Content Design & UX Writing
Hi, I’m Symantha—a creative producer and narrative strategist with 10+ years of experience translating complexity into clarity across games, tech, and digital storytelling.
I’ve written microcopy for AT&T’s user flows, revamped internal documentation systems at Microsoft, and led a full website redesign for a university writing conference. My background blends UX writing, content ops, and creative production—from managing live service pipelines at Halo Studios to editing in-game text for mobile RPGs.
Whether I’m collaborating with designers, aligning stakeholders, or restructuring an outdated site, I bring a user-focused mindset, a systems lens, and a love of storytelling to every project.
🟢 Open to freelance or full-time roles in content strategy, narrative operations, and UX leadership.
Content Design & UX Writing
This comprehensive design document demonstrates end-to-end product thinking, from identifying an underserved market opportunity to defining technical implementation strategies. The project combines user-centered design principles with realistic development planning and sustainable monetization approaches.
Associate Producer for Halo Infinite’s live service pipeline. Supported content delivery for seasonal and operational updates with a focus on narrative alignment, creative collaboration, and cross-team coordination.
Shaped user flows and content clarity for AT&T’s self-service login, billing, and troubleshooting pages—contributing to faster task completion and reduced support calls.
Redesigned a multi-page WordPress site to improve accessibility, navigation, and content clarity. Reduced attendee confusion and boosted engagement for an annual creative writing conference.
A simple, helpful tool for turning English text into its phonetic form using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). Whether you're learning a new language, preparing for a performance, or just curious about how words really sound, this app makes pronunciation more accessible.
This project involved designing and writing an internal documentation portal for StarDeck Systems, a fictional enterprise software company. The goal was to guide employees through complex software procurement and privacy compliance processes in a way that is clear, actionable, and aligned with legal and regulatory standards. Created with Figma
Video Games
NDA-safe mock production deck showcasing seasonal planning strategy and cross-functional leadership.
[Associate Producer] Led live ops production for Halo Infinite Seasons 4–12. Drove cross-team collaboration, implemented scalable tracking systems, and championed process improvements that boosted efficiency and visibility across the studio.
This case study explores how I provided developer-friendly cultural sensitivity feedback that elevated the character’s representation without disrupting the narrative team’s creative intent.
[Copyediting] Provided copyediting support for Destiny 2: Beyond Light. Ensured clarity, tone alignment, and polish across in-game content and related documentation.
[Lore Writing] Researched and wrote a lore entry on Cytoprethaline for Halo Waypoint, enriching the franchise’s backstory with immersive, in-universe content.
[Lore Writing] Authored an official entry on Hastati Squad for Halo Waypoint, contributing to the Halo universe’s faction lore and enhancing player immersion.
[Lore Writing] Provided a comprehensive lore article on Mars for Halo Waypoint, detailing its historical and narrative relevance in the Halo universe.
[Community Editorial] Compiled and edited the weekly Halo Channel update, summarizing new content for the player community and supporting consistent editorial voice.
[Community Editorial] Oversaw production and content planning for the June 5th update. Highlighted key community features, lore videos, and events across platforms.
[Community Editorial] Produced and published the June 19th Halo Channel update, curating videos, lore content, and developer features. Prioritized tone consistency and player engagement.
Game & Narrative Design
Designed a full D&D 5e homebrew druid subclass with unique predator archetypes, tailored spell access, and synergistic combat abilities. Balanced for play across tiers while preserving thematic identity rooted in ecological storytelling.
An interactive poem built in Google Forms to explore grief, intimacy, and cultural memory through branching second-person narration. Each choice deepens the reader’s experience, leading to multiple outcomes that reflect the nonlinear nature of processing loss. Published in PALABRITAS, a Latinx literary journal based at Harvard College.
An interactive fiction game that places the player in the role of someone experiencing an abusive relationship. Designed to evoke empathy through shifting tone and player agency, this narrative addresses themes of gaslighting, emotional trauma, and survival. 🕹 3rd place winner of the iThriveGames Empathy Jam 2017.
Writing in Tyria
[Community Editorial] Contracted as an independent writer for the official Guild Wars 2 blog. Wrote promotional copy highlighting the War-Torn Chest and Armistice Bastion Pass, balancing lore flavor with marketing clarity to engage players.
[Community Editorial] Authored this cosmetic spotlight for Guild Wars 2’s official site as an independent contractor. Framed the Wyvern Roost Scepter Skin within the game’s tone to excite community interest and drive in-game purchases.
[Community Editorial] Independent contract blog post for Guild Wars 2, showcasing the Defiant Glass cosmetic set. Emphasized visual storytelling and thematic flair while maintaining a consistent in-universe voice.
