Speak Up by founder Armin Vit

Cat speaks: Speak Up is (in my opinion) one of the most switched on design industry group blogs around. Run by Armin and Bryony, it is a evolving conversation on, well, anything design. Take your average design forum, notche it up to a high heat, sprinkle with inspiration and a bit of hands on design along with the novelty of using the grey matter, and there you have it, Speak Up. Highly recommended when you want a brain stretch or a break from the everyday chatter in your head.

Armin speaks:

What started you into blogging?

I remember reading about blogs for the first time in a magazine that Yahoo! used to publish and thinking “Man, what a bunch of geeks.” I later heard from a friend of my father-in-law, a poet who wrote mostly about latinos that he started a blog and talked about it quite passionately. I think I though “what a geek” at that moment as well. A few months later I ran into Typographica (one of the first design/typography blogs), where I left an incendiary comment and got invited to be an author. I immediately got hooked with the instant publishing and the looming feedback. The format was easy and fast. At that time I was already fiddling with version one of Speak Up, and a few months after being involved with Typographica I launched the second version of Speak Up, now in blog format. I have been hooked ever since. What a geek.

What gave you the idea to create a blogging community?

I initially noticed that there was no decent forum for traditional graphic designers on the web so I figured there was a hole to fill and figured that the instantaneity of blogging would serve the design community well.

Now you have a blog, have you noticed a change in how you work and communicate?

Yes, very much. It has helped me become a much better communicator through writing. I send some badass e-mails to my clients: Reassuring, convincing and well formed. Blogs require that you condense your point into a small “blurb” so that you can capture readers’ attention so it requires a bit of editing and self-control to get a point across swiftly. Work-wise, probably. I think I may be exposed to more work and more “stuff” and that always affects a designer’s sensibility.

What has your response from the public been? From other designers?

Initially it was slow – since we were the first biggish design blog and no one really knew what to do with it. I really had to work hard to get people interested and get the word out. But after 8 or 12 months it really picked up and the response has been great. I think people really enjoy the interaction with other designers.

What advice do you give blogging designers? blogging groups?

Stick with what you are passionate about. Do not write about anything that you don’t enjoy. Specially with so many design blogs out there, new blogs need to focus on certain specialties or bring a completely amazing way of writing in order to stand out.

What do you feel is the future of blogs in the design world?

Now that the “market” is saturated, I think (as I said above) it will be specialty blogs that stand out. But I don’t think the future of design will depend on blogs. Blogs will come and go and the design world will keep moving forward.

Be A Design Group - by Bennett Holzworth, Adrian Hanft, Donovan Beery, Drew Davies, Paul Berkbigler, Clint Carlson, Travis Gray, Kyle Heinemann, David Kadavy, Tom Nemitz and Nate Voss.

Cat speaks: There are only a handful of excellent established design blogging groups around, and in my opinion 'Be A Design Group' is one of them. Filled with articles and personal opinions on anything design, I rank BA at the top with Speak Up and Design Observor. I recently enjoyed Female Designers are ... , agreeing with the comments made. Personal choice, I much prefer the granite boobs.

Btw - Adrian's Found Photography blog is nothing to sneeze at either.

(A personal 'thank-you' to Bennett from Cat for responding so quickly to my tardy request for details).

Bennett Holzworth speaks:

What started your group into blogging?

Adrian and happenstance. Adrian and I wanted to collaborate on a design project, so we created Be A Design Group and registered the website (not knowing what it was going to become). Adrian started blogging and soon after I joined in the fun.

What gave you the idea to create a blogging community?

Adrian and I had some early success and we wanted to expand upon it. Here was my reasoning for inviting the rest of the authors to write.

1. Some of my greatest friends had just as much or more to say about design than I did.
2. Many of these friends were not active in the design blogging community.
3. I didn't live in the same city as most of these designers anymore.
4. I didn't want to loose contact with these friends.
5. I wanted to get a dialogue going with these people.

Now you have a blog, have you noticed a change in how you work and communicate?

