11 Thoughtful Gifts for UX Writers & Content Designers
Gifts they'll keep, cherish and never pass on to someone else :)
When it comes to giving, I’m a giftosaurus—I love centring my thoughts on a person and picking out gifts that really resonate with them. But, I've got to admit, when it comes to receiving gifts, I can be a bit of a criticosaurus. Politely, of course, I tend to let people know when their gifts aren't exactly hitting the ‘usefulness’ mark.
Okay…that’s not just me!
Most content folks appreciate thoughtful gifts and possess a discreet skill of repackaging less-than-thoughtful gifts, ensuring they find a home with someone who might appreciate them more. It’s our unique way of respecting your effort and our physical space.
I’ve been told repeatedly that navigating these subtleties is tricky. So, to make things a tad smoother, I’m sharing gift ideas that content folks like UX writers and Content Designers would find useful and never imagine parting with them.
Pssst…you can tuck the rationale I share below as little notes inside the gifts. It's a subtle way of letting your friend know you put thought into meeting their unique needs. 😎
For the uninitiated, UX Writing Bud translates UXW mumbo-jumbo to human so you can learn and kickstart your career with the least effort and monies. If that’s your jam…
1. The good ol’ notebook
Everybody, I repeat, every-f***n’-body, gifts us notebooks as if it’s the 1800s!! Gift us an iPad & Apple Pencil to jot down notes digitally that can be Cmd+F’d when needed or help with one thing we perpetually battle with—our portfolios!!
Help them design it. Gift a Canva subscription.
Help them take it live. Gift a website domain or hosting. Or both.
Fund the dev’s fee if they want it custom coded.
Assist with proofreading or brainstorming. Gift a GPT4 subscription.
2. Subscription to UX content management tools
Enhance their toolkit with premium features, aiding in efficient content creation and collaboration. Also, because why should UX Writers/Content Designers continue asking for permission to design files?! Let them build their own content system on a platform that meets their expectations and working style, and then, invite the design peers there.
A UX Writer’s Toolkit contains all my recommended tools. Take your pick!
3. Books
Continuous learning is key when you work in tech. A well-written book can offer new insights and perspectives in the UX field and help upgrade their skillset for promotions (that are just around the corner).
These books are at the top of my list:
Information Architecture for Web and Beyond by Louis Rosenfeld, Peter Morville, and Jorge Arango
Everybody Writes by Ann Handley
Content Everywhere: Strategy and Structure for Future-ready Content by Sara Wachter-Boettcher
Ebooks are great, but a physical copy works wonders when you want to throw something at those who still ask about the value UX writers and Content Designers bring.
4. Courses, workshops, event tickets
By investing in professional development, your UX Writing friends can acquire new skills and stay updated on industry trends. And also because nothing says "I'm serious about my craft", like casually dropping the latest UX jargon during meetings.
I recommend these three:
Content Strategy and Governance by NNgroup
The Brand Voice Lab by UX Content Collective
Config 2024 by Figma
5. Active noise-cancelling headphones
Help create a quiet, focused work environment essential for content strategy, visualising data and a bit of UX Writing on the side 😛 I also find them quite handy for muffling the existential screams of poorly designed user interfaces.
My personal favourites are from Sony, which I use every day. If you’re looking for some alternatives, here’s a filtered search list for noise-cancelling headphones.
6. Subscription to a meditation app
Lo-fi focus beats are all the rage for the right reasons. They help you focus, like really.
But let’s face it, dealing with conflicting feedback and stakeholders who think they can write UX content and treat there, their and they’re as identical triplets requires a Zen master’s level of calm.
It's either meditation or adopting a herd of therapy cats.
A meditation app with guided, snappy meditations can keep emotions in check and re-focus attention on users. I rely on Headspace for its lo-fi focus music and sleep stories to cap off the day, and you can use my 30-Day Guest Pass to try the app for free.
Other such apps are:
7. Coffee or tea subscription
Ah! What a delightful way to provide a little break during work, keeping them energised. And who knows, it might even motivate them to organize their content crits when people forget to invite them. Because nothing fuels creativity like caffeine and a dash of passive-aggressive meeting invites to assert who’s the real boss!
The ones I found the best are:
8. Desk organizer
It helps keep their workspace tidy, promoting focus and efficiency in writing and content design tasks. Also, perfect for hiding the remnants of snack-fuelled brainstorming sessions.
The best ones I found include:
9. Emotional support plant or wrist rest
The world is just waking up to the magic of word fairies called UX writers and Content Designers, which means that more often than not, they’re single-handedly supporting a team of 20 UX designers and are overextended and overwhelmed with feelings with wrists in overdrive of writing emails back and forth and revising UX content.
A plant to keep them company and turn stress-laden exhales to fresh oxygen or a wrist rest to avoid carpel tunnel syndrome will bring some semblance of sanity to their day.
For plants, I recommend those that embody the spirit of UX Writers—resilient and so hard to kill, require little upkeep and don’t mind being left in a sunny corner to grow all by themselves.
For wrist rests, a memory foam ergonomic one like the one from Tukzer would do wonders: Wrist rest pads by Tukzer
10. Paid subscription to UX Writing Bud
Sometimes, you only need a fellow UX writer friend to get through the pain of dealing with stakeholders who think Lorem Ipsum is a valid content strategy.
Going paid with UX Writing Bud is like having a digital companion to commiserate with during those “rewrite everything in a more exciting way” requests while guiding you on how to do so.
11. Comfortable Ergonomic Chair
A great chair aids in maintaining good posture during long work hours, ensuring their physical well-being. Because a well-supported spine is crucial when carrying the weight of user experience on your shoulders. And remember, no matter how challenging it gets, keeping your head straight and high is essential for marching on with another iteration.
I recommend these three:
Zodiac Pro Office Chair by Green Soul
Smartgrid Onyx High-Back Chair by The Sleep Company
Back support for chair by HealthSense
The holidays are all about spreading joy, so let these gifts be your way of spreading love and appreciation for the UX writers and Content Designers in your life. May your thoughtful gestures light up their holiday season with joy and creativity.
Happy gifting!
P.S. I’d love to know what gifts you’ve received and kept (and the ones you secretly passed on). Spill the beans in the comments.