The devil is in the brevity.
What is microcopy?
You find microcopy in every app you use. Each time you make an online purchase, you are reading microcopy.
Microcopy is the text designed to help users complete actions on sites or applications.
If done well, it makes the user's journey smooth, establishes the brand's voice, and builds trust.
How to write great microcopy?
You need to know one important thing when writing microcopy: if it's not helping the user, it doesn't need to be there.
Here are some things to keep in mind when coming up with tiny bits of copy:
- Aim for conciseness and…
UX writers craft copy that makes a user's journey simple
What is UX writing to begin with?
UX writing is about creating copy that guides the user while interacting with a product or service.
Sounds simple enough, right? Coming up with creative, concise, and practical copy is not that easy.
How many times have you left an app or site because you weren't sure about the next step?
UX writers study and analyze how a user behaves while navigating software. They craft microcopy that improves their overall experience.
Furthermore, UX writers contribute to establishing the style and tone of the…
A skill worth cultivating
Active listening can positively impact your relationships at work, and it could help you achieve several short and long-term goals.
Since becoming a mom, I've been reading about positive discipline and the importance of being present. Many experts encourage parents to practice active listening to deal with difficult situations positively and constructively.
Active listening is about connecting, paying attention, being present, and empathizing.
I began to think about how active listening is an essential life skill worth cultivating and practicing in all relationships and environments.
Learning to listen actively can lead to:
- a productive exchange of ideas
- finding creative solutions
- …
Both wonderful and exhausting
I knew parenting would be difficult. However, I had no idea just how difficult until I became a mom in December 2019.
If you’re thinking about having kids, I’m here to share the good and the bad of parenting in the first year.
Let’s get the bad out of the way first.
Yes, postpartum is tough.
After giving birth, all women go through postpartum. It’s a challenging period.
I was glad everything went well during labor and that my baby boy was healthy. Yet, my body hurt. My hormones were all over the place. I cried a lot during my early weeks as a mom.
It took a while…
How can a broken person be a parent?
My son has fallen asleep at last. It’s 22:37, and I’ve been up since six o’clock in the morning. He has a ton of energy and curiosity, which keeps me busy. I watch as his chest rises and falls and am mesmerized at the sight of him. I’m exhausted, but my heart feels full. A few years ago, however, I didn’t think I was capable of being a mother. I was afraid to be one.
Where to start?
I was worried I would pass on my issues.
I was afraid I would reproduce destructive patterns.
I was concerned that I…
Tailoring copy to a sports fan
For my next UX Writers Collective challenge, I have to create content tailored to a sports fan.
Challenge Day 2 Assignment
Scenario: A user is a working parent and a big sports fan amid their favorite sports season who can no longer attend games.
Challenge: Write a promotional screen for an app that lets a user choose teams, sends game reminders, real-time score updates, and highlight videos.
Headline: 40 characters max
Body: 175 characters max
Button(s): 25 characters max
My thought process
I love playing sports, but I don’t watch sports, except for the World Cup or gymnastics during the Olympics.
…
Taught by my one-year-old.
Whenever my toddler doesn’t want to do something, he shakes his head.
He listens to his body and reacts accordingly.
He knows what he wants and exactly what he doesn't.
It made me wonder, when did I lose this ability?
When did I stop listening to myself?
Why we need to say no
The word NO has a lot of negative press, but it's a good word. Use it wisely.
When we love others, we frequently give all of ourselves and more.
When we care about our jobs, we do our best, often putting work above our health or wellbeing.
The more…
There are more sides to the idyllic motherhood women are promised.
Being a mom is one of the most beautiful experiences of my life. It is also one of the most challenging things I have done and will ever do. I'm grateful I'm a mother, but I will not idealize it. At times, I struggle with guilt, shame, exhaustion, and loneliness.
Women are whole without children. Before getting pregnant, I had a full life. I wasn't incomplete because I didn't have a child. Other people, not even our children, complete us. A woman can lead a joyful and fulfilling life without kids.
Writing cancellation notifications
I've signed up for the UX Writers Collective daily challenges to sharpen my skills and let the creative juices flow.
This was my first assignment:
Scenario: A traveler is in an airport waiting for the last leg of a flight home when their flight gets abruptly canceled due to bad weather.
Challenge: Write a message from the airline app notifying them of the cancellation and what they need to do next.
Headline: 45 characters
Body: 175 characters max
Button(s): 25 characters max
This is what I came up with:
Fellow Writers' Feedback
I shared my first idea on LinkedIn. …
Your life has taught me about resilience.
My mother was born in March, 1953, in Sucre, Bolivia.
Her name is Carmen.
When she was little, she laughed frequently and was very talkative. During lunch, she’d hold the fork long enough for the house cat to snap her food.
My grandma told me my mom hardly stopped talking. She was curious and imaginative.
One of the few photos of her childhood features a young, thin, 13-year old with shiny, straight black hair that reached her calves. She’s holding a puppy.
She loved to swim, read and play the guitar.
When she…
