Ux Writing
Write and refine buttons, errors, forms, onboarding, and empty states using purposeful, concise, conversational, and clear UX writing standards.
Overview
ux-writing is an agent skill most often used in Build (also Validate landing, Launch distribution) that creates accessible, user-centered microcopy for digital product interfaces.
Install
npx skills add https://github.com/content-designer/ux-writing-skill --skill ux-writingWhat is this skill?
- Four quality standards: purposeful, concise, conversational, and clear
- Patterns for errors, notifications, forms, onboarding, empty states, and success messages
- Accessibility-oriented guidance plus research-backed readability benchmarks
- Voice and tone frameworks and content-audit workflow for consistency
- Compatible with Claude, Codex, Cursor, and other agents supporting SKILL.md skills
Adoption & trust: 684 installs on skills.sh; 98 GitHub stars; 3/3 security scanners passed (skills.sh audits).
What problem does it solve?
You shipped a working UI but the buttons, errors, and onboarding text confuse users, sound robotic, or fail accessibility expectations.
Who is it for?
Solo builders iterating SaaS or mobile UI who want agent-assisted rewrites of strings with structured patterns instead of one-off marketing tone.
Skip if: Long-form blog SEO, legal contracts, or teams that already have locked brand books and professional UX writers owning every string without agent drafts.
When should I use this skill?
Writing or editing interface copy, designing conversational flows, establishing voice/tone, or auditing product content for clarity and consistency.
What do I get? / Deliverables
You get consistent, task-oriented interface copy aligned to voice/tone rules and UX writing best practices across forms, states, and flows.
- Revised UI strings
- Voice/tone or error-pattern guidance applied to target flows
- Content audit notes for inconsistent copy
Recommended Skills
Journey fit
Spans multiple journey phases - primary shelf plus alternate fits below.
Most interface strings are drafted while building screens, so Build/frontend is the canonical shelf even though copy work also appears on landing pages and in growth surfaces. Microcopy ships as UI strings tied to components—labels, toasts, and validation—not long-form marketing essays.
Where it fits
Tighten hero CTAs and pricing blurbs so visitors understand the next step before you commit to full build.
Rewrite validation errors and form labels while implementing checkout so failures feel actionable.
Polish release notes banners and in-app success messages before users hit production for the first time.
Align onboarding tooltips with campaign promises so acquired users are not surprised after install.
Standardize in-app help text and notification wording to reduce repetitive support tickets.
How it compares
Editorial UX methodology for product strings—not a localization platform or a visual design system.
Common Questions / FAQ
Who is ux-writing for?
Founders and indie developers shipping apps who write their own UI copy and want research-backed microcopy frameworks inside their coding agent.
When should I use ux-writing?
In Build when drafting UI strings; in Validate when polishing landing and signup copy; at Launch when tightening onboarding and distribution messaging; anytime you audit errors, forms, or empty states.
Is ux-writing safe to install?
The skill is prose guidance without mandatory tool execution; review the Security Audits panel on this page and treat any bundled scripts in the repo separately.
SKILL.md
READMESKILL.md - Ux Writing
# 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** - Focus on user benefits, not features - Anticipate and answer user questions - Use second-person ("you") language - Match user's language and mental models ## UX Text Patterns Apply these common patterns for interface elements. ### Titles - **Purpose**: Orient users to where they are - **Format**: Noun phrases, sentence case - **Types**: Brand titles, content titles, category titles, task titles - **Examples**: "Account settings", "Your library", "Create new post" ### Buttons and Links - **Purpose**: Enable users to take action - **Format**: Active imperative verbs, sentence case - **Pattern**: `[Verb] [object]` - **Examples**: "Save changes", "Delete account", "View details" - **Avoid**: Generic labels like "OK", "Submit", "Click here" ### Error Messages - **Purpose**: Explain problem and provide solution - **Format**: Empathetic, clear, actionable - **Pattern**: `[What failed]. [Why/context]. [What to do].` **Error Message Types** **Validation Errors (Inline)** - Show as user completes field or on blur - Brief, specific guidance to correct input - Pattern: `[Field] [specific requirement]` - Examples: - "Email must include @" - "Password must be at least 8 characters" - "Choose a date in the future" - Timing: Real-time or on field exit - Location: Below or beside the field **System Errors (Modal/Banner)** - Show when backend operations fail - Expl