1. A computer-implemented method for applying effects, comprising: receiving a text run, the text run including two or more characters; creating a merged text path for the text run, the creation of the merged text path comprising: receiving geometry that is associated with the text run, the geometry including one or more curved shapes; approximating the one or more curved shapes into polygons; breaking the geometry into chains, at least one chain comprising a segment of a polygon, the segment of the polygon derived from the one or more curved shapes, the at least one chain including three or more vertices, the three or more vertices including a head vertex and a tail vertex, the head vertex being the first vertex in the chain and the tail vertex being the last vertex in the chain; computing junctions, a junction being established when a new chain is activated or when the tail vertex of an existing chain is processed, the junction having the coordinate location of the head vertex of the new chain or the tail vertex of the existing chain, the junction including one or more head vertices or tail vertices having the same coordinates as the junction; discarding redundant chains; connecting non-redundant pieces to form an outline; determining whether two adjacent characters in the text run overlap; and when it is determined that two adjacent characters in the text run overlap, removing the overlap between the two adjacent characters, the overlap being removed by removing one or more redundant pieces of the overlapping, merged characters within the text run; generating a single shape from the merged text path; and applying an effect to the single shape.