Inheriting start-indent
As an alternative to setting the start-indent characteristic for each paragraph, title, list item, table, etc., use a sequence flow object at the top-level element to set the start-indent characteristic to the default start indent for the document:
(element TOP-LEVEL-ELEMENT (make sequence start-indent: %body-start-indent%))
The majority of uses of the start-indent characteristic can then use the inherited start indent to set a flow object's start indent:
(element (BUL.LIST ITEM) (make paragraph start-indent: (+ (inherited-start-indent) (* 2 (BLSTEP))) first-line-start-indent: (BLSTEP) (process-children)))