What good UX Writers do before starting work.
Not just the “scarf swing”
The image of a UX writer still feels stuck in the old stereotype: a lone creative, puffing a cigarette, scarf draped over the shoulder, about to write something poetic and deep.
Well, let me tell you — there’s nothing poetic, romantic, or beautiful about writing for interfaces. No, not even beautiful. That word, like so many others, means different things to different people. So if I try to write something “beautiful,” the final copy will just reflect my idea of what that means.
It’s the same problem when someone asks for the copy to be “friendly” or “empathetic.” These vague, subjective requests can easily lead to writing that isn’t for “anyone, anywhere” — but just for one person’s version of what sounds nice.
If UI text is not understandable by anyone, anywhere, it’s not good.
So, UX writing isn’t about:
- inspiration,
- politeness for the sake of politeness, or
- perfect grammar.
In fact, UX writing is about “using evidence and data to produce content your audience needs, at the time they need it, on a channel they are on, and in a way they expect.”…