The Massive List of Content Design & UX Writing Resources

Seven years ago, Jon Colman published his indispensable “Epic list of content strategy resources.” In it, he compiled over 400 articles, books, newsletters, and more for aspiring content strategists to reference and learn from.

Over the past seven years, a couple of related concepts have risen to prominence: content design and UX writing. And while these three practices (content strategy, content design, and UX writing) aren’t exactly the same, they’re closely related.

Since Jon has already done the hard work of creating a foundational list of resources for content strategists, I decided to shamelessly steal—I mean, build on—his idea to provide a list for folks interested in learning about our field. With the twist that my list is focused on the fields of content design and UX writing. 

If you’re new to content work, please do yourself a favor and check out Jon’s list. It’s a great snapshot of the state of the practice of content strategy circa 2013, and contains links to many foundational works that you’ll derive great benefit from.

First read: Jonathon Colman’s article: “Epic list of content strategy resources”

Books

(Note: This section contains affiliate links.)

• Content Design, Sarah Richards

• Strategic Writing for UX, Torrey Podmajersky

• Writing for Designers, Scott Kubie

• Writing is Designing, Andy Welfle & Michael Metts

• Why You Need a Content Team and How to Build One, Rachel McConnell

• Nicely Said, Nicole Fenton and Kate Kiefer Lee

• Letting Go of the Words, Ginny Redish

• Lead with Content: How to Put Content at the Centre of Digital Transformation, Padma Gillen

• Microcopy: The Complete Guide, Kinneret Yifrah

• Designing Connected Content, Carrie Hane and Mike Atherton

• Conversational Design, Erika Hall

• Word Up!, Marcia Riefer Johnston

• UX Writing Basics, Marie-Pier Rochon

Articles

• “What is content design?” by Sarah Richards, Content Design London

• “What is content design?” at Gov.UK

• “What is content design?” by Becky Hirsch

• “What is content design?” by Carrie Hane

• “What is content design?” by Michael Andrews

• “What is UX writing?” by Lisa Sanchez

• “What is UX writing?” by Bobbie Wood

• “What is UX writing?” by Kristina Bjoran

• “On content design at WillowTree” by Rachel Thomas and Melanie Seibert

• “Designing a name” by Clay Delk

• “Why we’re moving from content strategy to content design” by Elisabeth Carr

• “We’re changing our name to content design” by Meridel Walkington and Betsy Mikel

• “What is UX writing and why is it suddenly so popular?” at UIUX Trend

• “New thinking: Brain Traffic’s content strategy quad” by Kristina Halvorson

• “Content designer,” Wikipedia

• “How to spot good content designers” by Rachel McConnell

• “Content design: a great way to make user-centered content” by Edwin Toonen

• “5 principles of good content design” by Ksenia Cheinman

• “Seven principles for effective content design” by Rachel McConnell

• “So you’re a content designer… what next?” by Rachel McConnell

• “What does a content designer do all day?” by James Reith

• “What we mean when we talk about content design” by Sarah Richards

• “UX writing, UX copywriting, content strategy, and content design are not the same job” by lauxcritora

• “What does a UX writer actually do?” by Yuval Keshtcher

• “10 things UX writers hate to hear” by John Saito

• “16 rules of effective UX writing” by Nick Babich

• “Why every writer should learn UX writing” by Laurah Mwirichia

• “The UX writing starter kit” by Alysa Yamada

• “How to create a UX writing portfolio” by Andrea Drugay 

• “How to build a better product with UX writing” by Anastasiia Marushevska

• “The ROI of UX writing” by Kinneret Yifrah

• “The rise of the UX writer” by Emily Stevens

• “Why your design team should hire a writer” by John Saito

• “Designers and writers should co-design product experiences” by Felicia Wu

• “The ABCs of content design” by Kate Cooper

• “What’s the role of content management in digital products?” by Michael Andrews

• “Finding your way as a UX writer” by John Collins

Websites

• Mailchimp Content Style Guide

• The UX Writing Library

• UX Writing Hub

• UX Writing Mentors at UX Coffee Hours

• Writing Principles at Google Material Design

• UX Writer at Google Design Jobs

• Content + UX Resources

• Readability Guidelines by Content Design London

Talks

• How we destroyed content design by Jonathon Colman

• Content design: what it is and why you need it by Erin Abler

• What is a content designer? by Craig Jamieson

• What is good content design? by UK Government Digital Service

• What is content design? by Padma Gillen

• Content-first design by Steph Hay

• Content design for the conversational interface by Melanie Seibert

Courses

• UX Writing Fundamentals

• Microcopy & UX Writing Course

• Use Your Words

• Writing is Designing Workshops

• Training from Content Design London

• UX Writing from Berghs School of Communication

Social media

• Slack: Content + UX

• Facebook: Content Strategists 

• Facebook: Microcopy & UX Writing

• Pinterest: Good Job, Microcopy!

• Content Strategy Community

Conferences

• Content by Design

• Confab

• Button

• Plain Language Summit

• UX Writer Conference

• Design & Content

Podcasts

• Content Strategy Interviews: Sarah Richards

• Writers in Tech

• Writers of Silicon Valley

Did I miss anything? Contact me and let me know!