Post on 02-Jul-2015
description
NICE + TIDY FOR THE INTERWEBS… I'M SERIOUS
HOW TO WRITE GOOD
@visakanv
Talk To Your User Like You're A Newspaper Editor
Use a tone that’s informal and friendly, but not too
familiar. You want to avoid being stilted or too formal, but
you don’t want to risk sounding falsely jovial or
patronizing. Remember that users are likely to read the
text in your UI many times, and what might seem clever at
first can become irritating when repeated.
"Think like a newspaper editor, and watch out for
redundant or unnecessary words. When your UI text is
short and direct, users can absorb it quickly and easily.
Identify the most important information, express it
concisely, and display it prominently so that people don’t
have to read too many words to find what they’re looking
for or to figure out what to do next."
Talk To Your User Like You're A Newspaper Editor
Use a tone that’s informal and friendly, but not too
familiar. You want to avoid being stilted or too formal, but
you don’t want to risk sounding falsely jovial or
patronizing. Remember that users are likely to read the
text in your UI many times, and what might seem clever at
first can become irritating when repeated.
"Think like a newspaper editor, and watch out for
redundant or unnecessary words. When your UI text is
short and direct, users can absorb it quickly and easily.
Identify the most important information, express it
concisely, and display it prominently so that people don’t
have to read too many words to find what they’re looking
for or to figure out what to do next."
Talk To Your User Like You're A Newspaper Editor
Use a tone that’s informal and friendly, but not too
familiar. You want to avoid being stilted or too formal, but
you don’t want to risk sounding falsely jovial or
patronizing. Remember that users are likely to read the
text in your UI many times, and what might seem clever at
first can become irritating when repeated.
"Think like a newspaper editor, and watch out for
redundant or unnecessary words. When your UI text is
short and direct, users can absorb it quickly and easily.
Identify the most important information, express it
concisely, and display it prominently so that people don’t
have to read too many words to find what they’re looking
for or to figure out what to do next."
Good advice… what if you applied it to itself?
ayyyyy.caramba.so manyredundant words
Talk To Your User Like You're A Newspaper Editor
Use a tone that’s informal and friendly, but not too
familiar. You want to avoid being stilted or too formal, but
you don’t want to risk sounding falsely jovial or
patronizing. Remember that users are likely to read the
text in your UI many times, and what might seem clever at
first can become irritating when repeated.
"Think like a newspaper editor, and watch out for
redundant or unnecessary words. When your UI text is
short and direct, users can absorb it quickly and easily.
Identify the most important information, express it
concisely, and display it prominently so that people don’t
have to read too many words to find what they’re looking
for or to figure out what to do next."
Talk To Your User Like You're A Newspaper Editor
Use a tone that’s informal and friendly, but not too
familiar. You want to avoid being stilted or too formal, but
you don’t want to risk sounding falsely jovial or
patronizing. Remember that users are likely to read the
text in your UI many times, and what might seem clever at
first can become irritating when repeated.
"Think like a newspaper editor, and watch out for
redundant or unnecessary words. When your UI text is
short and direct, users can absorb it quickly and easily.
Identify the most important information, express it
concisely, and display it prominently so that people don’t
have to read too many words to find what they’re looking
for or to figure out what to do next."
let's kill some.
Talk To Your User Like You're A Newspaper Editor
Use a tone that’s friendly, but not too familiar. You want to
avoid being too formal, but you don’t want to risk
sounding fake or patronizing. Remember that users are
likely to read the text in your UI many times, and what
might seem clever at first can become irritating when
repeated.
"Think like a newspaper editor, and watch out for
redundant words. When your UI text is direct, users can
absorb it quickly. Identify the most important information,
express it concisely, and display it prominently so that
people don’t have to read too many words to find what
they’re looking for.
that's better.
Talk To Your User Like You're A Newspaper Editor
Use a tone that’s friendly, but not too familiar. You want to
avoid being too formal, but you don’t want to risk
sounding fake or patronizing. Remember that users are
likely to read the text in your UI many times, and what
might seem clever at first can become irritating when
repeated.
"Think like a newspaper editor, and watch out for
redundant words. When your UI text is direct, users can
absorb it quickly. Identify the most important information,
express it concisely, and display it prominently so that
people don’t have to read too many words to find what
they’re looking for.
so many commas…let's kill some too!
Talk To Your User Like You're A Newspaper Editor
Use a tone that’s friendly, but not too familiar. You want to
avoid being too formal, but you don’t want to risk
sounding fake or patronizing. Remember that users are
likely to read the text in your UI many times, and what
might seem clever at first can become irritating when
repeated.
