As I sit here trying to compare design principles for print and digital texts, my mind is taken back to week four. The words neophilia (a curiosity about new things) and neophobia (a fear of anything too new) echo through my brain. Whether dealing with print or digital texts, I think one of the most important goals of writing is striking the right balance between neophilia and neophobia. Don’t let the design of your writing bore your reader to death, but don’t scare them with something they have never seen before.
The article written by Park discussing good vs. bad moves to make when working with written print brought up a lot of interesting points that I never really thought of before. When comparing different pieces of print work, It is easy for me to decide which piece has better design principles, but it can be hard to pinpoint exactly what those principles are. The principles Park brought up are definitely something I will be referring back to when working on my campaign pieces.
Moving to the discussion digital texts, I was surprised by how similar the “good” design principle for digital and print texts were. One point that both articles reiterated was being as clear cut and to the point as possible with your writing. The ultimate goal for any medium of writing is for your reader to fully understand what you are trying to say. With print texts that includes making sure your titles and logos are catchy and intriguing, yet easily understood. It also involves only including relevant information in what you’re trying to get across to your reader, and not bogging them down with unimportant information. With digital print it includes again using simple language, but also organizing content under true headings and using illustrations to supplement text.
No matter what your medium is, you want to intrigue your reader. The two main ways to do this are presentation and content. Let’s be honest, no one really wants to read an entire page full of writing that has absolutely no white space. Presentation is key. Think about what is appealing to the eye. Include pictures to break up the text or links to more information. This is going to be key for me as I take on the task of creating a brochure and flyer for my campaign. I have already touched on content but the main takeaway I got from the articles is to get to the point with your readers, and like we discussed a few weeks ago in class, always have your reader’s education level and understanding in mind.
To give an example of effective presentation and content, for some reason my mind goes to Buzzfeed. Whether you’re a fan of Buzzfeed or not, I think Buzzfeed really does a good job of being accessible and intriguing to their audience. Their articles often include videos, graphics, and hyperlinks but do so without overwhelming the reader.
Going on to discuss color, I love incorporating color into writing because it allows for personal creative expression. This is where I am taken over by neophilia. When it comes to color harmony, I am always the type to deviate from the norms. With creativity comes experimentation. Try it and see what works and what doesn’t. What one person considers to be visually pleasing isn’t always going to be what someone else considers to be visually pleasing. The right color, and the right amount of color can really add a lot to writing, whether it be print or digital. I think it is important to remember that the reader will always be initially drawn to the color on the page, so make sure you use it to make a lasting impression.
All of these components must be considered when dealing with the accessibility of your text. Accessible print texts may maximize white space or use color to divert the eye to a certain part of the text while accessible digital prints may include hyperlinks to provide the reader with more information. All in all, always keep your reader in mind. What will be most appealing and accessible to them? What will they be drawn in to read?
Cool connection to our previous readings, Kendall!
I was intrigued by your comment about Buzzfeed. I agree, they do feel like a website that does well to organize their content in such a way that makes for breezy reading. When writing, “Their articles often include videos, graphics, and hyperlinks but do so without overwhelming the reader,” I want to know more. Why do all these videos, graphics, and links not seem overwhelming? What do you think it is they do well that others don’t in digital texts?