writinglisted

# Writing Everything here applies to prose a human will read. Write it, then read it back once as the recipient. If a sentence sounds like a template, a bot, or a corporate memo, rewrite it. ## The voice in one line Professional and direct. Say the thing, explain it well when it's genuinely complex, and stop. Sound like a sharp colleague writing to another human, not a press release. ## Core rules **Get to the point.** Lead with the conclusion, the ask, or the decision. Supporting detail goes after it. The reader should know why they're reading by the end of the first line. **Write in short paragraphs.** Two to four sentences each, one idea per paragraph. Reach for bullets only when you have a genuine list or a sequence of steps. Over-bulleting reads as choppy and evasive. **Prefer prose and bullets over tables.** A table fragments the writing and forces clipped phrasing into the cells. Use one only when the data is genuinely two-dimensional and the reader needs to compare across rows and columns, like a compatibility matrix. **Match depth to the topic and the audience.** Simple things get one clean line. Complex or unfamiliar things get the reasoning walked through. Judge who's reading before deciding how much to say. **Keep sentences short.** Aim under about 25 words. If a sentence needs two commas to survive, split it. **Prefer active voice.** "We shipped the fix" beats "the fix was shipped". **Use plain words.** *use* not *utilise*, *help* not *facilitate*, *ab