My spelling is getting better. Seriously though . . . Visually or stylistically, I don't think that there has been a drastic change in my work, but I do record and notice things more regularly. I take photos and take notice of things and topics that would be interesting to blog about. I now have a large library of imagery and information to use when I approach design. There is no doubt that it has made me a more informed designer.

What has your response from the public been? from other designers?

The design community at large has been very receptive to our blog. Wether it is a junior designer in Minnesota or a "famous" designer from New York, we seem to get a good amount of respect. I am encouraged to see how friendly the graphic design profession is.

What advice do you give blogging designers? Blogging groups?

Be original and authentic. There are plenty of blogs out there that just point out what everyone else is talking about. Create your own voice. Write about what you are passionate about. Your authenticity will come through. Try to occasionally write about something that only you would know about ( i.e. an unknown designer from your region of the country, or a unique design process that you have developed).

What do you feel is the future of blogs in the design world?

Unpredictable! (what a good blog should be)

Can you recommend another design blog you rate highly, one which fits the criteria of 'designers who blog'?

I wish I could recommend something outside of Speak Up and Design Observer, but I'm too busy with our own blog to notice much outside of those two. There are many that I occasionally visit and others that I should visit more.

fadtastic - by Andrew Faulkner, Phil Renaud, Marc Bernstein, Michael Murphy, Andrew Whitacre, Derek Brown, Gavin McFarland, Matt Davies, Steven Teskey and Terry Evans

Cat speaks: fadtastic is indeed 'A Multi-Author Web Design Trends Journal'. Full of thought provoking issues, they've certainly done there research before embarking on each discussion. A well designed blog, fadtastic touches on design, web, navigation, typography, colour, web standards and much more.

Andrew Faulkner speaks:

What started your group into blogging?

To be honest, I wondered what this new-fangled WordPress thing was and downloaded it for fun. At this time I’d started writing articles about new happenings on the web. The two came together and the rest is history

What gave you the idea to create a blogging group?

I felt that many famous designers have their spot online with a wide readership. I wished to create a large readership where many people can put their thoughts across on a respected blog.

Now you have a blog, have you noticed a change in how you work and communicate?

In the real world, no. I guess online though I have started using feeds and commenting to keep in touch with the design world.

What has your response from the public been? From other designers?

On the whole, the response has been extremely positive. Readers seem to like the subject matter, the way individuals bring their own style to the community and the relaxed atmosphere at fadtastic. This not-for-profit blog seems to flourish in a design world which is often driven by money. Many designers have liked the idea of commenting on trends (so much that many have come aboard) as the subject matter can never go out of fashion. Trends are always in!

What advice do you give blogging designers? Blogging groups?

It’s a cliché, but ‘content is king.’ Give them good content and they will come. Try to be niche whilst still appealing to many people. As for blogging groups, an injection of refreshing style from each writer really sets you apart. Get people chatting from different arenas – e.g. we recently got Flash designers to chat about accessibility. Why not? A bit of banter makes people put their opinions forward.

What do you feel is the future of blogs in the design world?

More blogs will integrate with other blogs/websites. We see the dawn of integration (Flickr/delicious) but this is surely only the beginning. I’d like to see more real world integration where perhaps bloggers interview other bloggers or have a design battle together – something different.

Industrial Brand Creative - by Ben Garfinkel and Mark Busse

Cat speaks: Industrial Creative is a recent arrival in the Blogsphere. Polished, humorous, chock full of information, it has the balance of more seasoned attraction. These guys are design savy, colourful, and ... Canadian. Watch this space, I predict Industrial Creative will at the head of the Blogpack quicker than a Tuk Tuk can slide between a bus and a lamp post.

If you are on the lookout to discover how design companies can use blogging to their best advantage, go no further.

Note: If you only have time for a run through, don't miss out on Ben's article 'Should you Have a Blog?'

Ben Garfinkel speaks:

What started your group into blogging?

