- Do you want to create the perfect blog?
- Would you like an international reputation for brilliant work?
- Are you hungry for genuine creative inspiration?
If you’ve answered “yes” to any of these questions, then we’ve got the ideal post for you.
You’re about to hear from top copywriter and designer Richard Weston. A truly talented individual, Richard also curates the wonderful design blog www.acejet170.com. (In our opinion, it’s the best show in town.)
Richard’s passion, intelligence and effortless cool have won him a large and loyal international following. We wanted to find out what makes him tick – and pass on a few of his trade secrets to you.
In classic “Euston, Do You Copy?” style, we asked Richard what influences his copywriting – apart, that is, from other copywriters. . .
Designing with words
Being both a designer and a copywriter, Richard’s got a refreshing take on creativity. He says: “I totally get the parallels with other creative endeavours. Art, definitely, and music. They’re so different and so similar. Rhythm, repetition, pause, drama, contrast; you find all those in all creativity don’t you?”
Interestingly, Richard sees close links between copywriting and design. He says: “I’m very conscious that techniques I draw on when designing feel very similar to those I need when writing. So I feel like I’m designing with words when I write.”
Words that rattle and twist
Richard’s clearly a natural copywriter, but he’s no creative big head. He says: “I would never claim to be even a good writer – not just out of modesty, I feel I really haven’t written enough to prove that I am,” he says.
“But when I write, I do think about syncopation. I try to write in a way that kind of rattles and twists,” he explains. “And that comes from music,” he says. “I’m a big Stereolab fan. They use repetition and also syncopation a lot. And they’re brave; they surprise you.”
Where to find some “goodly” inspiration
Richard’s great sense of fun and enthusiasm shines through in all of his work. It’s certainly a major part of his creative approach, he explains: “I just try to enjoy the words. I’ve noticed I have a habit of making up words. That comes from my children”.
His children are another important influence on his copywriting, Richard says: “When kids are really young they don’t know all the right word variations. My oldest boy used to say, “goodly”, when he meant, “fortunately”. I loved that.”
Richard continues: “It’s wrong but it makes sense. So I make words up. OK, not for client work, but if it’s for my blog, I have a rule that I do whatever I feel like doing, and try not to think too hard about it.”
Always look to your subject matter
Although Richard’s a very creative thinker, he keeps a close eye on the brief at all times. “I’m not a very “arty” designer,” he says, “and I tend to look to the subject matter to spark the idea. Practically all my work comes from the solid Tschichold premise that we should, “uphold the principle of identity between content and expression”. I’m pretty dogmatic about that.”
Thanks for reading.
Richard Weston is Head of Strategic Design at Thought Collective, and runs the fantastic www.acejet170.com. (He also knows an impressive amount about Len Deighton.)