Chapter 27 / 29 · Editorial
Voice & tone.
How the brand sounds. Read this before you write anything that ships with our name on it. 5 principles, 16 banned words, 11 words we love. Same data at /api/voice.json for AI agents.
27.1 The vibe
If a draft doesn't read as all five, it isn't on-brand yet.
27.2 Principles
The writing rules. When in doubt, return here.
- 01 Diagnose before you prescribe
- 02 Lead with outcomes, not features
- 03 Pressure + relief — name the pain, then offer the release
- 04 Show, don't just tell — proof beats adjectives
- 05 Write like an expert friend — not a salesperson, not a robot
27.3 Banned words
If you're reaching for any of these, stop. Find the concrete thing you're trying to say.
- revolutionary
- synergy
- cutting-edge
- unleash
- game-changing
- world-class
- best-in-class
- seamless
- robust
- empower
- disruptive
- innovative solution
- leverage (as a verb)
- just
- simply
- literally
27.4 Words we love
On-brand vocabulary. Use these freely; they reinforce the system.
27.5 Tone by context
The brand's voice changes by surface. Same vibe, different register.
| Context | Guidance |
|---|---|
| Headlines | Short, punchy. One Fraunces-italic emotional phrase per headline maximum. |
| Body | Plain DM Sans. Active voice. Concrete examples over abstractions. |
| Technical | JetBrains Mono for code, tokens, hex values, technical content. |
| Sales | Confident. Outcome-led. Diagnose before prescribing — never lead with features. |
| Error states | Clear. Specific. Apologetic without grovelling. Always offer the next step. |
27.6 Examples
On-brand on the left, off-brand on the right with the reason.
Good
- Hero
Every lead. Every time. In minutes.
- Feature card
A real reply inside 30 seconds — on the channel the lead arrived.
Bad
- Hero
Revolutionising the future of cutting-edge AI synergy
Why: Banned words; abstract; no outcome promised.
Want this as JSON? /api/voice.json