For us, it started with an internal contest. We challenged everyone in the office to create and organize folders on our server with links to the sites and things that inspire them, design resources and other things. We figured that it was better than the emails we frequently sent around the studio that often get overlooked and inevitably disappear into the abyss of our inboxes. This was part of an ongoing ‘Inspiration Day’ we like to have monthly where we leave the office and do something fun combined with a design or business related task in contest form. Not long after we’d completed this task we weren’t satisfied with the accessibility of this system so thought a blog would not only improve this with archiving and a search engine, but also allow us to inform, share and entertain with others the same content we previously kept to ourselves.

The second reason is that like almost all other design firms, we feature a selected portfolio and profile on our website. To the trained eye, it gives a decent idea of our capabilities, but a visit to our blog provides insight into what moves us, inspires us, makes us laugh, dream and desire. In aggregate form, it's a deeper peek into who we are, not just what we do.

We also had good technical reasons to build a blog; the advantages of better search engine rankings based on content and links.

What gave you the idea to create a blogging group?

It was natural. Because part of the reason we wanted to have a blog in the first place was to better share the tidbits we all find and archive them, a blog was basically a ready-made application to allow us to do this much more efficiently. It also allows us to share the task of blogging which keeps the blog constantly fresh even when some of us are too busy to blog.

Now you have a blog, have you noticed a change in how you work and communicate?

Oh yes, absolutely. Our blog provides us with a venue to publish our own opinions. We no longer rely solely on traditional media to position ourselves in the minds of our clients, prospects, colleagues and others. What this has done is broadened our view and our reach, essentially plugging us in to a much more powerful feed to/from the world around us. This can’t do anything but influence how we think and the resulting work. In fact, a great analogy is to that of a photographer who is always carrying a camera around. You start to look at things differently, as a potential composition. Bloggers experience the same thing because we’re constantly looking for things to blog about and that in turn forces you to to become more analytical as you consider how to articulate these things in a relevant and meaningful way. I think the commonly referred to term is “citizen journalist”.

Another interesting development is that we’ve been able to reach out and engage in dialogues with other designers and individuals at the top of their respective industries either for collaborative purposes or to enhance our blog communications. The whole notion of six degrees of separation has been reduced to only one or two now.

What has your response from the public been? From other designers?

We've gone from having a relatively static Flash site with a small audience, to over 36,000 unique visitors a month (over half are repeat visitors), all within the space of about eleven months. During this time we’ve made amazing contacts all over the world as well as collaborated with terrific people we’d never have met before. Recently Mark was on a trip to New York and spent some time hanging out with a friend and collaborator that we met via blogging. They were walking down the street and ran into Seth Godin, a very well known and influential marketing blogger. Amazing! We get all kinds of comments and generate stimulating debate outside of the traditional scope of a typical design studio too. Lots of fun. It’s also a real treat to hear about Industrial Brand blog-sitings – recently a friend working at an ad agency called to say, “I was walking by one of the offices and two guys had your blog on their screens and told me I had to check it out.” That’s a real compliment.

What advice do you give blogging designers? Blogging groups?

Don’t forget to mix it up. Sure, there’s room for serious topics, debate and coverage, but designers like to play and laugh. They’re looking for short distractions throughout the day. A big component to our blog is sharing the fun stuff and daily tidbits that we’d otherwise email to a friend for fun. Of course the current running through everything is design and inspiration related. I think the thing blogging groups need to be wary of is the creation of a distinct voice. That voice is what makes many blogs successful, but it takes effort to develop properly, especially when the personality is coming from more than one person.  

What do you feel is the future of blogs in the design world?

We’re currently on the cusp of an emerging trend and enjoying lots of attention. As other firms or individuals join in we’ll start to see hierarchies develop as leaders emerge. There are going to be big players and smaller niche blogs just like in other publishing arenas. There will be room for a lot of blogs, but the most passionate, devoted and strongest voices will rise to the top and others will fade. There will be some cool mergers for sure. My hope is that blogs will help potential and existing clients make better choices about the designers they choose to work with because they’ll be able to see deeper into the minds and souls of an agency than just their portfolio. This might just be a dream, but it could result in much tighter and enduring client-agency relationship

How has blogging helped your business?

