Iain Broome
@iainbroome.com
Freelance content designer currently working with Public Digital. Author of the novel, A is for Angelica. Sender of newsletters. 💌
Freelance work: verymeta.com
Fiction: iainbroome.com
Plain English newsletter: plainenglish.club
Freelance work: verymeta.com
Fiction: iainbroome.com
Plain English newsletter: plainenglish.club
Reposted by Iain Broome
The true pleasure of Bluesky.
"When I look around, I see people who often took a big professional risk because they would not comply. In many cases, they had profiles they had built up for years. They let it go. They did this because they refused to extinguish their moral character."
"When I look around, I see people who often took a big professional risk because they would not comply. In many cases, they had profiles they had built up for years. They let it go. They did this because they refused to extinguish their moral character."
Thank God for Bluesky: A little love letter to the people who would not compromise with Nazis iandunt.substack.com/p/thank-god-...
Thank God for Bluesky
Yes, it's eager. Yes, it's censorious. But it has the very considerable advantage of not being fascist.
iandunt.substack.com
December 5, 2025 at 1:25 PM
The true pleasure of Bluesky.
"When I look around, I see people who often took a big professional risk because they would not comply. In many cases, they had profiles they had built up for years. They let it go. They did this because they refused to extinguish their moral character."
"When I look around, I see people who often took a big professional risk because they would not comply. In many cases, they had profiles they had built up for years. They let it go. They did this because they refused to extinguish their moral character."
Bagged my copy.
So I’ve channelled all my angst (and a lot of spare time, thanks to a slow Q4) into writing a zine about this. It's called Spite House: AI, disintermediation and the end of the free web.
December 4, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Bagged my copy.
New tool from for managing your projects from 37 Signals. Kanban but without all the enormous guff you get with Jira and, these days, Trello. 👀 www.fizzy.do
Fizzy
A refreshing take on cards, columns, and kanban.
www.fizzy.do
December 3, 2025 at 7:52 PM
New tool from for managing your projects from 37 Signals. Kanban but without all the enormous guff you get with Jira and, these days, Trello. 👀 www.fizzy.do
Currently reading L.A. Baby by the marvellous Tim Key and it is, as you might expect, very funny. But also moving and thought-provoking and yes, daft. www.utterandpress.co.uk/products/l-a...
L.A. BABY!
Key jetted off to Los Angeles in the fall of 2024 and stayed sane by writing poems and talking to Emily Juniper on the phone. She then did the honourable thing and designed this stuff, lovingly fillin...
www.utterandpress.co.uk
December 3, 2025 at 7:32 PM
Currently reading L.A. Baby by the marvellous Tim Key and it is, as you might expect, very funny. But also moving and thought-provoking and yes, daft. www.utterandpress.co.uk/products/l-a...
Reposted by Iain Broome
I love the remix of Radiohead’s Everything In Its Right Place in the midst of Kelly Lee Owens’ Boiler Room set (~33:50 mark). Had me chair dancing this AM! [soundcloud.com]
December 3, 2025 at 7:16 PM
I love the remix of Radiohead’s Everything In Its Right Place in the midst of Kelly Lee Owens’ Boiler Room set (~33:50 mark). Had me chair dancing this AM! [soundcloud.com]
Am I the only person in the world who still uses an RSS reader to follow blogs and whatnot?
December 2, 2025 at 9:22 PM
Am I the only person in the world who still uses an RSS reader to follow blogs and whatnot?
Reposted by Iain Broome
“Art is valuable precisely because it is not easy to create. We are interested in art, in any and all of its forms, because humans made it. That’s the very thing that makes it interesting; the who, the how, and especially the why.” [joshcollinsworth.com]
Alchemy
Some thoughts on attempts to create gold out of nothing, and how generative AI, in many ways, mirrors that doomed pursuit
joshcollinsworth.com
November 26, 2025 at 7:42 PM
“Art is valuable precisely because it is not easy to create. We are interested in art, in any and all of its forms, because humans made it. That’s the very thing that makes it interesting; the who, the how, and especially the why.” [joshcollinsworth.com]
Reposted by Iain Broome
Almost a year now since I received this absolutely classic burn from the Canadian government.
November 21, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Almost a year now since I received this absolutely classic burn from the Canadian government.
His excellency @gazaston.com shared this by @capwatkins.com with me earlier this year. I have found it a tremendous help in negotiating tricky conversations at work and... with the kids?
capwatkins.com/blog/the-sli...
capwatkins.com/blog/the-sli...
Cap Watkins – The Sliding Scale of Giving a Fuck
capwatkins.com
November 23, 2025 at 12:25 PM
His excellency @gazaston.com shared this by @capwatkins.com with me earlier this year. I have found it a tremendous help in negotiating tricky conversations at work and... with the kids?
capwatkins.com/blog/the-sli...
capwatkins.com/blog/the-sli...
