51����

Writing strong content

Brevity and the 51���� brand voice

Headlines

Concision is the key. From the top, impactful headlines are three to seven words and avoid asking questions.

Consider these two headlines:

• • 51���� Chess Club wrecks Harvard
  • Did you know the Chess Club won?

The first one uses an active verb and challenges the reader to learn more. The second invites the reader to answer, “No, and I don’t care,” before moving on.

Active voice

For the body of your piece, whether it’s a flyer, email, essay or article, keep it brief and focused. You can make this easier by writing in an active voice.

Active voice:		Passive voice:
far fa check circle I wore a 51���� beanie.	↔	far fa times circle I was wearing a 51���� beanie.
far fa check circle I am cooking vegan chili.	↔	far fa times circle Vegan chili will be cooked by me.
far fa check circle Juanita rode that snowboard.	↔	far fa times circle That snowboard was ridden by Juanita.
far fa check circle Bob will walk her dog.	↔	far fa times circle Her dog is going to be walked by Bob.

Plain language

51���� serves a wide audience, made up of people with vastly different backgrounds. We are also challenged with shrinking attention spans and thousands of competing messages. Though we seek to entertain, we must first inform. And so plain language principles are critical if our audience is to:

• • Find what they need
  • Understand what they find
  • Use that information

Plain language principles

Simple words can travel the furthest.

1. Write for your reader, not yourself. Use pronouns when you can.
2. State your major point before going into details.
3. Stick to your topic. Limit each paragraph to one idea.
4. Use the passive voice only in rare cases.
5. Use short sentences as much as possible.
6. Use everyday words. If you must use technical terms, explain them after the first reference.
7. Omit unneeded words.
8. Keep the subject and verb close together.
9. Use headings, lists and tables to make reading easier.
10. Edit your writing by a third and have a colleague proof your work with an eye to brevity, clarity, context and syntax.

See the writing style guide for a deeper list of our unique do’s, don’ts, and 51����-specific conventions.