I used to never re-read books. There’s too much good stuff out there; knowing I won’t get through it all is maddening, so why would I return to something I’ve already read?
Because it’s beautiful. Because it’s a good reminder, because it’s inspiring, because it feels like coming back to a comfortable, cozy space.
UX Writers aren’t overly concerned with beauty. In fact, if anyone’s telling you that your copy is beautiful, chances are it’s not functional. UI copy is about being clear, simple, and helpful. There’s a utilitarian sort of beauty in that, but it’s not the same as reading a profound poem or getting sucked into a good novel.
I buy hard copies of my favorite books so I can stumble upon them again. I’m currently rereading Robert Macfarlane’s Underland, a nature tome about the world beneath our feet. It took him over ten years to write; the writing itself, and the places it describes, is beautiful, and the stories within are full of facts that shine a new light on our world.
“For deep time is measured in units that humble the human instant: millennia, epochs and aeons, instead of minutes, months and years. Deep time is kept by rock, ice, stalactites, seabed sediments and the drift of tectonic plates. Seen in deep time, things come alive that seemed inert. New responsibilities declare themselves. Ice breathes. Rock has tides. Mountains rise and fall. We live on a restless Earth.”
I’ve read a few chapters over the past couple days, with torrential rain falling outside the window and a cup of freshly brewed coffee on the table beside me. It’s exactly how I want my weekends to go. It’s exactly what writing should be.
Imagine if I tried to write like this for a SaaS product. (I remember trying to use a semicolon during my first month as a writer. Oh how times have changed.) It’s not the purpose. But there are still some things that Macfarlane — and other writers — practice that can be applied to UX.
All writing:
Tells a story. Every flow has a beginning, middle, and end. You don’t dump all information on one page; you let the information come in the right place, at the right cadence.
Benefits from a clear, logical structure that smoothly guides readers/users through a journey.
Aims for precision. Any sort of copy should be accurate, truthful, and relevant.
Clarifies complex concepts. Books (and copy) that try to sound important tend to have muddy messaging.
I’m not reading Macfarlane and other works in order to glean UX secrets. I’m reading because I like to read. But it’s nice to be reminded of the other side of the writing craft.
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