Graphic design
Write a headline that matches the article
A headline makes a promise before the reader reaches the first paragraph.
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Practical writing on graphic design, branding, visual communication and copywriting.
Graphic design
Keep quotations attached to their context
A short quotation can carry more certainty than its speaker intended when the surrounding question disappears.
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Build a small glossary around reader confusion
A glossary is most useful when it resolves words that interrupt the reader's task.
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Put instructions in the order people act
Instructions can be accurate sentence by sentence and still fail as a sequence.
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Ask for editorial feedback that can be used
A request to share any thoughts often produces comments on whatever each reviewer notices first.
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Make editorial approval a specific decision
Approved can mean fact-checked, visually reviewed or ready to publish, depending on who says it.
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Name Your Navigation for the Person Reading It
The language inside an organisation is not always the language a visitor would use to find something.
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Hand Over Copy and Links Without Losing the Context
A handover can contain all the right files and still leave the next person unsure which wording is approved.
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How to Write a Design Brief Your Designer Will Thank You For
Most design projects that go wrong were never quite right at the start. Here is how to write a brief that gets you better work, faster.
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Branding
Building a Brand Identity on a Small Budget
You do not need a five-figure agency fee to look professional. You need a few good decisions, applied consistently. Here is where to start.
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Copywriting
Words and Pictures: Why Copy and Design Should Be Planned Together
Copy written in isolation and dropped into a layout rarely fits. Treating words and visuals as one job produces clearer, more persuasive work.
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Visual communication
Infographics People Actually Read
Turning dense data into a clear visual story: choosing the right chart, cutting the clutter and leading the eye.
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Typography
Choosing Typefaces for Print and Screen
What changes when type moves from paper to a phone, and how to pick fonts that work comfortably in both.
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Web design
Colour Contrast and Accessible Design
Why contrast matters for every reader, and simple checks to make your brand colours work for everyone.
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