Shall I Compare Thee to Content Design? Poetry and UX Writing in 2023
Poetry and content design are both, primarily, about communication. Somewhere in those short lines, someone is trying to tell you something.
I come from a poetry background — writing has always been something that came naturally to me, and so perhaps it’s no wonder that I have ended up in content and communications roles.
However, it’s taken me a long time to draw the connection between those two parts of my life. I always saw poetry as very personal, and content creation as being firmly in my professional life. The two, as it turns out, are far more linked that I thought.
Saying more with less
The art of both disciplines is found in how much meaning can be packed into as few words as possible. Both make use of blank space to create deliberate pauses in the reader’s experience.
“Every word in the poem feels intentional, and that level of detail inspires me to work creatively within small confines.”
- Amanda Booth, Poetry Content Design and the Profoundness of Small Moments
Word choice
Language is vital to a user’s understanding of web content. UX Designers and poets must understand the nuances of different words in order to take their reader on a relevant journey.
An example that came up recently in my work was in making donations on a charity website. The current language of “Add to cart” is much more transactional than a simple “Donate.” The words we use (even if they seem to mean the same thing on the surface) make a big difference.
Handling Emotions
On the surface, it may seem that the emotional tone of poetry is ill at-ease in the world of user-centred design. However, this is something that poetry and content design have in common — they both take into consideration the human experience.
The unique frustration of a “404 Not Found” error code can be tempered with careful language. By understanding how users may be feeling, we can design content to improve their experience.
For instance, Content Design London is always one to watch for innovative design. When navigating to a page of theirs that no longer exists, they use humour to regulate the user’s reaction to the inconvenience:
Differences
Of course, poetry and content design are not synonymous. The language of poetry is one of multiple interpretations, but it’s not helpful to make your users guess what you mean when designing a website.
Where poetry celebrates double meanings and ambiguity, content design prioritises clarity above all else.
However, where they intersect is in understanding the nuances of language and emotion, and bringing creativity and personality into our work.
Examples
Some fantastic content designers have backgrounds in poetry, including Nicole Michaelis, host of the Content Rookie podcast. Their most recent episode was on poetry, so do check it out.
Some of my poetry is available on intersectional feminist blog Clitbait.
To round off my indulgent poetry posting, here’s a fantastic poem about Content design by Tom Waterton.