I’ve mentioned the obvious ones such as increased exposure and electrifying our awareness of the things around us, but it used to be such a hassle to get the tiniest mention in trade publications. We might still do the occasional press release, but no longer rely on them because we’ve essentially developed our own media channels. In fact we’ve become one ourselves. It’s going a long way to increase our sphere of influence and position us as opinion leaders in our field. It’s even provided an entrée back into traditional media looking to publish our writing. From a long term perspective that will only help to grow our business opportunities.

How much time do you dedicate to updating?

We’re always working on trying to make the blog better and more accessible so there’s a constant process of improvement behind the scenes. As for the postings themselves, we all try to blog at least once each day for the shorter, Zeitgeist entries though our workload often dictates whether we all have the time to do that. Some days we might post a half dozen entries while other days only one. When we have something specific to say, it goes onto the section of our blog called Broadcasts. This includes opinion pieces, reviews of events and articles – basically longer features. These can take anywhere from an hour to weeks to put together. By organizing our blog in this way we’re not only organizing the time we spend on it, but also making it easier for the reader too.

How do you promote your blog?

We’ve only scratched the surface, but making sure we are pinging the blog indexing engines, that our links are descriptive and commenting and cross posting are all important. However, the dialogues and exchanges we have with other bloggers and industry websites, such as this one with Creative Latitude, are the most valuable.

Designorati - by Pariah S. Burke (Publisher), Cate Indiano, Daniel Schutzsmith, Elisabetta Bruno, Vadim Litvak, Jeremy Schultz, Lindsay C. Froehlich, Lucian Slatineanu, Samuel, John Klein and Sara Froehlich

Cat speaks: When we are talking design related group blogs, Designorati is clearly the newest kid on the block. So new I have not yet figured out how to pronounce it properly, stumbling around 'Des-oragni' (if before my first cuppa). Designorati is headed by their passionate leader, Pariah, with team members of equal emotion joining in under one subject title or another, creating the whole. Think 'Creative Latitude' without the membership, but unlike Creative Latitude, Designorati is strong on hands-on design with software tutorials and reviews. Be expecting a slu of links back from Creative Latitude as we promote their expertise and individual fire for the world that is design.

Pariah speaks:

What started your group into blogging?

From inception, Designorati was conceived to be a collection of semi-autonomous blogs united under one umbrella and collectively written--and ultimately owned--by a group of bloggers who take the roles of either or both writers and editors.

Each member of the Designorati team has a passion for the subjects she writes about, knowledge and skill in those subjects, and a desire to share that knowledge. Among the group we have two published authors, three full-time consultants, three other instructors or professors, and nearly everyone wrote other blogs or for print media before joining Designorati. Hence, we were all passing along our knowledge in our own ways. Now we do it as a team, working within the framework of "new media journalism"--blog network meets magazine ethics and standards.

How did the group come together? Well, out of the blue one day, a bunch of unacquainted, talented people got an e-mail from a madman raving about "passion," "equity," "360-degrees," "new media journalism," and "creative pros." Most of them had heard of this lunatic (in one way or another), which got them past the initial impression that the e-mail was some kind of Nigerian money laundering scam. They listened as the madman talked about working together to build--and own--something good, something that might become great. This guy said he wanted them to "write about any aspect of the creative professions. Write what fires you up, and people, others who are fired up by the same subjects, will come and read what you write." And, they believed him.

What gave you the idea to create a blogging community?

Someone once said: "It's lonely at the top." To which I've always added: "So take as many people as possible up there with you."

I'm extremely fortunate in that I make a comfortable living doing only those things that I love. In the mornings, I don't smack the snooze button, dreading another eight hours in the salt mines. Sadly, I'm atypical. I know many people who work at uninteresting, unfulfilling jobs all day while counting the hours until they can go home and do what really turns them on.

