Burning Questions

My last post was almost a month ago, but I'm still thinking about the same thing, a talk the RGD put on at the Design Exchange in Toronto about the future of book publication.

On the day of the event I arrived with many others to an already full room. More chairs were put out by the excellent staff and the event got on it's way. After rummaging through my purse for almost five minutes, I finally found my pen and notebook and began to furiously write things down. Throughout the talk I felt like I was nodding to everything that was said; yes the music industry did go through this, yes this could lead to wild add ons and yes, we don't know what will actually happen. I was surprised when one of the speakers noted that she expected significant change in six months, she thought that in six months we could better predict where the future of books was going. Before going to the talk I didn't realize that things were changing so rapidly, I did buy a tablet, but I thought I was the minority, not the majority.

During the talk I noted a lot of other things. For your reading pleasure and to help refresh myself, here is what I found more interesting at the RGD's Book: Burning Questions. (Don't mind the length, I just enjoyed almost everything that was said.)

• digital sales account for 27%

• can compare to the changes in music, but music was only one sense

(sound), books have more, need a visual to accompany the book

• new ideas for books: book trailers, incorporate videos into books

• books could become more of a premium product and design will

go up OR books could become extremely inexpensive and design

would go down

• Is this a cultural shift? Will it change the way authors write?

Kindles are similar, but iPad doesn't maintain the classic feel,

physical books give readers more control (forward and back)

• vooks: video book, can't be a long format with video, too much

going on at once

• books can be added to with separate elements, but incorporating

video into the book really changed the book

• e-books can eliminate editors and publishers, everyone can publish

• designers used to choose paper, margins, fonts, now with e-books

we have lost the ability to control how people see the book

• designing e-books will be like designing websites, have to make

them work on a number of devices

• users are gaining control over designers in how they view the book,

can change font and font size

• people steal music, now they could start to steal books, creates an issue

• Will younger people be more engaged with e-books than regular books?

• books used to be a snapshot in time, published one a certain date, books

will now be refresh-able

• art books may become more cherished, luxury item

• publishers are slowly starting to think more about the format

(book or e-book)

• real books may become more limited, smaller runs in addition to e-books

• after a good book you miss the characters like you would a good friend,

e-readers don't affect this

• "the train is already moving", "it is what it is", it's too late to stop e-readers

now, might as well go with it, make the best of it

• with book covers you have to appeal to so many tastes, each level of

approval presents a sort of gate keeper

• buyers have a challenging time, they need to continue to sell books to

survive in the market

• tragic that independent booksellers will go by the wayside

• for cover design we often get advice that has nothing to back us up,

no tools, no stats

• people have been liberated to self publish, many have a hard time selling,

they are missing the editor, editor has a very important role, they are much

more than proofreaders

• people still need editors and publishers even if they are creating e-books

• buying books online is so different than in a book store, online, books need

to be easily searchable, in person, people may just pick a book up because

it looks cool

• people will no longer be recommended books by bookstore employees,

similar to how record store employees knew regulars' taste and

made recommendations

• book publishing has been very slow to change over the last 100 years,

now things are changing every five minutes

• online people don't scroll, they don't notice pretty covers, they often

use "what others bought" section to decide

• for online, now they are starting to consider designing two covers, one for

in person and one optimized for online (preview thumbnail)

• a networked book may be created (see who is referencing the book,

what are people saying, how do they feel about it) to oppose the

traditional book

• books are currently a private experience, you dive in and use it to get away

• people will become more public with their opinions about books,

Tweeting and Facebooking as they read

• new choose your own ending may have a resurgence, Would authors

become more involved in creating additional elements? Will they

help with the design process? e-books make more sense with non-fiction

don't want to move to the Hollywood scenario with books

• Will content and design become more intertwined? co-production

• designers will have to help authors choose whether to do an e-book

or a physical book or both

• press jobs are now being traded for digital jobs, more designers,

less tradespeople

• people want designers to become technologists, but that is not our role

• when web first started designers did it all, now there are web designers

and book designers, soon there will be print designers and digital print

designers, there will also be hybrids

• Trends: fewer hardcovers, books will be more precious and expensive

(rather than cheap and digital ideally), books will now compete with

candles and home décor along with e-readers (Chapters, Indigo),

designers will have to create a reason for consumers to buy both,

digital vs. printed will need added features unique to each media

• hard to say what will be available a year from now for e-books,

will move past the cover

• music, now they have more niche bands that are very popular

but not top 40, Will this happen to authors?

