Ryan Buchanan, CEO
Ryan was named by Oregon Business magazine as one of the ’50 who fix it, move it, build it, change it, and get it done right.’

Yep.


That was the guy.


Like I said: the most excellent part.

Hmm, your rate is a little higher than I was expecting. I’ve already paid the graphic and web designers thousands of dollars. I guess I don’t know what writing costs.

Most people don’t. See my previous post about rates if you want to know more.


Business owners seem to focus on the importance of the design work as primary, and the copy as a second piece.


Woe to the head who neglects her heart!



Let’s give a quick visual. (That’s funny, right? Because we’re talking about words versus graphics? Keep up.)


Ever read a novel voraciously, cover to cover? On your Kindle or in good ol’ fashioned paper form?


Yes? (And yeah,Twilight does count.)


Then you know all about the magnetic wonder of words on a plain background.


If there were nothing but blank pages in a book or a website, you might flip through for three seconds, just to make sure you weren’t missing anything, then you’d put it down/close the page and move on.


But if that same book had beautiful, awe-inspiring designs, logos and templates you might stay a little longer to flip through the pages and look at the pretty pictures and colors before putting it down.


You wouldn’t put it down as quickly as if it were blank, but still, you probably wouldn’t spend hours engrossed in its contents, right?


(This piece of the discussion excludes designers by virtue of the fact that they’re quite likely to do just what I have said no one does.)


Now let’s say that blank book that just had designs in it, now only has words.


You start to read.


The story being told is of interest to you, so you pause your greedy reading for a second to find a comfy corner to settle down in for your continued reading pleasure.


Let’s throw some graphics onto those blank pages with words and what do we get?


Well, a picture book for the most part, or a graphic novel or comic book (yes, there is a difference between comics and graphic novels.)


Would you find the words more compelling if there were graphics and designs around them?


Maybe.


Would you be more likely to choose a book with a cool cover or linger on a beautifully designed website?


I know I would.


So, based on this detailed, scientific analysis:

With that, I conclude that good design and good writing should go hand-in-hand: supporting and enhancing each other for the greater good of conveying a desired message.


Is one more important than the other?



Well, you’re asking me, a writer, so objectively, I say yes: writing is more important than design.


We just established that you would read something front to back with just words on a blank background (here’s a good example), whereas designs on a blank background would get no such attention.


From personal and professional experience, I believe that words with a story to tell are more important than the graphics and designs that enhance them.


Do you agree or disagree with this conclusion?


I wonder what graphic and web designers think.


Oh, and speaking of picture books, have you read this one yet?