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How to become an effective UX writer?

10 key UX writing skills – Necessary skills for UX writer

10 key UX writing skills
For whom?
UX writers
Why should I read?
To be an effective UX writer

Is this a full list of UX writing skills that will make you needless of any contemplation and endeavors? Of course not. You must seek the skills of a UX writer yourself and never stop getting better if you wish to be a successful UX writer. Important here is do not hesitate in every case when you feel the requirement for learning something new. This market is constantly changing. Do not be left behind.

Anyway, everyone has to start somewhere, does not it?

Here, we provide an initial list of essential skills for UX writing, and we present a brief description in connection with any of them.

List of UX writing skills

Through the more elucidation of UX writing workspace, the list of UX writing skills could be gradually updated:

The extensive scope of words

Words for a writer are similar to materials for an architect. As you have diverse materials, your work is going better and your architecture will be more commensurate. Developing the scope of vocabulary is only feasible with practice.

Authorship and potential of writing in different styles and literature

The nature of UX writing is derived from writing. Writing is not merely a word order, but it is the architecture of the theme (content). Your power of content architecture enhances as you are more proficient at authorship, and you get more accustomed to a variety of writings, styles, and literature. To be a skilled writer is among the most fundamental UX writing skills.

Familiarity with the writing and editing principles

Although each author requires an editor, accustoming to the writing and editing principles is essential for any writer, including a UX writer. A UX writer should be capable to detect and edit claque (loan translation) texts, texts with structural ambiguity, and complex sentences.

Our reliance is on writing skills while we speak about simplicity and brevity in the UX copy; otherwise, we reach imperfect and imperceptible sentences.

Enjoying a design thinking

It is not enough to be a good writer; rather, we have to be able to imagine the user’s behaviors, visualize the text in the image, and aid the designer to enhance the power of the words with visual changes. The primary objective of our work is to make the product understandable to the user. Hence, we must meet the user’s expectations well.

Comprehension capability of UX design concepts

Without having a piece of knowledge in relation to the concepts of UX design, how can we talk about it and work in its setting?

Dexterity of applying UI and UX design tools

We have elaborately explained in conjunction with the tools previously. We pointed out that tools make the communication between groups engaged in product design optimal. You can get acquainted with present-day instruments.

Capability of designing and understanding product content strategy

Once again and hundreds of more times, I emphasize that UX writing means the writing design. UX writing is a sort of architecture; therefore, it’s something beyond writing. In some ways, our work is similar to that of a novelist. Before writing, he/she outlines the structure of his/her novel, with the difference that the chapters of our novel are very succinct, so miscellaneous, and not continuous.

We design; thus, mastery of style design, product dictionary design, etc. are among the most crucial UX writer skills.

Classification mindset

Well, that is normal that a classified mindset is required for designing the style or glossary of the product and preserving the integrity of the UX copy design. This is something that is typically less spoken about in UX writing skills, but its gap is observed in the final result, i.e. in the sloppiness and fragmentation of the copies.

Ability to assess and test UX copy

One of the most critical UX writing skills is the correct guidance of users. However, what criteria are there for evaluating this? A UX writer should be capable of regulating standards for the choice of the best copy well. Besides, a UX writer should be able to design metrics for measuring successful and unsuccessful words in usability testing.

UX writers need to have this skill.

Potential of teamwork and interaction with the UX designer

We are supposed to be complementary; therefore, interaction and synergy are needed. Being patient and, of course, having knowledge about the designer’s workmanship and getting close to his/her thinking is regarded among the most vital skills of UX writing.

Capability and patience in interacting with technical teams and programmers

It’s hard work. We come from two different communities, but we have to be friends to achieve the results.

Courage

Bravery is the key. Even though experiments and feedback are important, the mistake only exists once it is written. Therefore, don’t be too rigid before releasing. Scott Kubie: These are just texts for computers…

The ability to distinguish saying what is critical and saying what is not obligatory

Here, you can view some of its examples.

Copywriting

We are guides, not salespersons.

A UX writer is not a vendor, and he/she is not going to sell materials (products) permanently. However, the text of some buttons and some in-app microcopies have no function but to sell the product or service. Hence, the proficiency of UX writers over marketing principles and copywriting techniques could bring UX writing skills to perfection.

ux writing skills radar chart - spider chart
UX Writing skills in spider chart

This article was also published in UX Planet.

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Novelist and UX Writer
Husamedin Motahari
Novelist and UX Writer
A novelist who makes a living with UX writing. I write to pave the way for the user experience. Writing skills are not enough to become a UX writer. This is a world designed for humans.
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