Today, UX writers work as a team with product managers, designers and engineers, and are present throughout the development process of new product features.

Their input is vital from ideation to implementation of user flow.

Some tasks that a UX writer performs are:

• In-depth audience research to get an insight into the final users of a digital product and understand how it solves a real need.
• Acquire a global and detailed vision of the digital product to ensure a consistent user experience throughout the flow.
• Craft the microcopies respecting the voice of the brand, with a style and tone appropriate to the end user
• Anticipate how user interface (UI) words will work when translated into other languages, planning the changes needed to avoid style, tone and grammar problems.

Strategies for upskilling in UX writing

A UX writer’s work is compatible with many professions. Technical or content marketing, writers, teachers, journalists, designers and database analysts can all become excellent UX writers.

Whether an individual aims to upskill or reskill to work as a UX writer, it is crucial to take into account the essential skills needed to perform this task:

• Language skills: The ability to express oneself with words. To be sympathetic, to search for synonyms and to present different variants of the same message are essential to engage in UX writing.

Mastering several languages is a powerful ally to have a more comprehensive view of the user profile.

• Empathy towards users: Learning who the final users of a product are. Defining the buyer persona, what their problems and needs are, what vocabulary they use, how they communicate between peers and what things they hate are essential to align communication properly.

• Collaborative spirit: A UX writer is a piece of a multidisciplinary team that brings together product managers, developers, data scientists and designers.

The contribution of all team members will be vital to achieving a satisfactory user experience consistent with the business objectives.

• Coding: The notions of programming are a significant plus for a UX writer. Knowing how to modify strings (any line of text that appears in the UI) allows a UX writer to change a term in all the code, correct commas, typing and grammar errors and a thousand other details. By doing this, one gets more control over the product.

If the UX writer is working in a start-up or a team with a limited structure, knowing how to code will avoid referring problems to the team’s developers, who always have a long list of priorities to solve.

This will also raise their profile as a UX writer. They will be seen by developers as a closer colleague and they will come to the UX writer to resolve content issues.

A UX writer with some mastery of the code will gain greater visibility and improve the team’s performance.

There are many free podcasts, blogs and online courses available to train in UX writing: UXWritersCollective and DailyUXWriting are some options.

To gain experience in the area, joining a community of freelancers, such as Workana, will allow one to tackle projects to unfold one’s full potential as a UX writer.

Click here to find out more about Workana to start hiring or enlisting as a freelancer.