Starting fresh: A bounty of frameworks and systems for Content Designers
A year away, a baby, and a better plan for what comes next
It’s been over a year since I last hit “send” on this newsletter.
A year of silence. A year of growth. A year of becoming a parent (hello, sleep deprivation and perspective shifts). A year of questioning whether this newsletter still mattered—to you, to me, to anyone.
I’m back. Not because I figured everything out, but because I realized something: The messy, unconventional path I took to UX writing? That’s exactly what makes my perspective valuable.
Let me explain.
The path nobody plans
I didn’t wake up one day and decide to become a UX writer. Nobody does, really. This field finds you through a series of accidents, pivots, and “well, why not?” moments.
Here was my path:
Four years studying biomedical engineering. I learned systems thinking, logic, how things connect and depend on each other. How to break complex problems into component parts. How to question assumptions and work from first principles.
I thought I’d build medical devices. Design prosthetics. Save lives in tangible, mechanical ways.
Plot twist: I left it to pursue my other love, writing.
Eight years in advertising. Copywriting for brands, crafting campaigns, figuring out what makes people care enough to act. I learned how to sell—not just products, but ideas, emotions, reasons to believe. I learned that words aren’t just information. They’re motivation.
I got good at it. But something was missing.
Five years (and counting) in UX writing and content design. I found the intersection of everything I’d learned: the systems thinking from engineering, the persuasive clarity from advertising, and something new—designing with words instead of just writing them.
This is where I belong. But I got here sideways.
What my weird background actually gives me
Most UX writers come from English, journalism, or technical writing. They’re strong with language. They understand grammar, tone, storytelling.
I came from engineering and advertising. I’m strong with systems, logic, and motivation.
From engineering, I bring:
Systems thinking (content isn’t words; it’s architecture)
Logic frameworks (IF-THEN-ELSE isn’t just code; it’s how you make content decisions)
First principles thinking (question everything, build from basics)
Skepticism of “that’s how it’s always done”
From advertising, I bring:
Understanding motivation (people don’t just need clarity; they need reasons to care)
Persuasion without manipulation (how to guide without pushing)
Knowing that emotion matters (even in enterprise software)
The discipline of brevity (every word must earn its place)
From being a non-native English speaker, I bring:
Seeing what native speakers miss (idioms that don’t translate, assumptions they don’t realize they’re making)
Obsession with true simplicity (not just “sounds simple to me” but “actually simple for everyone”)
Sensitivity to jargon (I feel the friction native speakers gloss over)
These aren’t weaknesses I overcame. They’re advantages I’ve learned to leverage.
Why I stopped (and why I’m back)
A year ago, I sent personalized emails to 317 subscribers. I asked what challenges you were facing. What you wanted to learn. How I could help.
I got... crickets. Maybe five replies.
It stung. I questioned everything. Was the newsletter valuable? Was anyone actually reading? Did my perspective matter?
Then life got intense. Work demanded more. I was learning new things myself—conversational design, AI-driven content, how LLMs are changing our field. And then: I became a parent.
Suddenly I had even less time and even more questions about where to focus my energy.
So I paused.
But during that pause, something shifted. The silence gave me clarity.
I realized:
The newsletter was never supposed to be about metrics. It was never about subscriber counts or reply rates. It was about creating something I wish existed when I was learning—a resource that translates UX writing and content design from buzzwords into systems you can actually use.
The break taught me that I don’t need external validation to know this is worth doing. The occasional messages from readers who found my WCAG article helpful, or who said my error message post changed how they work—that’s enough. Even if it’s just a few people.
And honestly? I have more to say now than I did a year ago. More frameworks. More patterns. More clarity about what actually matters in this field.
What’s different this time
1. I have a plan.
I’m not winging it anymore. I’ve mapped out content organized into learning modules. Every week has a framework, a system, or a perspective that builds on the previous one. It’s strategic, not reactive.
2. I’m focusing on what I do best.
Systems thinking. Frameworks. Making the invisible visible. If you want beautiful writing about the craft of words, there are better newsletters. If you want to understand how to think like a content designer—how to build systems, not just write strings—I can help with that.
3. It’s more interactive.
Every article will have something you can do—an exercise, a template, a framework to apply. This isn’t a broadcast. It’s a workshop.
