diff --git a/src/002-config/modSC.css b/src/002-config/modSC.css
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..b09893b63ac65cc1c62b2bedf44ecd1bf831cbfd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/002-config/modSC.css
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+/* change some SC2 styles */
+
+/* make the sidebar more compact by reducing the space between major parts */
+#ui-bar-body {
+    /* height: calc(100% - 2.5em); */
+    /* margin: 2.5em 0; */
+    height: calc(100% - 1.5em);
+    margin: 1.5em 0;
+}
+#ui-bar-body > :not(:first-child) {
+    /* margin-top: 2em; */
+    margin-top: 1.5em;
+}
+#story-author {
+    /* margin-top: 2em; */
+    margin-top: 0;
+}
diff --git a/src/gui/storyCaption.tw b/src/gui/storyCaption.tw
index 183667292fbb451b36f7f6dd04113f134c747a1c..5cd011b0d0be775e2a725c1a87d93f19cb613685 100644
--- a/src/gui/storyCaption.tw
+++ b/src/gui/storyCaption.tw
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 <<set _Pass = passage()>>
 
-<<if $ui != "start">> <<userButton>> <br> <</if>>
+<<if $ui != "start">><p><<userButton>></p><</if>>
 
 <<if $ui != "start">>
 	<<if $cheatMode || $debugMode>>