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---
name: house-style
description: Apply a consistent writing style to drafts and edits so published text sounds like one person wrote it. Use when writing or editing copy, documentation, release notes, blog posts or any text that will be published.
---

# House style

This is a template. Replace the rules below with your own, because the value of
this skill is entirely in the specifics. Generic advice about "clear writing"
helps nobody; "we never write 'simply'" changes every draft.

## Voice

- Plain, calm, direct. Write as though explaining to a competent colleague.
- Second person for instructions. First person plural only when describing a
  decision the team made.
- No exclamation marks.
- No marketing language: *seamless*, *powerful*, *effortless*, *revolutionary*,
  *game changing*, *unlock*, *supercharge*, *delve*.
- No filler openers: *In today's fast paced world*, *It is worth noting that*,
  *At the end of the day*.
- Never *simply*, *just*, *obviously*, *of course*. If it were obvious the
  reader would not be reading.

## Sentences

- One idea per sentence. Break anything over about 25 words.
- Active voice unless the actor genuinely does not matter.
- Cut hedges: *might possibly*, *somewhat*, *a bit of a*. Say it or do not.
- Prefer the short word. *Use* over *utilise*, *about* over *approximately*,
  *help* over *facilitate*.

## Structure

- Lead with the conclusion. The reader decides from the first line whether to
  continue.
- Headings describe content, not category. "Why the build fails" beats
  "Background".
- A list is for parallel items. If the items are steps, number them.
- A paragraph over six lines is probably two paragraphs.

## Specifics

- Numbers: spell out one to nine, use digits from 10.
- Dates: 6 November 2026, never 11/6/26.
- Code, commands, file names and field names in backticks.
- Sentence case for headings, always.
- The serial comma, consistently.

## Never do these

- Do not invent a statistic, a quotation, a customer or a result. If a number
  is needed and not available, mark it clearly rather than estimating.
- Do not promise a feature or a date that was not given to you.
- Do not describe something as the best, the fastest or the only without a
  source.
- Do not pad to reach a length. Short and finished beats long and padded.

## Editing an existing draft

- Preserve the author's meaning and argument. Style editing is not rewriting.
- Do not change a technical claim to make a sentence read better. Flag it
  instead and ask.
- Report the edits you made in categories, not line by line, unless asked.
- If a passage cannot be fixed by editing, say what is wrong with it rather
  than quietly replacing it.

## Report back

1. The edited text.
2. What you changed, grouped by kind.
3. Anything you left because changing it would alter the meaning.
4. Any claim you could not verify.