I’m a designer who writes and a writer who likes to fuss with fonts, formats, and the techniques of publishing. Typography and writing are deeply connected. Writing makes thought exterior, converting fleeting notions into concrete things—indelible patterns of ink or pixels. My reading list includes in equal measure books that study (and exemplify) design processes and those that explore (and demonstrate) the qualities of strong writing.

Reading and writing are fundamental skills for any graphic designer. Designers are constantly called upon to present, explain, and market their work; these tasks require a powerful command of language. Furthermore, those designers whose impact extends beyond their own relationships with clients and audiences to shape the bigger discourse of our field are all confident and creative writers. When I make a list of in my mind of influential graphic designers, every one of them is an accomplished writer (Marian Bantjes, Michael Bierut, Bruce Mau, Stefan Sagmeister, and Paula Scher, to name just a few).