Notes from the copy deskCopy desk journal

Keep the conditions beside the claim

A short product statement can lose its meaning when the conditions move elsewhere. Review the statement and its qualification together, then decide how to keep both understandable in the space available.

Read the complete source statement

An approved explanation may describe an outcome and the circumstances in which it applies. Read those parts together before writing a shorter version. A condition can be essential to the statement even when it occupies only a few words.

Mark the source for each product claim in the draft. Include the relevant passage and the version the business has approved. This gives a reviewer a direct comparison and makes it easier to notice when a shorter sentence has become broader than its source.

A qualification placed far away from the statement can be difficult to connect to it. Consider whether it belongs in the same sentence, the following line or an immediately available explanation. The choice should follow the meaning and the layout.

Do not replace a precise condition with a vague softening word merely to keep the line short. Saying generally or typically does not explain the circumstances the source actually describes. If the statement cannot be shortened faithfully, give it more room or change the scope of the sentence.

Check the smallest version

Review headlines, short descriptions and onboarding prompts as well as the longer page. Those compact versions can become detached from the fuller explanation during editing. Compare them with the same approved source.

The writing review should identify wording that needs a product answer rather than trying to settle it editorially. Ask the business to confirm the intended meaning, then carry the answer through the affected text. The final explanation should let a customer read the statement and the relevant conditions as parts of the same account.

See writing engagements