"Think like a newspaper editor, and watch out for
redundant words. When your UI text is direct, users can
absorb it quickly. Identify the most important information,
express it concisely, and display it prominently so that
people don’t have to read too many words to find what
they’re looking for.
so many commas…let's kill some too!
also, repeated point
Talk To Your User Like You're A Newspaper Editor
Be friendly but not patronizing. Remember that users are
likely to read the text in your UI many times, and what
might seem clever at first can become irritating when
repeated.
"Think like a newspaper editor, and watch out for
redundant words. When your UI text is direct, users can
absorb it quickly. Identify the most important information,
express it concisely, and display it prominently so that
people don’t have to read too many words to find what
they’re looking for.
ahh.
Talk To Your User Like You're A Newspaper Editor
Be friendly but not patronizing. Remember that users are
likely to read the text in your UI many times, and what
might seem clever at first can become irritating when
repeated.
"Think like a newspaper editor, and watch out for
redundant words. When your UI text is direct, users can
absorb it quickly. Identify the most important information,
express it concisely, and display it prominently so that
people don’t have to read too many words to find what
they’re looking for.
minor gripe: "are likely to" is such an 'ugly' phrase…
(by ugly I mean it brings up complexity that is irrelevant to the point being made.)
Talk To Your User Like You're A Newspaper Editor
Be friendly but not patronizing. Remember that users will
read the text in your UI many times, and what might seem
clever at first can become irritating when repeated.
"Think like a newspaper editor, and watch out for
redundant words. When your UI text is direct, users can
absorb it quickly. Identify the most important information,
express it concisely, and display it prominently so that
people don’t have to read too many words to find what
they’re looking for.
Talk To Your User Like You're A Newspaper Editor
Be friendly but not patronizing. Remember that users will
read the text in your UI many times, and what might seem
clever at first can become irritating when repeated.
"Think like a newspaper editor, and watch out for
redundant words. When your UI text is direct, users can
absorb it quickly. Identify the most important information,
express it concisely, and display it prominently so that
people don’t have to read too many words to find what
they’re looking for.
many times… when repeated
Talk To Your User Like You're A Newspaper Editor
Be friendly but not patronizing. Remember, what seems
clever at first can be irritating when read for the
umpteenth time.
"Think like a newspaper editor, and watch out for
redundant words. When your UI text is direct, users can
absorb it quickly. Identify the most important information,
express it concisely, and display it prominently so that
people don’t have to read too many words to find what
they’re looking for.
better.
Talk To Your User Like You're A Newspaper Editor
Be friendly but not patronizing. Remember, what seems
clever at first can be irritating when read for the
umpteenth time.
"Think like a newspaper editor, and watch out for
redundant words. When your UI text is direct, users can
absorb it quickly. Identify the most important information,
express it concisely, and display it prominently so that
people don’t have to read too many words to find what
they’re looking for.
Unnecessary complexity alert!
1: When you X, users can Y.
2: Do X, so that people don't have to not-Y.
Two things saying the same thing, differently.
Let's kill one.
Talk To Your User Like You're A Newspaper Editor
Be friendly but not patronizing. Remember, what seems
clever at first can be irritating when read for the
umpteenth time.
"Think like a newspaper editor, and watch out for
redundant words. Identify the most important information,
express it concisely, and display it prominently so that
people don’t have to read too many words to find what
they’re looking for.
Better.
Talk To Your User Like You're A Newspaper Editor
Be friendly but not patronizing. Remember, what seems
clever at first can be irritating when read for the
umpteenth time.
"Think like a newspaper editor, and watch out for
redundant words. Identify the most important information,
express it concisely, and display it prominently so that
people don’t have to read too many words to find what
they’re looking for.
"Don't have to X to do Y..."
Ew, negatives suck. Flip it.
Talk To Your User Like You're A Newspaper Editor
Be friendly but not patronizing. Remember, what seems
clever at first can be irritating when read for the
umpteenth time.
"Think like a newspaper editor, and watch out for
redundant words. Identify the most important information,
express it concisely, and display it prominently so that
people can quickly find what they need.
sweet.
Talk To Your User Like You're A Newspaper Editor
Be friendly but not patronizing. Remember, what seems
clever at first can be irritating when read for the
umpteenth time.
"Think like a newspaper editor, and watch out for
redundant words. Identify the most important information,
express it concisely, and display it prominently so that
people can quickly find what they need.
Always make it personal.
Talk To Your User Like You're A Newspaper Editor
Be friendly but not patronizing. Remember, what seems
clever at first can be irritating when read for the
umpteenth time.
"Think like a newspaper editor, and watch out for
redundant words. Identify the most important information,
express it concisely, and display it prominently so that
your users can quickly find what they need.
nice.
Talk To Your User Like You're A Newspaper Editor
Be friendly but not patronizing. Remember, what seems
clever at first can be irritating when read for the
umpteenth time.
"Think like a newspaper editor, and watch out for
redundant words. Identify the most important information,
express it concisely, and display it prominently so that
your users can quickly find what they need.
could we put some blood and guts into this?
excellent.
