| name | spoonie-copywriter |
| description | Write empathetic, energy-conscious copy for chronic illness (Spoonie) users. Use for all UI text, onboarding flows, notifications, error messages, and marketing copy in the Clue Symptom Tracker. Applies "Language of Care" principles - validation over instruction, permission over restriction, neutral language over judgment. Essential when writing for users with brain fog, fatigue, or anxiety. |
| license | Complete terms in LICENSE.txt |
Spoonie Copywriter
This skill guides writing empathetic, energy-conscious copy for the Clue Symptom Tracker. The target audience is "Spoonies" - people with chronic, energy-limiting conditions (ME/CFS, Fibromyalgia, POTS, Long COVID, etc.) who have limited cognitive and physical reserves.
Core Philosophy: The "Compassionate Analyst"
The app persona is a Compassionate Analyst - warm and understanding, but also capable and trustworthy. It does not act as a taskmaster. It avoids toxic positivity and gamification that induces guilt. Instead, it adopts Radical Validation - recognizing that a gap in data is often data itself (the user was "wiped").
Five Core Principles
1. Reduce Cognitive Load
Brain fog makes processing information exhausting. Every word must earn its place.
| ❌ Avoid | ✅ Use |
|---|
| "Please take a moment to log your symptoms when you have a chance" | "Quick check-in?" |
| "We noticed you haven't logged in 3 days" | "Welcome back. Ready to log?" |
| "Select all applicable symptoms from the comprehensive list below" | "What's bothering you most?" |
Guidelines:
- Use simple, direct language
- Break complex requests into small steps
- One question per screen
- 30-second max for any check-in
2. Validate, Don't Dismiss
Users have been told "it's all in your head" by doctors. Every interaction must signal: we believe you.
| ❌ Avoid | ✅ Use |
|---|
| "Try to stay positive!" | "That sounds incredibly challenging." |
| "Most people feel better after..." | "Your experience is valid." |
| "It's probably just..." | "I hear you." |
Guidelines:
- Acknowledge difficulty explicitly
- Reference their own words and data
- Never minimize or reframe their experience
- Use phrases: "I hear you", "That's tough", "Makes sense"
3. Permission, Not Restriction
Language should empower choice, not impose limitations. Users already feel restricted by their conditions.
| ❌ Avoid | ✅ Use |
|---|
| "You should rest" | "Rest might help today" |
| "You need to track this" | "You might want to note this" |
| "You must take your medication" | "Medication reminder (when you're ready)" |
| "Stop overdoing it" | "Your body might be asking for a break" |
Guidelines:
- Frame as suggestions, not commands
- Use "might", "could", "when you're ready"
- Treat recommendations as experiments
- Daily Push/Rest indicator = permission, not restriction
4. Neutral, Not Judgmental
The app must never make users feel worse about bad days.
| ❌ Avoid | ✅ Use |
|---|
| "Bad day" | "High intensity day" |
| "Awful" | "Challenging" |
| "You only logged 2 days this week" | "You logged 2 days this week" |
| Pain: 😢 | Pain: ● (neutral indicator) |
| "Streak broken!" | (no mention of streaks) |
Guidelines:
- Never use sad face emojis for high pain
- No color-coded judgment (red = bad)
- No streak gamification
- Intensity scales, not good/bad scales
- 6/10 might be a victory for chronic pain - don't assume
5. Personalize for Connection
Generic messages feel cold. Reference their specific context.
| ❌ Avoid | ✅ Use |
|---|
| "Track your symptoms" | "How's the fatigue today, Sarah?" |
| "You logged data" | "You logged 3 days in a row - nice work" |
| "Check your insights" | "Your sleep patterns are ready to explore" |
Guidelines:
- Use their name when appropriate
- Reference their selected focus/condition
- Connect to their stated goals
- Personalize based on Q1/Q2 onboarding answers
Specific Copy Patterns
Check-in Prompts
Morning:
- "Good morning. How did you sleep?"
- "Ready for a quick check-in?"
Low energy detected:
- "Take it easy today?"
- "Minimal logging mode?"
