1. Context : Legibility, context, and creativity ; A compressed history of the Roman alphabet -- 2. Systems & type-ologies : Systems ; The ideal versus the practical ; Conceptual alphabets and lettering ; Writing, lettering, or type? ; Letter structure ; Type and lettering classification ; Exercise: fictional characters ; Book typefaces ; Display lettering and type -- 3. Creating letters : Thinking before drawing ; The lettering process ; Foundations ; Exercise: flat-tipped pen ; Creating text letters and book type ; Modular letters ; Exercise: modular alphabet ; Screen fonts ; Handwriting ; Script lettering ; Casual lettering ; Distressed type ; Interview: Ken Barber -- 4. Making letters work : Transforming type : Customizing type ; Turning type into lettering ; Exercise: modifying type ; Ligatures and joined letterforms ; Interview: Nancy Harris Rouemy -- Lettering as image : The opaque word ; Interview: Shaun Flynn -- Designing typefaces : Behind a face ; Character traits ; Letterform analysis ; Lowercase ; Uppercase ; Numerals ; Punctuation and accents ; Type families ; Spacing and kerning ; Setting text ; Interview: Christian Schwartz -- Glossary.