Wasting time on the internet
The internet, in particular social media and search engines have greatly influenced the way we read and write. For writers, it presented new frameworks, restrictions, and subject matter to play with, that they had never been able to encounter before. People who would not necessarily consider themselves to be writers or poets are creating new artefacts (memes and etc.) that have the same basis as poetry, but yet do not resemble the traditional understanding of the medium whatsoever.
What has writing got to do with design?
Writing is essential to graphic design as it allows the designer to have full authorship over their work. It facilitates critical discourse, and allows the designer to examine their work more closely, all the while creating a stronger bond between content and form. Despite the industry focusing mostly on commerce in some situations, designers are unable to be impartial and will always end up analysing and reflecting on the work provided to them. Thus, in order to become a stronger member of the communication process a designer should focus on bettering their writing skills.
Notes on multiplied language
The process of reading is wildly unpredictable, it varies from person to person and depends largely on the way this particular person perceives information. Many theories have been created due to this ambiguity, to try and understand how people interact with language. Some, like Saussure, had put forward a theory that states that language exists purely as a sound. However, typography and written language cannot be so easily dismissed. They have a much larger impact on the way people communicate with each other, by producing physical language, with infinite variations that are caused by differences in design, typesetting, and etc. Where and when a text is being read can also create an additional layer of meaning, or distort the one intended by the writer. As such, there is no concrete way of presenting a piece of writing to the reader, as there are no guarantees that it will be received the way the writer intends it.