If you’re wondering what UX Writing is, where it fits, and why your team should hire a UX Writer—or at least work with a freelancer—I recorded a video with Femke van Schoonhoven, product designer at Uber, to talk about our role in the process!

UX writing is the practice of designing the words people encounter inside a digital product—from navigation and button labels to onboarding, error messages, and help. Unlike marketing copy, its primary job isn’t to attract attention or persuade someone to buy. It helps people understand what’s happening, decide what to do next, and complete a task without unnecessary friction.

In this conversation, Femke and I discuss why writers should be involved from the beginning of the design process rather than brought in to polish an interface at the end. Strong UX writing comes from understanding the language an audience already uses, testing words alongside the interaction, and keeping terminology consistent across the product. Working this way often exposes design problems early, before they become expensive to fix.