Writing Tips for Graphic Designers
How to Become a Better Writer, Blogger or Content Provider
Oct 19, 2009
While designers know how to communicate through slogans and visual elements, sometimes it's hard to explain through good writing about the design process or about the designer's business. In a world where everyone needs a blog and an online portfolio, here is a guide to writing interesting copy for a Web site or blog.
Better Writing Tips
Don't be boring. If the writer is starting to snooze, then what's the reader going to do? Probably move on to something more interesting. Always ask if the reader is going to care and always answer the reader's number one question: "What's in it for me?"
Shorter sentences are always better. If the reader has to reread what was written or can't follow what's being said because the sentence is too long, then shorten it up. Read it out loud to get a better idea of whether the sentences have become cumbersome to read.
Be as active in speech as possible. "The designer threw the computer across the room" is better than "The computer was thrown across the room by the designer." It's more powerful and it gets to the point faster.
Tell a good story. Starting with a personal dilemma or an interesting interaction with a client will help keep the reader engaged. Many times the story and what the designer learned from the experience can be enough to keep the reader on the page.
Keep paragraphs short. Think of it this way: "Is there enough white space within the article?" A long paragraph can turn a reader off. It's too much of an investment. Break them up.
Come back to it later. The first thing to destroy an article's creditability is poor grammar and misspelled words. Step away from the computer and come back to the article later in the day or even the next day. More errors will be caught that way.
Write and read a lot. The only way to get better is to keep doing it. Taking the time to read will also help because see good examples everyday reenforces good writing and help the designer steer clear of bad writing.
Make the information digestible and scanable. Formatting will help a lot. Don't be afraid of using lists, bullet points and subheads. As a designer, this part of the process could be fun since it's kind of like designing the article.
Want people to find it? Learn how to write for search engines. Search engine optimization (SEO) is the a tried and true method for writing on the web.
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