With new technology and AI changing industries all over the place, to keep with the times I’m thinking about turning Plain English Club into not just a newsletter, but also a… blog. Like, primarily a linkblog? As if it were 2005 again?
November 21, 2025 at 4:52 PM
With new technology and AI changing industries all over the place, to keep with the times I’m thinking about turning Plain English Club into not just a newsletter, but also a… blog. Like, primarily a linkblog? As if it were 2005 again?
Latest Plain English Club newsletter features:
– specialised language
– writing online content by @sheltercharity.bsky.social
– designing for people on the autism spectrum
– designing user-centred AI labels
Also, @cjforms.bsky.social on not using 'reading age' when talking about adults.
– specialised language
– writing online content by @sheltercharity.bsky.social
– designing for people on the autism spectrum
– designing user-centred AI labels
Also, @cjforms.bsky.social on not using 'reading age' when talking about adults.
Specialised language
Designing for people with autism, using specialised language, not 'owning' the words, and some AI label testing.
www.plainenglish.club
November 17, 2025 at 10:51 PM
Latest Plain English Club newsletter features:
– specialised language
– writing online content by @sheltercharity.bsky.social
– designing for people on the autism spectrum
– designing user-centred AI labels
Also, @cjforms.bsky.social on not using 'reading age' when talking about adults.
– specialised language
– writing online content by @sheltercharity.bsky.social
– designing for people on the autism spectrum
– designing user-centred AI labels
Also, @cjforms.bsky.social on not using 'reading age' when talking about adults.
I send a new edition of the Plain English Club newsletter late on Friday afternoon, the absolutely worst time to send an essentially work-related newsletter. Indeed, it has been a while since I worked in marketing and comms.
www.plainenglish.club/specialised-...
www.plainenglish.club/specialised-...
November 15, 2025 at 1:13 PM
I send a new edition of the Plain English Club newsletter late on Friday afternoon, the absolutely worst time to send an essentially work-related newsletter. Indeed, it has been a while since I worked in marketing and comms.
www.plainenglish.club/specialised-...
www.plainenglish.club/specialised-...
Reposted by Iain Broome
SUPERB and angrily unvarnished response, by former BBC chairman, Lord Patten.
"I don't think that we should allow ourselves to be bullied into thinking that the BBC is only any good, if it reflects the prejudice of the last person who shouted at it." ~AA
"I don't think that we should allow ourselves to be bullied into thinking that the BBC is only any good, if it reflects the prejudice of the last person who shouted at it." ~AA
November 10, 2025 at 6:40 PM
SUPERB and angrily unvarnished response, by former BBC chairman, Lord Patten.
"I don't think that we should allow ourselves to be bullied into thinking that the BBC is only any good, if it reflects the prejudice of the last person who shouted at it." ~AA
"I don't think that we should allow ourselves to be bullied into thinking that the BBC is only any good, if it reflects the prejudice of the last person who shouted at it." ~AA
I am one of these professionals. 👋
My #UCD Freelancers Directory is taking applications for 2026! We're now 60 professionals, come join us?
Freelancers with 2 years+ UCD experience:
• Apply by 31 Dec 2025.
• Check on 15 Jan 2026 for your listing, email any edits.
• Pay £20 annual subs by Ko-fi or PayPal.
#UCDD #GetListed #Digital
Freelancers with 2 years+ UCD experience:
• Apply by 31 Dec 2025.
• Check on 15 Jan 2026 for your listing, email any edits.
• Pay £20 annual subs by Ko-fi or PayPal.
#UCDD #GetListed #Digital
Cake Design Studio | UCD freelancers directory
Find skilled, experienced user-centred design professionals for contract and project work or by other arrangement, including workshops and training.
cakeconsultancy.com
November 7, 2025 at 12:56 PM
I am one of these professionals. 👋
Reposted by Iain Broome
New favourite example of structural ambiguity
November 5, 2025 at 4:54 AM
New favourite example of structural ambiguity
Reposted by Iain Broome
The BBC's Accessibility Guide has several resources, including step-by-step instructions to using assistive technologies. The resource includes insight into several assistive technologies, including VoiceOver, JAWS, NVDA, TalkBack, ClaroRead, and Dragon.
bbc.github.io/accessibilit...
bbc.github.io/accessibilit...
Testing with assistive technology - Accessibility, Your Team and You
Team guide - Testing with assistive technology. What, when and how to test with AT.
bbc.github.io
November 4, 2025 at 8:55 AM
The BBC's Accessibility Guide has several resources, including step-by-step instructions to using assistive technologies. The resource includes insight into several assistive technologies, including VoiceOver, JAWS, NVDA, TalkBack, ClaroRead, and Dragon.
bbc.github.io/accessibilit...
bbc.github.io/accessibilit...