• self-publishers will have a hard time with marketing, how will

they get their books in the hands of vendors

• e-readers will create interesting new hybrid careers

• Does pushing technology devalue the content? people put less

value on individual books because they they had to buy expensive

technology to get these products

• the cheaper the book becomes, the less perceived value

• open-source vs. copywrited books

• if you don't pay for content, there will be no content (quality content)

• in the beginning designers had to learn how to talk to typesetters, now

they have to learn to talk to coders

• print per order, printing only when a book is ordered will help publishers

save money (print on demand)

• Could adding characters on Facebook add more depth to characters?

• Technology will add more dimension, but will it create more revenue?

the internet is free, we don't want to pay for online

• the author's job is to manipulate the readers imagination, Will these added

features create a more true form or will it ruin things? Do we even need

added features for books?

• book vs. book movie, I don't like being told how to imagine the book, ruins

the book for me

• added features will only enhance certain types of books

• the experimentation phase may be very cheesy and distracting

• authors will write differently when they know they have added features

I hope you enjoyed these notes as much as I enjoyed the event.

Book Burning

After much time (3 years of college and the 4 years of highschool leading up to that) I have come to realize that becoming a graphic designer is not what others would consider a typical career. When I first realized what a graphic designer was, I thought perfect! I could see myself doing that for a very long time. Now that I have finished college, I am often asked what I do. I usually answer with a simple, "I'm a graphic designer", and leave it at that.

Again, after much time, I have realized that a lot of people don't actually know what designers do. I get asked if I design websites, or do illustrations but rarely do people understand the broad spectrum of things designers are capable of. The second question I am usually asked (after I explain my career path, and my interest in publication design), is whether I am worried that the internet will lead books to extinction.

Of course I worry about these sorts of things, I just try to ignore them and look at the great opportunities out there. I've had many conversations with other designers about this and one of the most interesting things that have come from these discussions is that maybe this will create a sort of battle of the fittest. Mediocre magazines will cease to exist and the boundaries of typical magazines will be pushed to further the art form. It's scary of course, I often think, "What if I'm not good enough!" Regardless of all of this, part of being a designer is staying informed, learning new things and keeping up with what is happening next.

To help me with this topic specifically, I decided to sign up for RGD's panel discussion called Book: Burning Questions – The Future of The Book and Book Industry in Canada. I'm really excited to be part of a crowd that is as nerdy about design as I am. I anticipate being overwhelmed with information and inspired by what I hear, can't wait until the 11th!

The Upside of Obsession?

Yesterday I read an article titled Is Obsession a Prerequisite for Success? I really related to what the author had to say, but also really hope it's not true.

After being asked how he became a successful blogger, author Scott Young, took some time to look at other blogs. While it could be said that you need to be a good writer to be a good blogger, he found that over time most writers improved. He also noted that having an interesting story would help make a blog successful, again he countered this saying that the story is shaped once you start writing. In the end he realized that the best thing you could do to succeed at something is to become obsessed with it. While obsessing over one thing may lead to success in that field, it also needs to neglect in all other aspects of life.

I'm the first to admit that I yearn for balance, I work very hard to make time for all of the things I want to do. Before I started college it was a lot easier to balance things, all my friends lived in the same town as me and I didn't have to make an effort to visit my parents. Currently both of these things are at the top of my to do list, but I have to make a conscious effort to make time for visiting. On the work side of things I'm trying to start my career, as well as find a part time job to let me continue with my goals. Responsibilities start adding up quickly and all of a sudden I lose sight of what I want to obsess over.

It can be very hard to stay focused on one task. I don't find that caring about one thing at a time works for me, I want it all. I agree with this article, obsession likely does lead to success, but for now I think I will obsess over my career 75% of the time and spend the other 25% of my time building a fulfilling life that will support me during the lifespan of my career and beyond.

