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UX Writing: How to Get the Writing Done Video post Link post

I can recommend this short talk on the writing process by Scott Kubie, which sets out four stages for each 'assignment'.

It's all great, but I want to particularly second the idea of creating an outline before you get started. That could be a few bullet points, draft headings or even a sentence that describes what will go where.

Things might change when you get into the meat of things, but that's okay. Everything changes. Change is good. Life is change.

Scott has a personal website absolutely full of content-related resources that you should also visit and explore.

How to design a style guide that people actually use Link post

Some useful insight on designing a style guide from Angela Moore writing on the excellent Scroll blog. If you've ever needed a style guide or you have one and no one uses it, this is a really good place to start.

Allow me to share a tip of my own. It sounds silly, but there is one style guide of mine that got used the most. I knew it would make a huge impact if everyone embraced it, but there was low digital maturity in the team. So I printed hard copies out and put them on everyone's desks.

It worked because they could see it right there in front of them and watch each other use it as a reference document. Within a few months, they were adding new stuff to the guide themselves and gradually we all moved to the digital version, which was collectively kept up to date. Win!

The Handy List of Human Words Link post

This is a great list of complex words with clearer alternatives. It was put together by Deanna Horton, a content designer currently at Shopify. I'm actually working on a similar list as a permanent resource on Clear Language Club.

It sounds silly, but just looking at a complex word alongside a more everyday alternative is a great way to understand plain language. Examples make it easier to see the difference. Classic show rather than tell.

10 principles for writing in plain English Link post

A few years ago, Gather Content asked me to write an article for them that outlined some of the principles of plain English. In general, I always think it's a good idea to start with principles when you're learning something new. Get the essentials down and then go from there.

Anyway, the piece proved popular and you can still read it online today – hooray for the internet! Quick disclaimer – Gather Content got bought out by Bynder and they have added a few images and maybe made some changes to the copy.

Some of it looks very unfamiliar, but most of it is mine!

UX Writing: How to Get the Writing Done Video post Link post

How to design a style guide that people actually use Link post

The Handy List of Human Words Link post

10 principles for writing in plain English Link post

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