Response: The Writer's Toolbox

As designers we tend to get caught up in the aesthetic and actual design, turning our backs on the critical thinking and planning that help formulate and define good design. In other words, we like to make shit look cool, but hate to plan accordingly. In Andrea Marks, Writing For Visual Thinkers, she not only explains the need of creative writing/planning in designing, but certain methods and how-to's for each. Andrea takes us through creating Mind Maps, Concept Maps, Freewriting, Brainwriting, Word Lists, Outlines, Critiquing, Reflective Writing, Journals and sketchbooks in depth.

A turn off about all of this creative writing to me is the idea that I will have to share them with other people, a self-conscious feeling. She recognizes this problem and stresses that each of these methods especially freewriting are specifically used for your own viewing and development. In addition to freewriting, she speaks of brainwriting which allows for those quiet/more reserved people to come out of there shell and really express their ideas.

Overall, I really believe in Andrea's stance and though I am victim to not utilizing these methods I really understand their importance now. As designers the entirety of what we do is communicate specific concepts and ideas to a secondhand audience and a vital skill in being able to do this effectively is writing. Its a process within the process that we follow as designers and is key in the early development of ideas and concepts and can lead to much better design. Andrea's initial reference to, Learning How to Learn, really jumped out at me as it is true that all of these techniques push our ability to learn and thats what we are going to school for anyways, right?

"Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart."

- William Wordsworth

Mind Map

Concept Map

Freewrite