ux writing

What is UX Writing? Defining, Explaining, & How to Learn UX Writing by Julia McCoy | Jun 2, 2020 | Copywriting “less is more.” It may sound crazy, but it’s true — you can earn up to $100,000 a year writing 20 words (or less) per day! If you’re really good, you can land a job at a huge company like Facebook, Google, or Spotify. You don’t even need a B.A. in creative writing, nor do you need tons of experience crafting Shakespearean prose. So, what kind of writing is this? How do you get into it? In today’s blog, I’ll introduce you to UX writing. ? I’ll show you exactly what UX writing is, how to learn it, and what you need to become an excellent UX writer. I’ll give you examples of great UX writing, techniques you can use in your work, and more! Since I can’t wait to share this with you, let’s dive in right away! ?? What is UX Writing? “UX writing” is the short term for user experience writing. In other words, it’s the kind of writing that guides users as they interact with a product. Here’s how it’s different from copywriting and technical writing. Copywriting: Persuasive writing that urges people to buy something. Technical writing: Writing that conveys technical information into text. UX Writing: Writing that guides people as they use and enjoy a product. In her blog post on Medium, UX writer Lisa Sanchez describes her main craft.Source: medium.com You’ll be surprised to know that by now, you’ve already come across tons of examples of UX writing. Here they are: Call-to-action buttons Error pages Sign up forms Menu labels Terms and conditions All the micro-copy across the web you barely notice (but desperately need) [bctt tweet=”UX writing is the short term for user experience writing ?‍?. It’s the kind of writing that guides users as they interact with a product or page. Think error pages, call-to-action buttons, sign-up forms, and menu labels. ” username=”ExpWriters”] [bctt tweet=”True or false: As a writer, you must write thousands of words per day to earn a comfortable living. ? NOT true, especially if you’re a UX writer. What is UX writing? @JuliaEMcCoy explains ✍” username=”ExpWriters”] Let’s look at three great examples of work done by UX writers. This is Google’s error page…Source: google.com …Booking.com’s create an account page…Source: booking.com …and AWAI’s signup page for their free webinar.Source: awai.com Notice how short, succinct, and to-the-point the content on these pages are? What You Need to Become an Excellent UX Writer If you’ve looked over the examples and thought, “Hey, I can do this!” you’re perfectly right. You too can do UX writing. And like I mentioned earlier, you don’t need a special degree, a BA in creative writing, or even what people call “writing talent.” Here are five things you do need to do UX writing. 1. Empathy As a UX writer, you’ll need to be your target audience’s closest friend. This means you must know them deeply, including how they talk, what they want to see, and the specific way they react to words. This will help you craft the right content to guide them through your (or your client’s) product. 2. The Willingness to Work Closely with Others in a Team UX writers don’t work alone. They collaborate closely with project managers, developers, technical writers, and designers to give users a flawless, enjoyable experience. 3. A Curious Mind A UX writer’s day is filled with questions. What will work? What won’t? How can I put a smile on users’ faces as they use a product? Only a curious mind will keep you asking the tons of questions you need to perfect UX writing. 4. Open-Mindedness A close-minded person who’s always 100% sure of his/her opinion won’t thrive in the fluid, changeful world of UX writing. 5. Creativity As a UX writer, you’ll have to translate business-centric jargon into friendly, attractive words. A spark of creativity will make it feel effortless. [bctt tweet=”What do you need to become an expert UX writer? 1️⃣ Empathy 2️⃣ Teamwork 3️⃣ A curious mind 4️⃣ Open-mindedness 5️⃣ Creativity” username=”ExpWriters”] How to Learn UX Writing (4 Ways) There isn’t a single correct path towards learning UX writing. And that’s great! It means you can take the road that’s most exciting and comfortable to you. Here are four great options. 1. Go on Your Own Online Adventure Go everywhere you can on Google. Visit your favorite websites like Airbnb, Mailchimp, and The New York Times. Read every word on their call-to-action buttons, sign up pages, and menu labels. Here’s a super example from Mailchimp’s signup page.Source: mailchimp.com Then, visit websites you’ve never heard of before. Check out their products and sign up for their offers. Take note of what you like and what you don’t like with their UX writing. If you constantly steep yourself in the beautiful, good, bad, and ugly of UX writing, you’ll soon be able to come up with your own rulebook to guide you in your future career. 2. Read Blogs on UX Writing Go for blogs written by authorities in the industry. You can start with everything written by John Saito, former YouTube UX writer and current Product Designer at Dropbox. Don’t stop there! The internet is teeming with tons of blogs full of tips and tricks on the trade. 3. Get a Great UX Writing Book A great choice is Nicely Said: Writing for the Web with Style and Purpose by Nicole Fenton and Kate Kiefer Lee. Here’s a review of the book from content strategist and author Erin Kissane: “Between them, Kate and Nicole have written for many of the web’s most valuable and respected companies. Their commitment to clarity and kindness is the result of their experience, and it makes them extraordinary teachers.” 4. Sign Up for a Course To do be an effective UX writer, you need the skill to think behind content. A great way to learn this skill is to sign up for my Content Strategy and Marketing Course. In this course, I teach you how to create a blueprint that’ll guide every single piece of content you write. A much-needed skill if you want to go into UX writing! … Read more