The design was easier in and of itself, because with design I just have a much denser solution to dip my seed crystals into than I do for writing. But what made it taxing was that---unexpectedly---my publisher showed much greater resistance to my design than to my writing. While most of my writing was approved without changes, I suddenly found myself having to defend my design decisions against intense feedback again and again. That took a real toll. But all is well that ends well.
SK: Did the final outcome evolve or change much from the original initial concept? If so, can you talk about that a bit.
SB: Initially, this was supposed to be a picture book. I wanted to show early work, the hits, as well as the latest and greatest. My editor asked me to add short bio blurbs---about 500 words each. But as soon as I started that process, I knew that I'd have to write people's whole story to get to a point beyond sound bites. And so the book went from a planned 15,000 words to 75,000. I lack the talent to do things half way. I have to go to extremes, even if it means that I'm at my desk for days on end without sleep. That's why I'm now so pale that even sunless tanning oils don't work on me anymore.
SK: What personal lessons have you learned from writing and designing this book?
SB: The main lesson I learned is that nobody ever arrives. None of the designers told me "Hey! I made it. I'm on top and I'm feeling good about it. Time to kick back." Each and every one of them still has some sort of monkey on his or her back. Despite years of success, most still have to work for a living, and they all crave new challenges. The journey doesn't end until it's ended for you. Is that discouraging or heartening? A little of both, perhaps.
The book is about ambiguity, in a sense. It's about 30 designers that are dealing with the fact that there are sparks flying in their heads that most people don't have and not everybody can understand. How do you distill those sparks into something that can survive outside yourself, something that can be set free and understood by the rest of the world? How do you deal with the effects of the process? Long hours, fraught relationships, insecurity, the fluctuations of your own ego---the list goes on. The book presents 30 answers, 30 best guesses, 30 works in progress.
SK: How has the experience helped you grow as a designer and/or writer?
SB: Talking to all these people who I've admired for a long time gave me a privileged perspective that I hope I've shared in the book. It gave me a strong sense of belonging, but it has also made me face that the brass ring will not bring salvation from fear and insecurity. It made me reevaluate my own motivation for doing what I do.
I wrote the book, because I had questions. The answers have multiplied my questions by a factor of ten. But they're good, difficult, important questions and sorting out my own answers to these new questions will probably occupy me for many years to come. I hope it'll be the same for everybody who spends time reading these 30 stories.
SK: Do you plan on a volume two?
SB: Are you nuts?! I barely survived this one! :^)
No, it's time for me to go back to doing my own work.