Completely forgot that I made a list of content designers you can follow when I first signed up to Bluesky. Here they are look. Absolute word nerds, the lot of them.
go.bsky.app/7Pm7ERf
go.bsky.app/7Pm7ERf
November 3, 2025 at 11:13 PM
Completely forgot that I made a list of content designers you can follow when I first signed up to Bluesky. Here they are look. Absolute word nerds, the lot of them.
go.bsky.app/7Pm7ERf
go.bsky.app/7Pm7ERf
Pleased to announce that the most popular link in last week's Plain English Club newsletter was this EXCITING list of words to avoid from the Office for National Statistics style guide. Wild time in content world.
service-manual.ons.gov.uk/content/lang...
service-manual.ons.gov.uk/content/lang...
Words and phrases: Words not to use – Content style guide – Service manual – Office for National Statistics
What words and phrases to avoid to ensure clear, concise and accessible language.
service-manual.ons.gov.uk
November 3, 2025 at 11:07 PM
Pleased to announce that the most popular link in last week's Plain English Club newsletter was this EXCITING list of words to avoid from the Office for National Statistics style guide. Wild time in content world.
service-manual.ons.gov.uk/content/lang...
service-manual.ons.gov.uk/content/lang...
I sent a new edition of the Plain English Club newsletter this week. It features:
– all things user stories > @curiousscutter.bsky.social
– content portfolios > Emily Wachowiak
– trauma-informed content > @traumainformedcontent.com
– content design and AI > Danielle Mclune
Plus other goodies. 💌
– all things user stories > @curiousscutter.bsky.social
– content portfolios > Emily Wachowiak
– trauma-informed content > @traumainformedcontent.com
– content design and AI > Danielle Mclune
Plus other goodies. 💌
Some actual evidence
User stories, content portfolios, words to avoid, navigating AI and a post on trauma-informed content design.
www.plainenglish.club
November 2, 2025 at 8:55 AM
I sent a new edition of the Plain English Club newsletter this week. It features:
– all things user stories > @curiousscutter.bsky.social
– content portfolios > Emily Wachowiak
– trauma-informed content > @traumainformedcontent.com
– content design and AI > Danielle Mclune
Plus other goodies. 💌
– all things user stories > @curiousscutter.bsky.social
– content portfolios > Emily Wachowiak
– trauma-informed content > @traumainformedcontent.com
– content design and AI > Danielle Mclune
Plus other goodies. 💌
I've spent more than a year working on a project that I can't really talk about yet. But I did just add some other work I recently did for @the-wildlifetrusts.bsky.social to my content design one-page portfolio. verymeta.com
Very Meta – Iain Broome's freelance content design studio
Very Meta is the content design and copywriting studio of Sheffield-based freelance content designer, Iain Broome.
verymeta.com
October 27, 2025 at 9:07 PM
I've spent more than a year working on a project that I can't really talk about yet. But I did just add some other work I recently did for @the-wildlifetrusts.bsky.social to my content design one-page portfolio. verymeta.com
Much-needed couple of hours in the hills for a bit of a fresh air. Very lucky to have all this on our doorstep. (Houndkirk > Burbage > Long Causeway for fellow Sheffield folk.)
October 26, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Much-needed couple of hours in the hills for a bit of a fresh air. Very lucky to have all this on our doorstep. (Houndkirk > Burbage > Long Causeway for fellow Sheffield folk.)
Noticing all the content design bods doing content design talks at the Button conference. I've done enough noteworthy *things* on enough noteworthy *projects* over the last few years that I should probably apply to become a content design bod doing a content design talk at the Button conference.
October 24, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Noticing all the content design bods doing content design talks at the Button conference. I've done enough noteworthy *things* on enough noteworthy *projects* over the last few years that I should probably apply to become a content design bod doing a content design talk at the Button conference.
Hosted the 14th edition of Sheffield Novel Slam last night. It's always a great event and we had loads of talented writers doing their thing, despite the actual terror of having your writing judged live on stage. I took no pictures.
October 18, 2025 at 11:07 AM
Hosted the 14th edition of Sheffield Novel Slam last night. It's always a great event and we had loads of talented writers doing their thing, despite the actual terror of having your writing judged live on stage. I took no pictures.
Last day of producing a daily podcast for the Trans Pyrenees Race today. Very much love playing a small role in this mad community I've found myself a part of. The people who do these races are both bonkers and brilliant. Just a few more dots likely to arrive in San Sebastien tonight.
#TPRNo5 | Lost Dot
www.lostdot.cc
October 11, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Last day of producing a daily podcast for the Trans Pyrenees Race today. Very much love playing a small role in this mad community I've found myself a part of. The people who do these races are both bonkers and brilliant. Just a few more dots likely to arrive in San Sebastien tonight.
My most pet of peeves.
Hey, if you’re embedding a link on a webpage or in an email or in a document (so, anywhere), make the link longer than one word. “Click here for more information” should be hyperlinked — not just the word “here.” This works better for people with small screens, low vision, or imprecise hands.
October 10, 2025 at 4:13 PM
My most pet of peeves.