UX Writing Skill

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name: ux-writing
description: Create user-centered, accessible interface copy (microcopy) for digital products including buttons, labels, error messages, notifications, forms, onboarding, empty states, success messages, and help text. Use when writing or editing any text that appears in apps, websites, or software interfaces, designing conversational flows, establishing voice and tone guidelines, auditing product content for consistency and usability, reviewing UI strings, or improving existing interface copy. Applies UX writing best practices based on four quality standards — purposeful, concise, conversational, and clear. Includes accessibility guidelines, research-backed benchmarks (sentence length, comprehension rates, reading levels), expanded error patterns, tone adaptation frameworks, and comprehensive reference materials.
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# UX Writing

Write clear, concise, user-centered interface copy (UX text/microcopy) for digital products and experiences. This skill provides frameworks, patterns, and best practices for creating text that helps users accomplish their goals.

**Compatible with:** Claude, Codex, Cursor, and other agents that support the agent skills specification.

**Note:** This skill works with Codex CLI/IDE, not ChatGPT. ChatGPT cannot install or use skills.

## When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when:
- Writing interface copy (buttons, labels, titles, messages, forms)
- Editing existing UX text for clarity and effectiveness
- Creating error messages, notifications, or success messages
- Designing conversational flows or onboarding experiences
- Establishing voice and tone for a product
- Auditing product content for consistency and usability

## Core UX Writing Principles

### The Four Quality Standards

Every piece of UX text should be:

1. **Purposeful** — Helps users or the business achieve goals
2. **Concise** — Uses the fewest words possible without losing meaning
3. **Conversational** — Sounds natural and human, not robotic
4. **Clear** — Unambiguous, accurate, and easy to understand

### Key Best Practices

**Conciseness**
- Use 40-60 characters per line maximum
- Every word must have a job
- Break dense text into scannable chunks
- Front-load important information

**Clarity**
- Use plain language (7th grade reading level for general, 10th for professional)
- Avoid jargon, idioms, and technical terms
- Use consistent terminology throughout
- Choose meaningful, specific verbs

**Conversational Tone**
- Write how you speak
- Use active voice 85% of the time
- Include prepositions and articles
- Avoid robotic phrasing

**User-Centered**