Every image is a concept waiting to happen.

Designers often send me visual ideas for a project.

They know the images may be incomplete, but have potential to evolve into concepts.

And these images often do inspire concepts, headlines, scripts and even better ideas.

This interplay of words and images is an art form at great agencies and design firms.

With today's technology, this doesn't have to take place inside an office, cubicle or conference room.

I encourage my collaborators to email me their images, thoughts--even headlines.

(Some designers and art directors are superb writers.)

USE CASE

A client once sent me a stock illustration of a person whose head was a package.

To communicate technical support, I wrote "Our brains are part of the package."

The agency won an award for the ad. And I was proud to assist in the outpatient procedure.

(footnote)

Someone wrote me recently needing headlines for an Instagram page.

I wrote words that gave voice to the images.

When working with a writer, send your visual ideas. Even if they seem sketchy,

chances are they have potential.

(c) Miller McMillan

The eyes have it. Writing for a visual world.

These days, I think most people would prefer to "look" at a communication than read one (this being a notable exception, I hope).

How does writing fit into this scenario? Thoughtfully. When images are prominent, text needs to play a  complementary role to enhance or complete the message.

In videos, for example, a picture can be worth a thousand words. But not always. Words can sometimes express an idea where a thousand images would fail, not to mention obliterate the budget.

Working from visuals

Designers often send me visuals and ask me to provide headlines or other text that expand on the image to create a complete thought or concept.

Recently, a designer described a visual idea over the phone. I responded with a four word headline that pulled the brochure concept together.

In another instance, an agency creative sent me a stock image of a person with a cardboard box over his head. The creative strategy was to communicate technical support after the sale. The headline? "Our brains are part of the package."

If you are a designer with visuals you really like, you will like working with me. Chances are we can arrange a marriage of visual and verbal, and the concept can live happily ever after.