One could choose to live on a mountaintop in Tibet (good luck getting broadband). Otherwise, we all have to make a living. Most people try finding enjoyment in their jobs, but isn't it better to make a living out of what you already enjoy? Why not spend your day doing what you love?

Designorati was created in large part to help other people get to-or stay at--the point in their careers when they can honestly say to themselves: "I love what I do, and I only have to do what I love."

Now you have a blog, have you noticed a change in how you work and communicate?

Blog writing differs from traditional journalism in that every article on a blog is an open conversation with readers. When you make a mistake on a blog, readers let you know. They also fill in details or alternate renditions of a subject that may not have occurred to the blogger.

When blogging about something as subjective as design, you get a whole spectrum of different interpretations from readers. Whereas working with various creative teams exposed me to others' ideas and ways to solving design problems, because collaborators were typically geographically concentrated, those opinions were, by and large, formed as a result of cumulative experiences not too different from my own. In the global medium of a blog, however, my articles about design or the business of design are read and discussed by creatives all over the world. The reactions and interpretations of people from radically different backgrounds and cultures have opened my mind to examining and creating designs--indeed, to seeing the entire medium of visual communication-in ways I had never before conceived.

That has made me a stronger designer, a more effective communicator, and unfolded before my eyes a wider, richer understanding of design.

What has your response from the public been? from other designers?

Marriage proposals and the occasional death threat.

Seriously, the response from designers and people who deal with designers to my various design-focused blogs has been overwhelmingly positive and grateful. People get that I write out of a desire to help, that I want to share with the creative community any knowledge or skill I've attained. When I'm wrong about something, they tell me; and I own up to my mistakes, which lets them know I'm honest. Readers know I respect them because, when I disagree, I at least consider their points of view and entertain the possibility that I'm wrong.

I get a lot of letters thanking me for a particular article that saved deadline or finally shined the light of understanding onto a confusing subject. Occasionally I get marriage proposals--particularly over the phone. A few times I've been asked if I'd like to meet someone's daughter. (I couldn't make this up if I tried.)

While the proposals are flattering, I enjoy more than anything the letters from people explaining how something I've written has helped them. It lets me know that, in my small way, I have a use in serving the community I love so much, and it reinforces my passion for teaching.

When people find out that I'm self-taught, that I've done what I have in my career without the benefit of a degree in graphic design or illustration, it inspires them. Those who get into design as a second career or who, for one reason or another, don't have the means or opportunity to earn a design degree, look at my career as proof that it can be done without one. Creatives who have degrees are also inspired by my career, and often think: "Oh, hell. If that schmuck can land a national campaign for Playboy and wind up writing design blogs and books WITHOUT a degree, there's no limit to what I can do WITH one!"

Occasionally reactions aren't positive or all that intelligent. I've made enemies and landed on the top ten of one powerful company's Most Hated list. I've received hate mail and death threats, primarily as a result of writing and publishing the blog Quark VS InDesign.com, which is the authority on a hard-fought and very hot war between QuarkXPress and Adobe InDesign-two applications about which users are extremely passionate. The Pharaoh Akhenaton, husband to Nefertiti, said, "truth breedeth hatred." Among the hundreds of thank you messages and other positive reactions I get from designers around the world, the occasional hate mail only validates my work as a new media journalist and blogger.

What advice do you give blogging designers? Blogging groups?

Being a designer is a compulsion, a gnawing hunger in your belly that can only be sated by creating something. The drive to communicate non-graphically is the same. If you have the hunger, FEED IT. Write articles, record podcasts, draw cartoons-do whatever will quench your hunger to communicate. The medium of blogging is a feast table with a seat for everyone with the craving. There's a chair waiting for you, too. Sit down. Eat. Say what your hunger compels you to say.

Write what you need to communicate, what you're fired up about. There are more than 6 billion people in this world. If you have a passion for something, others who share your passion WILL find and read your blog. Blog because you have something to say and the hunger to say it. Find a way to do everything you love, and everything you don't, leave for others who will love it.

