A story of brave moderation.

Have you ever heard of Marcus Aurelius, the philosopher-emperor? Or Epictetus, a philosopher who lived as a slave and who delved deeply into themes related to freedom?

Both have something in common — they were Stoic philosophers.

Names like these have left lessons on paper (and in life) that have inspired generations throughout history, and me, in my own small life, too.

I believe that all great lessons can be applied in different spheres, given inherent depth.

As the User Experience field is driven by the understanding of people in direct contact with the world around them, I found myself noticing patterns between this philosophical school and UX discipline.

In the first article on this topic, I explored into the intersections between stoicism and UX Research.

First article, here:
– Moving around Stoicism and UX Research — A story of humility and love for knowledge.

In this particular article — a topic that is dear to me — I discuss UX Writing and how we can become better UX Writers with the help of the great stoic thinkers of the past.

Shall we begin?

Is it safe to say that every Content Designer or UX Writer enjoys writing, right? However, this lesson from Cato invites moderation in words.

If what we have to say doesn’t add value, nor is beneficial to those listening or reading, we can simply, surprisingly, choose not to speak. It’s a decision that is in our hands. It seems obvious, but it’s one of the most common mistakes I observe, leading to unnecessarily long copy that undermines the experience, or the error of using vague copy (that classic dusty ‘click here’).

My suggestion: let’s be critics over and over again. Look at a sentence, a paragraph, whatever, and ask yourself: is it really necessary? If yes, is it possible to condense the text? After condensing it: can it be condensed even further?

Only when conciseness starts to affect the clarity of the content or deviate from the brand’s tone on a specific channel, should we reconsider an approach with more characters. Until then: let’s be critical of our own work and exercise moderation in our word choice.

Extra tip: many times, after spending a long time looking at a text, it can be difficult for us to see a different approach. We develop a sort of blindness. In those moments, whenever possible, I like to revisit the text at a later time, ideally the next day. It’s amazing what a few hours can do for our ability to reimagine solutions.

Which Content Designer hasn’t heard the phrase “can you quickly fix this sentence” (or, as we say in Portuguese, “dar um jeitinho,”) or “it’s just two small sentences”?

This is a common request. Often, I would even say most of the time, it’s not made with bad intentions. It could be a combination of not fully understanding the design process, which the Content Designer also respects, and an urge to find a workaround and speed up the process.

We can complain about people who do this or have the ‘yes’ ready on the tip of our tongues and accept these requests right away. In my opinion, neither option is the best. Saying yes can lead to other problems arising sooner or later. On the other hand, complaining without taking action doesn’t add much value.

Just like Viktor Frankl, I believe we should reflect before giving an answer. And, equally, we should allow the space and time that the work needs to be done well. Of course, with good judgment and the ability to prioritize tasks. This isn’t being less helpful. It’s valuing your work, as well as the quality of what you’re creating.

Saying no when it needs to be said was one of the most complex lessons I had to learn. However, from my experience, when well explained, with openness to discuss task priorities, and without attacking the other party, it tends to be appreciated by those who ask for that “little favor.”

Those colleagues become allies rather than adversaries. However, this also means that we need to be allies to those same colleagues; truly understanding their needs and being there for them when necessary,

Ultimately, it requires moderation once again. Moderation to not respond immediately after the stimulus, and moderation to respond in a thoughtful way.

Reading tip: The UX writer’s guide to influencing without authority

A small aside: Viktor Frankl, the author of this quote, was not a Stoic philosopher, unlike the names mentioned here. He was a psychiatrist and a Holocaust survivor, known for his books and for founding logotherapy, a psychotherapeutic approach. Despite not being a Stoic philosopher, he was indeed stoic in the way he lived, particularly in how he found strength, motivation, and the ability to keep a cool head in the concentration camps he endured.

Reading tip: Man’s Search for Meaning

In many situations, you will be or have already been the sole UX Writer or Content Designer on the team. In other cases, there may be more, but the ratio of Content Designers to Product Designers will likely be lower. With that comes the need to respond to several tasks or even be integrated into multiple teams with different people. All of this in a fast-paced environment.

In less mature teams, they may have never worked with a Content Designer before. This means there will be an entire learning process. Learning when to involve you in a task, which tasks to request your help with (and when not to) and also understanding the role of a UX Writer versus a copywriter.

Well, there are many aspects to consider. Many challenges to overcome.

In many cases, these challenges may become hurdles that complicate your job. It’s easy to become frustrated and discouraged, which is normal.

However, during these trials, sometimes without fully realizing it, you have developed or strengthened other skills, such as negotiation and communication in various environments, task management, handling pressure, and prioritization.

All of these are extremely valuable skills that not every professional acquires. You can start looking at yourself not as someone who suffers or whose job is not valued, but as someone who develops, grows, and strives. Someone who embraces challenges because they will lead to growth.

If you’re interested, here are two articles on how to be successful in a team where you are the only UX Writer or Content Designer:

Reading tip:
– How to succeed as a sole UX writer
– What to do when you’re the company’s first UX writer

Writing isn’t something that simply flows from our fingers, as if by divine inspiration. Writing is a structured thought that takes shape through characters.

In UX Writing, in order to be good, it needs to be carefully considered and answered to a goal. To achieve this, it’s necessary to know where we want to go. We may have favorable winds, such as good financial resources within the company and a team excited about the project, but this will never be enough to achieve that goal (even tought it certaintly helps).

From my experience, this is very common to happen across various industries. We often find ourselves in a dissociation between where we started and where we currently are. It’s as if our sailor, departing from Portugal, instead of heading towards Greece through the Mediterranean, has decided to embark through the North Sea.

Before taking action, it would be beneficial to be moderate and ask questions. This is our secret superpower as writers:

• What is the direction we truly want to pursue?
• Are these paths leading us toward that direction or steering us away?
• Are we prioritizing activities that contribute to our desired outcomes?
• What action do we expect users to take after interacting with our product?

Just to illustrate, let’s say we are working for an imaginary health insurance company that wants to become more friendly and easy to relate to. Are we considering using videos or participating in podcasts to explain complex content in a simple manner? This is just one possible way to take advantage of the favorable winds and propel us faster in that direction.

We have plenty of opportunities around us. Knowing where the destination is might be one of the most important things.

However, it is not enough to merely know the goal you want to achieve and ensure that the team is committed. Work takes shape day by day, in the present, along with the challenges and opportunities of the present moment.

It’s not by chance that the present moment is a frequent topic in many stoic texts due to the tranquility and objectivity that living in the present brings to life.

So, set your company’s goals, but remember to break down the process into small, actionable tasks. This will help you avoid neglecting the present and navigate between the present and the future with the moderation that your business requires.

Key takeaways:

• Practice moderation in writing and be critical of every word you include in the text.
• Reflect before responding and take time and space for your work to achieve excellence.
• Embrace challenges this role have, knowing they will help you strive and undercover strenghts within yourself.
• Reflect on the goals of the tasks you have at hands and ensure that the actions pursued by the team are aligned with them. Ask questions as a means to align everyone.

References:

• Moving around Stoicism and UX Research
• The UX writer’s guide to influencing without authority
• Man’s Search for Meaning
• How to succeed as a sole UX writer
• What to do when you’re the company’s first UX writer

Moving around Stoicism and Content Design was originally published in UX Planet on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.