(maybe we could do a featured image with a butcher-editor)
Talk To Your User Like You're A Newspaper Editor
“Be friendly but not patronizing. Remember, what seems
clever at first can be irritating when read for the
umpteenth time.
Be merciless with words, like a newspaper editor. Identify
the most important information, express it concisely, and
display it prominently so that your users can quickly find
what they need.
Talk To Your User Like You're A Newspaper Editor
Be friendly but not patronizing. Remember, what seems
clever at first can be irritating when read for the
umpteenth time.
Be merciless with words, like a newspaper editor. Identify
the most important information, express it concisely, and
display it prominently so that your users can quickly find
what they need.
can we compress it?
Talk To Your User Like You're A Newspaper Editor
Be friendly but not patronizing. Remember, what seems
clever at first can be irritating when read for the
umpteenth time.
Be merciless with words, like a newspaper editor. Identify
critical information, express it concisely, and display it
prominently so that your users can quickly find what they
need.
yes we can!
Talk To Your User Like You're A Newspaper Editor
Be friendly but not patronizing. Remember, what seems
clever at first can be irritating when read for the
umpteenth time.
Be merciless with words, like a newspaper editor. Identify
critical information, express it concisely, and display it
prominently so that your users can quickly find what they
need.
ahhh.
Talk To Your User Like You're A Newspaper Editor
Be friendly but not patronizing. Remember, what seems
clever at first can be irritating when read for the
umpteenth time.
Be merciless with words, like a newspaper editor. Identify
critical information, express it concisely, and display it
prominently so that your users can quickly find what they
need.
BOLD THE DIRECTIVESit makes things morescan-friendly
Talk To Your User Like You're A Newspaper Editor
Be friendly but not patronizing. Remember, what
seems clever at first can be irritating when read for the
umpteenth time.
Be merciless with words like a newspaper editor.
Identify critical information, express it concisely, and
display it prominently so that your readers can quickly find
what they need.
you see?let's try some spacing
Talk To Your User Like You're A Newspaper Editor
Be friendly but not patronizing.
Remember, what seems clever at first can be irritating
when read for the umpteenth time.
Be merciless with words like a newspaper editor.
Identify critical information, express it concisely, and
display it prominently so that your readers can quickly find
what they need.I ship it.
And now for the coup de grâce...
Talk To Your User Like You're A Newspaper Editor
Be friendly but not patronizing.
Remember, what seems clever at first can be irritating
when read for the umpteenth time.
Be merciless with words like a newspaper editor.
Identify critical information, express it concisely, and
display it prominently so that your readers can quickly find
what they need.
A LIST
Talk To Your User Like You're A Newspaper Editor
Be friendly but not patronizing.
Remember, what seems clever at first can be irritating
when read for the umpteenth time.
Be merciless with words like a newspaper editor.
1. Identify critical information
2. Express it concisely
3. Display it prominently
… so that your readers can quickly find what they need.
boom.
Talk To Your User Like You're A Newspaper Editor
Be friendly but not patronizing.
Remember, what seems clever at first can be irritating
when read for the umpteenth time.
Be merciless with words like a newspaper editor.
1. Identify critical information
2. Express it concisely
3. Display it prominently
… so that your readers can quickly find what they need.
Let's see how far we've come
Talk To Your User Like You're A Newspaper Editor
Be friendly but not patronizing.
Remember, what seems clever at first can be irritating
when read for the umpteenth time.
Be merciless with words, like a newspaper editor.
1. Identify critical information
2. Express it concisely
3. Display it prominently
… so that your readers can quickly find what they need.
Talk To Your User Like You're A Newspaper Editor
“Use a tone that’s informal and friendly, but not too
familiar. You want to avoid being stilted or too formal, but
you don’t want to risk sounding falsely jovial or
patronizing. Remember that users are likely to read the
text in your UI many times, and what might seem clever at
first can become irritating when repeated.
"Think like a newspaper editor, and watch out for
redundant or unnecessary words. When your UI text is
short and direct, users can absorb it quickly and easily.
Identify the most important information, express it
concisely, and display it prominently so that people don’t
have to read too many words to find what they’re looking
for or to figure out what to do next."
feel the difference?
Recap:
- kill redundant words- kill commas & long sentences- kill repeated points- kill unnecessarily complex phrases- kill negatives- kill anything non-essential, really
Recap
- Identify and bold the primary directive(s)- Do This -> Achieve That
- Kill The Dragon To Get The Treasure- Journey To The West To Acquire Sutras- Install ReferralCandy To Acquire More Customers
- Multi-step process? Make it a list- Multiple items in a set? Make it a list
But wait, there's more…
- All of this is just straightforward editing within a preselected context.
- Choosing the right context to begin with is the bigger challenge.
- ...- ...I'll write about that another time.