4. I’m expanding the scope.
UX writing. Content design. Conversational design. AI-generated content. How our field is evolving. I’m covering all of it, but through the lens of systems and strategy.
5. It’s still free. Always.
I’m fortunate not to depend on this for income. That means I can keep it free, which means I can keep it focused on being genuinely useful rather than constantly trying to convert you.
If you want to support this work, I’ve set up a Buy me a coffee link. No subscriptions. No obligations. Just a way to say “this helped me” if you feel moved to.
Am I scared I can’t keep this up?
Yes. Absolutely.
I’m a parent now. I have a demanding job. I’m learning new things constantly. Life is unpredictable.
But I’ve planned as well as I can. I’ve batched content. I’ve created systems for myself (systems thinking applies to newsletters too). I’ve given myself permission to be imperfect.
And I’ve decided that showing up consistently is more important than showing up perfectly.
So I’m committing to this. For at least the next several months. Let’s see what we can build together.
What’s coming next
I’m organizing content into two alternating tracks:
Track A (Foundations): Core frameworks and timeless principles
Track B (AI & conversational): Cutting-edge practices and emerging topics
Over the coming weeks and months, I’ll be sharing frameworks that changed how I work:
The if-then-else framework for making defensible copy decisions
The three audiences framework for writing for everyone at once
The UX writing stack showing every layer from strategy to pixel
Prompt engineering for finding your brand voice in AI
Intent mapping for conversational interfaces
The visibility hierarchy for content people can actually find
The error prevention pyramid for fixing systems, not just copy
And much more—audits, patterns, models, and systems. All practical. All tested. All based on real work, not theory.
Some will draw on my engineering background. Some on my advertising experience. Some on my outsider perspective as a non-native English speaker. Some on my current work with AI and conversational design. All of it will be focused on making you better at the strategic side of content design.
What I need from you
Three small asks:
1. Tell me if this resonates.
I’m not fishing for validation. I genuinely want to know: Does this approach—frameworks, systems, unconventional perspectives—interest you? Hit reply and let me know. Even one line helps.
2. Share if you know someone who’d benefit.
I’m not growing this through ads or algorithms. Just word of mouth from people who find it useful. If that’s you, forward this to a colleague.
3. Send me your problems.
Got a piece of copy you’re stuck on? A content challenge you can’t crack? An interface that confuses users? DM me here.
I can’t promise to solve everything, but I might feature it in a future article (anonymized, of course).
The real reason I’m doing this
I’m not doing this to build a personal brand. I’m not doing this to launch a course or sell a product. I’m doing this because I genuinely believe that UX writing and content design is better when we think in systems, not just sentences.
When I was starting out, I felt like I was constantly behind. Everyone else seemed to know things I didn’t. They spoke in frameworks and models I’d never heard of. They made decisions that seemed intuitive but were actually strategic.
I want to make those invisible patterns visible. I want to give you the scaffolding I had to build for myself.
If you’re a junior writer trying to break in: I want to give you frameworks that make you sound senior.
If you’re a mid-level writer wanting to level up: I want to show you the strategic thinking that gets you to the next level.
If you’re a designer or PM trying to work better with content: I want to help you understand how we think.
If you’re a senior writer building a practice: I want to give you tools I use to teach your team and advocate for content.
Let’s build this together
This newsletter works best when it’s a conversation, not a lecture. When you share what you’re struggling with. When you try the exercises and tell me what happened. When you disagree with my frameworks and offer better ones.
I’m not an expert with all the answers. I’m a practitioner with hard-won patterns that work for me. Let’s test them together.
Welcome back. Or just welcome.
Let’s make this year the one where we stop treating UX writing like wordsmithing and start treating it like the strategic systems design it actually is.
Next week, we begin with the if-then-else framework—a way of making copy decisions that comes straight from my engineering background and will change how you defend your work.
See you Friday.
— Mansi
Your UX Writing Bud
P.S. If you’re new here and want to catch up on previous articles, check out the archive:
Demystifying WCAG - Why accessibility matters for everyone
Error messages that don’t frustrate users - Writing errors that actually help
Lost in translation? - Challenges of non-native English speakers in UX
P.P.S. Found this valuable? Here’s how to support:
Buy me a book/coffee (optional, never required).
DM me your content challenges.
UX Writing Bud delivers frameworks and systems for content designers every Friday. Free, always. Because good content strategy should be accessible to everyone.