Lunari: Mood & Journal Tracker

Writing language that invites reflection without pressure

Snapshot

Product: Lunari
Platform: iOS
Role: Founder & Product Writer

Focus: Prompt language, empty states, return messaging, emotional tone system. Lunari is a reflective journaling app designed to help users check in with themselves without feeling judged, rushed, or evaluated. As the product writer, I focused on how language could create a sense of permission... to write, to pause, or to do nothing at all.

The challenge wasn’t encouraging daily use. It was earning trust.

The Problem

Many journaling apps unintentionally create pressure.
Streaks, goal-oriented prompts, and “daily check-ins” can turn reflection into another task users feel they’re failing at.
Early iterations of Lunari risked doing the same. Even well-intentioned language like “How are you feeling today?” or “Don’t break your streak” subtly implied expectation. For users already feeling overwhelmed, those words could become a reason not to return.
The core problem was not engagement... it was emotional friction.

Design Constraints

Before writing new copy, I defined a clear set of language constraints:

No guilt-based or loss-framed language
No implied obligation to write every day
Copy must feel supportive even when users choose not to engage
Prompts should be open-ended, not interrogative
Tone must avoid clinical, therapeutic, or productivity framing

These constraints guided every writing decision and helped maintain consistency as the product evolved.

Writing Exploration

I explored how subtle shifts in wording could change the emotional weight of the experience.

Prompt Language Explored options:

❌ “What’s been on your mind lately?”
Feels evaluative, like a check-in
❌ “What emotions are you experiencing?”
Too clinical and abstract
✅ “How are you feeling today?”
Open, conversational, optional

The goal was to invite reflection without asking for performance.

Empty States

Empty states were especially important — these are moments where users might already feel blocked or unsure what to say.

Explored options:

❌ “Nothing written yet”
Feels like absence or failure
❌ “Start your first entry”
Creates pressure to act
✅ “It’s okay to leave this blank.”
Explicit permission

This language reframed inactivity as a valid choice rather than a missed opportunity.

Return Messaging

Instead of reminders that implied neglect, return language was written to feel gentle and non-judgmental.

Avoided framing:

“You haven’t written in a while”
“Come back to keep your streak”

Used framing:

“Whenever you’re ready, this space is here.”
“You don’t have to write today.”
OR... Just breathe today, that's enough

The intention was to remove urgency and let curiosity lead.

Final Copy in Context

Across the app, language works quietly in the background:

Prompts feel like invitations, not questions
Empty states reassure rather than prompt action
Return moments acknowledge absence without commentary
Silence is treated as a valid interaction

Rather than motivating users to do more, the copy makes it easier to simply be.

Outcome & Learning

Designing Lunari reinforced how easily language can introduce pressure; even when the product’s goal is care and reflection.

By removing obligation and softening tone, Lunari’s writing system helped establish trust. That trust became the foundation for future features, ensuring new functionality never contradicted the app’s emotional core.

This project sharpened my belief that good product writing isn’t about saying more; it’s about knowing what not to say.

What This Demonstrates

Writing for emotional safety and trust
Restraint in tone and language
Comfort designing for moments of non-action
A system-level approach to product voice