Designers as co-authors: exploring visual strategies in the creation of hybrid novels

This practice-based research study investigates the creation of hybrid novels from the designer’s perspective as co-author. The research outcome comprises the 247-page hybrid novel Monster and a 40,000 – word exegetic thesis.

The hybrid novel is a literary category defined by Sadokierski (2010) in which word and image can combine to form a reading experience that is neither purely verbal nor purely visual. The limited research on this genre has focused on visual and literary analysis. Less attention has been given to authorial role of designers as visual content providers, the exploration and development of creative tools, and the narrative role of visual elements.

The study addresses three major research questions

1. What is the role of the designer as co-author in a hybrid novel?
2. What communication processes does this require between designers and writers?
3. What visual methods are available to designers in developing the narrative and expressive scope of a hybrid novel?

These questions were investigated through practice-based research and reflective practice. Co-design strategies were utilised and the resulting process validated these methods for development as frameworks to enable designers, writers, and publishers to communicate and collaborate.

This research demonstrates the designer’s authorship through both the visual design content and design management in the development of the narratives. This affirms the importance of visual elements such as white space, paragraph and character styles, and the visual representation of time, for the communication of the story.

The research contributes to practical knowledge in identifying the visual strategies by which designers originate content and affirm their co-authorship. This study also provides a framework for communication and collaboration between multiple authors. This framework also complements the research on how creators communicate with each other when using co-design strategies. The research makes innovative contributions to theoretical knowledge in applying concepts from design thinking and co-design to the context of the co-authored hybrid novel.