And of course this boxesandarrows.com and this boxesandarrows.com. I'd argue Josh, your Principles is the beginning of a Elements of Visual Style bokardo.com or at least interface style. What other conventions should we consider?

I think at some level there are concept-sharing techniques that both writing and UI design share. On the high level they might be like the lessons from Made to Stick. story, concrete, etc.

But more specifically they are things like "one idea per artifact" (screen, article) and "use appropriate connections" (next step, connecting words) etc.

I'm working on a project in which I find myself saying "how do I best communicate this concept?". That's a lot of what writing and UI design is.

That book ever coming out? :P

I'm a bit sad Jesse grabbed the title Elements of User Experience, because I think there is a LOT of room for a Strunk and White style collection of principles and then an essay on combining them into a whole. Which his book, I'd argue, is not.

Re writing conventions: when I was working on my book, I found a useful habit. I'd use it at the chapter level, at the paragraph level, and sometimes when I had a particularly rambunctious sentence. It was to stop, and ask myself "What am I trying to say?" WAITTS. I think many many interfaces would do well for the designer to do the same.

What is an amazon product page saying? It is safe to buy this product.
What is a google results page saying? We found everything and these are the best ten.

Here is a lens from Jesse Schell. artofgamedesign.com It may be a stretch, but I think it's worth asking what stories your users are telling themselves ABOUT themselves as they use your interface.

Again:
Amazon: I am a good shopper. I compare, but I don't waste time.
Google: I am a great research. I know how to find what I want.
Facebook: I am not alone. I have something to share. I have value.

Question: is a screen in an app equivalent to a sentence, a paragraph or a essay?

Re: Book. I'm writing it very slowly. Just had a third kid and work is as busy as ever. I hate to make excuses, so I won't. So it's coming along slowly...

Really like the story angle. Reminds me of Seth Godin's point that marketing is the story that people tell themselves.

Making kids: yay!
Making stories: yay!

What if an application is a novel or short story. It's worth knowing which, for structural purposes.

Then each screen a paragraph, each module a sentence. The elements have semantic relationships. Undo must go next to the do, just as an "un" goes next ot the word it belongs to.

I'm intrigued by the idea that the size of the application might have structural ramifications. We don't discuss that much.

"I am late to this, sorry. But for years I've ha…” in @cwodtke's branch, "Can Writing Conventions Make Better Designs?"

Ok fuck it branch just ate most of what I wrote and I need to get back to work :-/

stupid branch! I'll await eagerly your next procrastination need...