Returning after gap:
- "Welcome back. No pressure - just glad you're here."
- "We're here when you're ready."
Flare Mode Messages
Entering flare:
- "Got it. Rest up."
- "Logging basics only. Rest is the priority."
- "I've noted a tough day. Details can wait."
Post-flare return:
- "Hope you're feeling a bit better."
- "Ready to fill in any gaps? (Or skip, that's fine too)"
Insight Delivery
Pattern found:
- "Noticed something: your migraines often follow poor sleep by 48 hours."
- "Your fatigue tends to spike on days after high activity."
Correlation detected:
- "When you logged 'stress', your pain was 40% higher the next day."
- "Weather changes and your symptoms seem connected."
No pattern yet:
- "Still learning your patterns. Keep logging when you can."
- "Need more data to spot trends - no rush."
Error/Empty States
No data:
- "Nothing here yet. Start with a quick check-in?"
- "Your insights will appear once we have a few days of data."
Connection error:
- "Couldn't save that one. It's stored locally - we'll sync when we can."
- "Offline mode active. Everything's safe."
Missing required field:
- "One more thing before we save..."
- "Just need [field] to continue"
Doctor Pack Messages
Export ready:
- "Your report is ready. Show your doctor what your days really look like."
- "Structured for clinicians - your experience, their language."
Encouraging export:
- "This isn't just a log - it's evidence they can't dismiss."
- "Turn your daily experience into data doctors take seriously."
Anti-Patterns (NEVER Use)
Guilt-Inducing
- ❌ "You broke your streak!"
- ❌ "You haven't logged in X days"
- ❌ "Don't forget to..."
- ❌ "You should really..."
Toxic Positivity
- ❌ "Stay positive!"
- ❌ "Every day is a fresh start!"
- ❌ "You've got this!"
- ❌ "Mind over matter"
Medical Minimization
- ❌ "It's probably nothing"
- ❌ "Try not to worry"
- ❌ "Most people with X feel better when..."
- ❌ "It's just anxiety"
Clinical Coldness
- ❌ "Submit symptom log"
- ❌ "Data entry required"
- ❌ "Symptom severity: [1-10]"
- ❌ "Patient reported outcome"
Gamification
- ❌ Streaks
- ❌ Points
- ❌ Leaderboards
- ❌ Achievements/badges for logging
The "Traffic Light" Tone Guide
Adapt tone based on user's apparent energy state:
🟢 Green (Good Day)
User seems energetic, engaged. Can use slightly longer copy, offer more options.
- "Want to explore your patterns? We found something interesting."
- "Good time for a detailed check-in?"
🟡 Yellow (Moderate)
User shows fatigue signs. Simplify, shorten.
- "Quick check-in?"
- "Just the basics today?"
🔴 Red (Flare/Crisis)
User is struggling. Minimal words, maximum support.
- "Got it."
- "Rest up."
- "We're here."
Onboarding Copy Guidelines
Q1-Q4 onboarding uses conversational, empathetic tone:
Q1 (Primary Concern)
- Lead with "What's been the hardest to manage lately?"
- Options describe lived experience, not clinical terms
- Example: "Fatigue that won't quit" not "Chronic fatigue syndrome"
Q2 (Specific Focus)
- Mirror their selection back empathetically
- "What do you hope to figure out about your fatigue?"
- Options should feel like they came from the community
Q3 (Baseline)
- Frame as establishing "where you're starting from"
- Use gentle widget language: "Where is your battery level right now?"
- Never clinical: avoid "rate your symptom severity"
Q4 (Value Prop)
- Show immediate value: "We've captured your baseline."
- Promise specific insight: "Give us 3 days, we'll spot the crash before it hits."
- CTA: "Sign in to save your today"
Quick Reference: Word Swaps
| Clinical/Cold | Warm/Human |
|---|
| Symptom severity | How intense |
| Log your data | Quick check-in |
| Submit | Save |
| Patient | You |
| Chronic illness | What you're managing |
| Compliance | Consistency |
| Baseline assessment | Starting point |
| Track | Note / Capture |
| Analyze | Understand |
| Data visualization | Your patterns |
