I’m using my Open Salon page to respond to Dr. Dorinda Fox and her class. She was kind enough to ask my views on a question her writing class is studying and I hope my answer is insightful.

What are your views regarding using visuals a purposeful rhetorical strategy as in an essay article?

Truth be told I googled the expression when asked this question as I knew nothing of it. I don’t doubt you know more about the philosophy of writing humor and it’s nuts and bolts than I do. I have not been schooled in writing or comedy and I started working without any credentials but gut instinct. After I found the phrase on the internet, I printed a small stack on the subject and I will start reading on this subject, curious as to what I could learn from this virtual exchange we’re having here (I wish I could enroll in your class).

Ironically, I’m still a good person to contribute to such an exchange. I DO see now that I use a “purposeful rhetorical strategy” before mapping out how I’ll execute a particular piece. And I’ve been an illustrator and columnist for 25 years, one of the few that created both ends (the artwork and writing) and taught conceptualizing at Pratt Institute so I think I’m a good person to add my two cents (and I welcome any follow-up questions. Please leave in the comments section. Otherwise use snowmanexpert@pipeline.com).

In my early years, I would work only under the condition I had to illustrate my own writing. I always felt strongly with the correlation with image and word and wanted that full control with my work (and I wanted the double pay). Mostly I wanted to make sure the joke was told “correctly,” that it wouldn’t be stepped on. There are instinctive decisions that take place as to how much to show to keep a balance which is not too literal but enough information you don’t lose the reader. My number one objective of any article/book/show or whatever the form is to successfully communicate.

This thinking applies across the board whether you’re writing a song (the songwriter wants to leave their work open-ended enough that it allows the listener to imagine the song is speaking to them) or drawing a cartoon (the viewer should feel like “God, that’s me.”). Rule of thumb for cartoons is to show only what you have to. The amount of detail makes or breaks a joke. Be as economical as possible without crossing the line and being too cryptic. Here is an example where I did that with the punchline which is not even a complete sentence but I let the artwork set the scene, one which couldn't be less invasive or useful yet it soothes and allows the reader to fall into it and finish the joke for me.

A current piece, included below, I’m working on is an example of telling a story alternating between art and word. I peppered this fictional piece (300+ pgs. & 200+ illus.) with artwork that adds interest, doesn’t repeat the text and enhances by “holding the reader’s hand” for areas where you think the reader’s own imagination won’t be going unless you provide enough clues. It's supposed to be a found diary from 1850.

More practically, my working process often has me cutting out about a third of any certain piece, especially after evaluating where artwork says enough–Am I being condescending repeating the words and art? Have I dumbed down the piece saying to much allowing no room for the reader to interact with me piece drawing their own conclusions? I turned in my last book, a non-fiction humorous history thing, at 40,000+ words. ultimately I cut it down to 32,000 words after choosing the 150 illustrations I selected for it. I believe it’s a balance of art to writing, keeping a brisk pace. I was sensitive to using artwork in the book as a device to hold the reader’s attention often creating work in the eleventh hour where my editor and I decided lulls in the narrative existed. Artwork, even more-so than photographs, have this power, a fact which dates back to 1910’s when companies first learned that their ads attracted more attraction if accompanied with an illustration.

Back to the current piece–here is an early draft. I will read the large amount I wrote and rewrite and redraw the book addressing it's flaws. I also customized the font by using a software that allows you this use your own penmanship. To set-up up this excerpt, first I’m enclosing a few of sentences from the book’s introduction. The pages are not consecutive but hopefully it accomplishes what every writer wants–to make the reader want to read more.

From The Sea Below Us; The Lost Journal of Macky M;
“The following journal was found in a cardboard box at the Country Auction located in Honesdale, Pennsylvania. It’s cover and the first pages of the book were missing. The only other items in the box were some doilies, a book on Pilates and a hot-glue gun.”

 Page picked randomly. Click to read;

_{Bob Eckstein © 2009 Sea Below Us}

And one more page, picked randomly. Click to read;

_{Bob Eckstein © 2009 Sea Below Us}