Too often, we leave writing about our work to the "experts"—big, accomplished names with miles of publishing and speaking behind them. But being able to communicate verbally—even if you work visually—is important at every stage of your career, and can play a major role in moving that career forward. Lisa Maria Martin is a former designer and current strategist and editor at A List Apart, here to share why writing matters—to you, to your job, and to your industry.

1. Use Your Words:
why you should write
about your work
Lisa Maria Martin | @redsesame
Web Design Day | June 12, 2015
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

2. Hello, Pittsburgh.
It’s nice to be back.

3. Writing makes you a
better designer.
It’s true!
!

4. Design is thinking "
made visual.
Saul Bass

5. Writing is thinking on paper.
William Zinsser

6. Writing leads to better thinking."
Better thinking leads to "
better design.

7. It helps you understand
yourself.
1

8. I write because "
I don’t know what I think "
until I read what I say.
Flannery O’Connor

9. Only by writing my thoughts and
speaking publicly do I actually
understand what I’m thinking; "
only by sharing those verbalized
thoughts with others can I begin to see
their broader implications.
Jeffrey Zeldman
http://alistapart.com/column/the-love-you-make

10. It helps you in your career.
2

11. It examines all the “whys” of "
the job, turning entrenched habits
into intentional actions. It equips
you with the communication skills
to sell yourself and your work "
to bosses and clients.
Sally Kerrigan
http://alistapart.com/article/writing-is-thinking

12. By daring to…write, you will become
better at selling your ideas to "
tough clients, better at evangelizing
methodologies or causes to your peers,
better at thinking and therefore at doing,
and better at those all-important "
job interviews.
Jeffrey Zeldman
http://alistapart.com/column/the-love-you-make

13. It’s good for the rest of us, too.
3

14. When you write about your
work, it makes all of us "
smarter for the effort.
Sally Kerrigan
http://alistapart.com/article/writing-is-thinking

15. It forces you to go beyond the "
polite cocktail-party line you use "
to describe what you do and "
really think about the impact "
your work has…
Sally Kerrigan
http://alistapart.com/article/writing-is-thinking

16. …Done well, it means "
you’re contributing signal, "
instead of noise.
Sally Kerrigan
http://alistapart.com/article/writing-is-thinking

17. So why aren’t you writing?

18. Writing comes from a place of
not knowing—a place of
exploration, seeking clarity, and
wanting to communicate.
Nicole Fenton
http://www.nicolefenton.com/writing-for-beginners/

19. You don’t have to be perfect."
You just have to start.

20. You can start small:
• Rationales for client work
• Post-mortems for colleagues
• Process descriptions for portfolios

21. Maybe go a little bigger:
• Case studies on your company blog
• Posts on your own blog
• Articles in (gasp!) publications

22. Some humble suggestions:
• The Pastry Box
• Boxes & Arrows
• Smashing Magazine
• UXmatters
• UX Magazine
• UX Movement
• A List Apart

23. This requires vulnerability.
Sharing is terrifying, I know.
Look at me. I’m on a stage.
Please tell me you can’t see my hands shaking.

24. Put your words out there.
I don’t know, I’m not the boss of words.
But I think you should.
I think you should do it.

25. “You have a role to play. "
Please play it."
Ben Callahan
https://the-pastry-box-project.net/ben-callahan/2015-March-22

26. Thank you.
Now go write.
Lisa Maria Martin
@redsesame
Web Design Day 2015