“Out of an eight hour day, I average about five hours writing,” observes Derek Sussner, founder of Sussner Design Company in downtown Minneapolis. Spending the majority of his work day as a graphic designer writing is not something he would have expected when he graduated from college. However, after twenty years on the job, Derek has come to accept the fact that writing is an integral part of day-to-day business. He also acknowledges the importance of writing as part of the creative process, and believes that writing is an essential skill for any successful designer.
“You could strip everything off of my computer except my email program, and I could probably get by just fine.”
Many people assume designers spend their day pushing pixels in Photoshop or sketching logo concepts. Although these activities do happen and are the core of a designer’s work, they take up a disproportionally small amount of time. First and foremost, design is a business – and that means a designer needs to communicate his or her ideas effectively to clients. Derek receives approximately 100 emails daily, of which 50 are junk, 10 are some form of solicitation that doesn’t require response, and the remaining 40 actually require a thoughtful response. Of the 40 important emails, Derek separates them into four general categories of writing:
Correspondence involves talking with clients and vendors via email. A designer must be able to clearly describe exactly what he or she is looking for.
A proposal is a document written for a prospective client outlining the design firm’s approach to a project and estimating the cost. This type of writing is tricky because proposals eventually turn into contracts where verbiage is especially important. Proposals need to be highly detailed and specific so the client understands exactly what deliverables to expect and how much time and cost is associated with each. A detailed proposal helps eliminate “scope creep” further in the design process, when a client requests an unreasonable number of revisions.
Creative writing is writing specifically for designed work. Almost all designed pieces involve some form of writing. Advertisements need headlines, logos need taglines, and websites need written content. Creative writing can also be used as a way to jumpstart the creative process. Furthermore, reading the right word in the right situation can evoke imagery that can later be translated into a design.
Presentation via email is for long-distance clients or those who are not able to meet in person. Creative concepts must be pitched and described via email. Presenting via email is the most difficult form of writing and requires careful consideration of words best suited to describe abstract design concepts. Telling a client about a “cool” idea is not as effective as telling them about an idea that will help grow their company because of x, y, and z.
“Writers approach design focussing less on technique and style, but more on concept and rooted meaning.”
If designers spend the majority of their day using their creative right-brain, imagine how much more powerful they could be if they also had strong left-brain writing sensibilities. The two tasks go hand-in-hand, yet require completely different skill sets. Derek believes great designers learn to engage both sides of their brain simultaneously. A more well-rounded designer is usually capable of producing more interesting and engaging work.
This also applies to the world of advertising, where concept is king. For a design to be strong, it first has to be smart. Design is all about trends and the latest, greatest thing. Certain design styles cycle in and out of fashion faster than a hairless Chia Pet. For a design to stand the test of time, it must send a message and have meaning that resonates with its target audience. Something about the writing process intrinsically mandates meaning. Words simply do not match the same way brown matches blue. Words work on multiple levels and can be interpreted differently based on the audience’s perspective. The tone of writing often sets the stage for a design’s style, not vice versa.
“I always ask, ‘did you write this?’”
Over the course of his career, Derek has seen hundreds, if not thousands of student design portfolios. If a certain design piece includes writing, he always wants to know the source. While most students will source writing from a Google search, a select few take the time to write copy themselves. Derek has found that those who write their own copy often end up with stronger more conceptually-sound designs. “On a billboard, you have seven words or less to catch someone’s attention. I think, in some ways, that’s just as hard as designing a logo,” says Derek, “Students who take that extra step really shine.”
When asked whether writing can make or break a potential candidate’s chances of being hired, derek answers, “Absolutely.” He recalls one student who persistently sent emails trying to schedule an informational interview. The emails were witty, but still respectful; creative, but straight-forward; confident, but self-effacing. The writing style was so interesting and succinct that Derek called the candidate and had her interview the following week. Every other email went straight to the trash. If knowing your audience is the first step, quality writing always seals the deal.
“If I could do it all over again, I might have chosen to be a writer instead. I really respect it.”
On the topic of writing and success, Derek made an interesting observation. Many of the senior Creative Directors at the most respected advertising agencies are not designers; nine out of ten began as a copywriter and worked their way to the top. Why is this? Derek says it is because writing forces people to think strategically. It requires a deep understanding of the audience and careful consideration of how best to connect with them on a non-superficial level. The best advertisements form an emotional connection with their audience through appropriate language and tone. A beautiful design means nothing if it’s message is poorly crafted. Words should never be overlooked or simply pasted on top of a pretty picture. Great designers harness the power of words and use design to create additional visual impact that helps get the message across.