Shiny and New

One of the last projects I created while still in school was called Advance. Less traditional and much more digital than my previous projects, it guides you through a typical day in my life. Here is a more in depth rationale, and a link (you may have to refresh it) to my website. I hope you enjoy watching it as much as I enjoyed creating it.


http://www.amy-eaton.com/WeekDay/weekday_work.html

To communicate what my day to day life entails I took a series of photographs of my surroundings. These photos create one extremely long panoramic photo that shows a sequence of events from the beginning to end of my day. I chose to photograph a simplified version of what my average day has been like for the last three years; sleep, eat, school, sleep, to help me remember what I went through to get to where I am today. While I did not always want to go to school I have never wavered in the fact that I want to be a successful graphic designer. The commitment I have made to school has helped me to prioritize, make time for and enjoy the fun things I do. While viewers will only see one day, each photo represents time spent over the last three years. Minor details are lost over time and the bigger picture becomes more clear. Focusing on the accomplishments I have made overall surpasses the now minor mistakes I made on the way.

The panoramic is distributed to viewers as a 6 minute movie with commentary. The pace of the movie changes, as does the pace of my day. On occassion time seems to fly by, at other times it feels that I am almost at a standstill.

Sequence
• A set of related events, movements, or things that follow each other in a particular order.
• The related events, movements towards bettering my skills and lessons that followed each other to prepare me for graduation are the sequences of my design education.

Series
• A set of books, maps, periodicals, or other documents published in a common format or under a common title.
• A set of photographs published in the same format under the title Advance.

• A set of stamps, banknotes, or coins issued at a particular time or having a common design or theme.
• A set of photographs taken on one day with the common subject of my surroundings.

Magazines

I recently started interning at a magazine company and realized that I've been missing out on a ton of great magazines. After talking to the previous intern for less than an hour I had heard of at least 10 new magazines and nodded along as she listed a slew of artists I've never heard of. I'm excited to learn about new designers and artists, and to broaden my current education. While I loved going to Conestoga (it's in Kitchener), I can't wait to further my education with all the things I'll discover in Toronto.

I knew it!

While I enjoy plenty of reality tv shows, I've always been wary of Jersey Shore. I'm not much of a partier and tend to find the drunken escapades of others to be a bit ridiculous, and not in a funny way. When I saw this article I couldn't help but laugh. I thought the funniest thing about it all was actually the first comment at the bottom. Take a look!

Newbie News

Today I read an article written just for me, a recent design grad, thanks TAXI!

While most of these tips seem fairly straightforward it is a good refresher. Understanding what employers value most makes it easier to predict what my new career will be like and helps me ensure I meet their needs.

Learn from Others

Acknowledge the experience of seniors and peers, and at all costs avoid being a know-it-all. Make a note of the tips and pointers that your peers give you. Remember that more experienced employees have made mistakes and can help you avoid them. Never feel ashamed to ask questions.

Remember Names

Make a point to learn and remember names. This will make a positive impression on your co-workers, will help you gain respect and will create a stronger bond with team mates.

Ask Questions

It may be hard at first but it is important to ask relevant parties questions. Asking questions creates a positive impression, it helps to show that you are an eager learner and enthusiastic worker.

Be a Team Player

While you may be used to calling all the shots, it is important to learn to be a team player and how to work effectively in groups. Learn to collaborate and acknowledge each other's work.

Keep Your Stuff Organized

The workload of new designers can be cumbersome, it is very important to keep everything organized and arranged. A great tip for working with layers is to name layers accordingly, this makes changes quick and simple.

Improve via Criticism

Realize that criticism helps to improve and enhance your skills. Hear out others opinions and analysis about you. Try to take positive aspects from their comments and improve.

Don't Make Enemies

Make your at work personality likeable and avoid making any enemies, this will lead to better performance appraisals. Keep on good terms with everyone regardless of their position.

Share Your Ideas

Express your ideas and opinions, if you believe you could make something even better, share. Keep in mind the fine line between making a point and arguing for arguments sake. Make positive comments that can eventually benefit you in performance appraisals.

With all this in mind, I'm excited to start working at my first full time position.