Comments on: I’m a designer, not a writer. WRONG!

By: Kevin

Kevin — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 14:56:23 +0000

While I agree that writing can help the design process, the true craft is editing.

By: Ivan

Ivan — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 08:20:59 +0000

“If you have any recommendations, please add them to the comments below.”

Writing That Works; How to Communicate Effectively,
by Kenneth Roman, Joel Raphaelson

English is not my native language, but I guess this book is universal for almost every language and I’d recommend it for everyone.

Interesting thing: one can find a great reading list in David Ogilvy’s book (Ogilvy On Advertising).

One more book on advertising and copywriting (mostly) is Tested Advertising Methods by by John Caples. This one is really amazing, containing very exact, concrete guidelines on creating effective copy. Creating, really.

And, by the way, not only designers need to write :-D. One of my friends once told me: “The way one writes shows the way he think”, and one writer (Bukowski or Nabokov, can’t recall) said something like “your language is your personality”, meaning that your personality is how you can express yourself (if you can).

By: chris morrow

chris morrow — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:28:13 +0000

Writing is definitely a major player in the skill set required for this business. I went through the same phase myself, back in college before I realized that the way in which I express myself in writing was often as important (if not more important) than my verbal skills. A very difficult fact to accept, but once I began to work on it, correspondence and presentation became an ‘enjoyable challenge’.

By: Bruce

Bruce — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 06:17:13 +0000

Well said, Mark. This topic is just as relevant for another part of the 21st century’s economic Venn diagram: the technical folk who build the mechanisms, tools & back ends of sites like this one. Blending these worlds — Organizational Vision & Strategy, mission communication through design & brand, and technical execution of processes and functions — requires strong communication talents, in many media. We all need to recognize that we are likely not expert in all these realms, and need each other in order to achieve our mutual objectives.

By: Kathleen

Kathleen — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:50:00 +0000

I agree with you, Mark. As a design educator, I stress the importance of a clearly articulated creative brief. Many of my comments to students involve the correction of grammar and spelling, which is incredibly distracting from any message that is being communicated. You never know the standards that your client holds for written communication, and errors in this area can cost you the credibility and trust (or even the work) that is essential at the onset of a project.

Further, never hold back from rounding out your ideas using methods such as story telling, descriptions of aesthetics and experiences, and explanations of technology, sociology, psychology, etc. There are many different entry points to understanding, experiment to see which ones will help you explain your vision. Be assured that your client will not always be as visual as yourself!

By: Adam Saint

Adam Saint — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:40:18 +0000

I agree completely.

As a design student I’ve been surprised by how many of my peers give short shrift to writing (and verbal communication to some extent), whether it be front facing copy or an internal project plan. Unfortunately, as you mentioned, design education often gives writing a cursory treatment at best.

Ironically, if a young designer hasn’t been educated in more traditional liberal arts they are left without the skills they need to be effective communicators outside of visual media.

Good writing is a sign of an organized mind.

By: Dave

Dave — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:08:11 +0000

I think this article would’ve been better if the title was:

“I’m designer and not a writer? Wronger.”