Written in-character for the Tyrian Gazette, a community-driven GW2 fan publication. This Wintersday feature makes a lore-based case for the mini red panda as a mental health-boosting adventuring companion.
Created for a Guild Wars 2-themed charity initiative officially sponsored by ArenaNet. I wrote upright and reversed card descriptions for a 78-card digital tarot deck, blending in-universe lore with traditional tarot symbolism to create immersive, meaningful interpretations. This project combined fantasy narrative design with intuitive writing, contributing to a one-of-a-kind deck designed for fans and tarot readers alike.
A 5,000-word short story written under the pen name Kora for a Guild Wars 2 fanzine, officially sponsored by ArenaNet. This bittersweet tale of grief and restoration was featured in the Wintersday Zine to benefit Save the Children.
A lore-rich, in-character article written as Kora Sangbrell, a member of the Durmand Priory, reflecting on climate and legacy in the world of Guild Wars 2. Published in GuildMag Annual 2017, which raised $500 for WWF through community efforts.
Written in-character as Durmand Priory scholar Kora Sangbrell, this lore-based letter reflects on the events of the Guild Wars 2 Living Story. Published in GuildMag Annual 2018, which raised funds in support of World Child Cancer.
A lore-focused deep dive into the Parables of the Gods from Guild Wars 2, written under the pen name Kora. This analytical piece explores spiritual symbolism and myth within the game’s world. Published in GuildMag, the longest-running GW2 fan magazine.
A cozy holiday short story written for the Guild Wars 2 community zine Chimes (Winter 2017). Part of a fan-led charity project, this piece celebrates warmth, magic, and found family during Wintersday.
A short story set during the events of Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns, inspired by the in-game song of the same name. Written for the GuildLores fan project, this piece explores memory, grief, and legacy through original characters grounded in Tyria’s lore.
Essays & Educational Writing
Wrote and edited workbook content for a beginner-level voiceover class. Included custom script copy with intentional text errors to help students learn to identify and correct mistakes during voice sessions.
Analyzed religious themes and mythic structures in the Halo franchise. Explored how deep lore and narrative design elevate Halo beyond gameplay into cultural and artistic significance. Submitted as part of a PhD program application in the humanities.
Localization & Editing
Edited and localized English text for Immortalis, a fantasy battle card game originally developed in Japan. Ensured clarity, tone, and cultural accuracy while preserving worldbuilding and mythic themes.
Localized creature descriptions, gameplay tutorials, and quest dialogue for Monster’s Paradise, a monster-collection mobile game. Balanced humor and clarity while maintaining fidelity to the original content.
Worked as part of the localization team for Pirate Maidens, adapting Japanese storylines, dialogue, and item descriptions for English-speaking audiences. Prioritized charm, readability, and character voice.
Wrote quest dialogue for Shipwrecked, a mobile sim-adventure game by Kiwi, Inc. Created short character lines to introduce and conclude each step of simple 10-part quests, aligning pre-set requirements and rewards with a light narrative context to enhance player immersion.
Adapted dialogue, item names, and UI elements for Magimon, a mobile RPG. Collaborated with translators to ensure localization was accurate, engaging, and aligned with Western gaming conventions.
Fiction & Poetry
Two poems (written under the pen name Symantha Vega) exploring themes of return, identity, and generational silence, published in I, Enheduanna, a zine dedicated to uplifting feminine and non-binary voices during the isolation of the Covid-19 pandemic. These pieces were accepted before I joined the editorial advisory board.
A sensual, dreamlike poem about desire, transformation, and the ecstasy of spring’s arrival. Originally published by the Science Fiction & Fantasy Poetry Association (SFPA), an international community of speculative poets.
A speculative survival poem passed down like myth and warning. Part science, part metaphor, it explores adaptation, intergenerational trauma, and the unspoken rules of survival in a hostile world. Published in Strange Horizons. “The first trick is to make yourself small / So small you’re not even a shadow of your former self.”
A haunting meditation on memory, silence, and hidden damage—told through the image of a doll kept in a hope chest. This poem blends domestic imagery with generational grief. Published in The Literary Hatchet, a journal for dark and psychological writing. “The cracks hidden by her flawless face / cut deeper than skin is thick.”
A surreal coming-of-age short story about identity, perception, and the pull of something ancient beneath the waves. This piece earned 2nd place in Seton Hill University’s 2nd Annual Science Fiction & Fantasy Dinner Contest—an unofficial, mentor-judged event hosted within the Writing Popular Fiction MFA program.