What do you feel is the future of blogs in the design world?

Like plain old HTML sites before them, blogs of today and tomorrow will be increasingly used by designers to supplement (not replace) traditional media sources. The convergence between individual blogs and team-based major media sites will continue, leading to more hybrid Web news sources like Designorati that conflate the most important elements of traditional media with blogging to forge something fast but accurate, something independent but accountable, a medium with a strong voice but equally strong integrity.

Can you recommend another design blog you rate highly, one which fits the criteria of 'designers who blog'?

SpeakUp.com, a group blog that is usually very thought-provoking.

Graphic Design Forum Blogs - by Chris Dickman, Steve Kapsinow, Thomas Kryton, Benjamin Cortes, Brad Hammerstron, Leanne McNutt, Mickey Koch, Ermin Monzon, Kris Jonson, Matt Lanteigne, Marla Dixon, Jake Van Ness, Adrienne Thibodeau, William McBee, Viki Anderson, Carl Grivakis, Taughnee Stone, Chris Gee, John Lindsey, Michael Ulrich and Kris Honeycutt

Cat speaks: The Graphic Design forum blogs are manned by an assorted group with various backgrounds and mindsets. Their subject matter is as varied and beyond. Some choose to link to subjects around the internet pertaining to design (or at least touching around the edges), others write articles focusing on corners and bits of design, or even about other designers who are blogging design. Theh Graphic Design forum blogs are certainly a good read for the most part, and like Steven says below "a good dose of negative response can make a blog much more exciting." Yes, Steven, I see what you mean and I have responded.

Steven Kapsinow, editor graphics.com network speaks:

What started your group into blogging?

When Jupitermedia acquired Graphic Design Forum in June 2005, blogs were part of the site, but they were pretty informal and not necessarily geared towards design. We moved the blogs to MovableType, and set it up so that each member has his or her own blog, rather than contribute to one large GDF blog with multiple authors. This way they can cater their blog to their own unique professional needs.

We've found that blogs are a nice compliment to forums. Whereas forums are reactive, with conversations usually stemming from members asking for advice or posing questions -- blogs are proactive, giving designers an extended and more focused platform to engage readers by expressing their own experiences, insight, and knowledge beyond the scope of the questions asked in the forums.

Now you have a blog, have you noticed a change in how you work and communicate?

There is a lot of self-reflection that goes into blogging. We all have views and ideas, but it's not until we write them down, knowing that they will be available for public consumption, do we start to think critically and question whether we truly believe in them. I think this, plus the replies from readers, makes us more sensitive to the world around us and this is reflected in how we work and communicate.

What has your response from the public been? from other designers?

Response has been positive so far. Although, a good dose of negative response can make a blog much more exciting. :)

What advice do you give blogging designers? blogging groups?

Blogging is an individual experience. Some may keep a blog as an online diary; some may use it as a marketing tool; others may use it as a teaching aid or as a way to disseminate infomation similar to a magazine or newspaper. It all depends on what the designer's goals are. But if a designer is serious about starting a lasting blog that has value to the community, then blog frequently, blog authoritatively, blog passionately, and (please) blog succinctly. And if you can't keep up with the blog or have no more use for it, please remove it from the Web ASAP.

What do you feel is the future of blogs in the design world?

Like other forms of media, blogs will come and go, and the number of active blogs will wane. Many of the better design blogs are independent and aren't out to generate revenue. So they rely on the time, energy, and funds of the individual bloggers. Hopefully none of these will run out soon.

Can you recommend another design blog you rate highly, one which fits the criteria of 'designers who blog'?

The ones I tend to read most often are -- surprise, surpirse -- designobserver.com, SpeakUp, and BeADesignGroup.

ink FINGER by Niff and Sutter

Cat speaks: Niff and Sutter have a wonderful group participation blog going on with Blind Contour Fridays. I am genuinly interested in jumping in on the fun as it brings back memories of the contour classes I took while learning watercolour in college. Bloggers such as Kevin Cornell have jumped in the fun and if you would like to join in, please contact Niff or Sutter via their blog (and I'll most likely see you there).

