Without Words

In this highly visual world, I feel there is no place for word
anymore. Few weeks ago, my GM said she only wants pictures or graphics
which are "right into your face", and declared taglines and writings
are not useful. Sigh. I concluded I am redundant as well as all other
copywriters.

Few days ago, someone commented the newsletter I was volunteering for
has too much information, maybe we could take out all the words for a
particular write-up and "let the photos tell the story". Who is going
to tell me the story then? The photos cannot speak, I am sure.
Besides, the photos tell John one story, then, tell Jane another
because, they were not there and they do not know why the photos were
the way they were.

The failings of words, or "written words" in particular do not end
there. I was told, the fact that I wrote a letter was wrong and
"hurtful". And I thought I was being myself. Since when have I been a
chatterbox? Why does everyone expect me to speak so much? And, why do
they expect me to speak up when I know the result is, they would not
listen?

Now, which graphic should I post on Facebook? The image of me
screaming my head off? What should I reply to those reviews on
TripAdvisor? Maybe I could just post a picture of smiling faces so you
interpret it yourself.

I am sure, at many occasions, word has failed me. But in my world,
words have always been my friends - I read the dictionary, I spend
hours reading and looking up new words, I write and write trying to be
creative with my vocabulary, I relish the pronunciations in my mouth
trying to get the right tone and accent and utterance.

I am lost.