additional space would be instered between the following paragraphs.
Example:
\setlength{\parskip}{6pt plus 2pt minus 1pt}
The basic space would be 6 points between every following paragraph, and plus 2 point respectively minus 1 point means that
the compilier could add or subtract an additionally space here 2 point respectively 1 point to / from the basic space.