Niff and Sutter speak:

What started your group into blogging?

Actually a few of our freinds got us started by saying we should have a sketch blog. I think it was actually Jason Santa Maria who started us out. Then our friend Kevin Cornell (of bearskinrug) told Niff she should do a feature on her Blind Contour drawings and she came up with Blind Contour Fridays.

What gave you the idea to create a blogging community?

Well like we said previously, Jason gave us the initial idea, but we thought it would be a really fun way to work together, and keep us drawing more.

Now you have a blog, have you noticed a change in how you work and communicate?

Not at all, we always communicate pretty well, and since we alternate days and posts it makes it pretty easy.

What has your response from the public been?

Better than we could have even imagined. I think the positive feedback is because our styles are so diverse and different that we have a little something for "almost" everybody.

From other designers?

Other Illustrators and designers are the ones that give us the most feedback and support. We have met so many new sketch-bloggers etc. because of InkFinger, and they just keep coming.

What advice do you give blogging designers?

Pretty much to just keep practicing and reinventing yourself. We get a lot of questions for Niff about her art education and if it has helped her career any.

What advice do you give blogging groups?

We are the only know a handful, and most aren't sketchblogers.

What do you feel is the future of blogs in the design world?

They are only going to keep coming. It is an awesome way to showcase yourself, while expressing yourself and showing the person behind the work. We think people really like seeing that and getting to know you.

Can you recommend another design blog you rate highly, one which fits the criteria of 'designers who blog'?

Well of course there is Jason Santa Maria, but I am sure you already know of him, along with Bearskingrug. We have met some other great people who sketchblog also, like Cindy Woods who runs Learning Daily, and Walt Taylor from Wally Torta's Journal. There are really too many to name them all, but we really enjoy those. A new up and coming sketchblogger who is doing great things, is Jessica Corey from The Seek Speak. She is a smart cookie with a lot of talent.

YourTotalSite by Garrett, Johathan, Joseph and Paul

Cat speaks: YourTotalSite is an excellent resource for those of us who are dipping into usability, accessibility, visual design, online marketing, (X)HTML & CSS, JavaScript, Information Architecture, and much much more, yet want bite sized information. It only has one downside, Garrett is closing the doors on updating. No, not by deleting the blog as was first planned, as after announcing his intentions the responses of overwhelming dismay swayed the decision. The reason? Due to being overstretched and desiring to get heavy into open-source, he felt something in his life (if he was to have a life) had to give. For those needing more of Garrett, jump over to Garrett Dimon. Good luck from thecat, I hope I also make the right decision when it comes to the hard decision of closing my own doors.

Garrett speaks:

What gave you the idea to create a blogging community?

After getting involved in the web community and reading all of the different sites for years, I thought it was about time to start giving back.  Conveniently enough, it turned in to much more than that. I've made a huge network of friends who are doing the exact same thing that I'm doing.  I learn from others, I share what I've learned with others. It has really turned into an infinite loop of gaining and sharing knowledge, and it's been extremely rewarding.

Now you have a blog, have you noticed a change in how you work and communicate?

Absolutely. I'm not a talented writer by any means, but it has made me pay attention to my writing and work to improve. I've purchased numerous books on writing, and even developed an appreciation for writing that turned into Notable Words, a site showcasing good writing online. It's been a little slow recently, but it's really helped me pay attention to my writing and strive to become a better writer. I'll never be an amazing writer, but I've at least learned to invest the time in improving my writing.

Design Observer Founding Writers: Michael Bierut, William Drenttel, Jessica Helfand and Rick Poynor. Contributing Writers: Adrian Shaughnessy, Tom Vanderbilta and Lorraine Wild

Cat speaks: No comment back from Design Observer, but a section on blogging groups would not be complete without a mention of some sort. (I've left it here rather than answer a score of emails asking '?')

© Copyright 2005 Catherine (cat) Morley