Your best bet is to hire me! I’m quick, cheap, reliable, and I take the time to learn about your product. :)

English - created by rude invaders!

English - created by rude invaders!

However, if you don’t have budget for my copywriting and documentation services, then the following may help:

1. Don’t be polite

English isn’t a very polite language.

English results from waves of invaders – Celts, Romans, Saxons, Vikings, Normans – yelling orders to the locals  “GOLD NOW!“, and the locals answering simply so as to be understood,  ”Me give gold quick quick! Please not burn house!

So, say “please” no more than once, and only when making a call to action, e.g. “Please get in touch if you want my help.”

Any more than that, and you’ll get the grammar wrong, or sound like a foreign waiter angling for a big gratuity.

(I’m sorry about this, but English speakers usually think foreigners are funny.)

2. Do use Imperative Mood to describe functions

In English, Imperative Mood - “Do this, do that” – isn’t just for giving commands. Nor does it sound harsh or rude.

It’s common in rhetoric – public speaking  - and in advertising, e.g. “Enjoy a fresh smelling house!” and “Stop worrying about virus protection!

The advantages of Imperative Mood are:

  • Short – Pack lots of information into very few words.
  • Simple – Few words, less error.
  • Call to Action – Imperative implies a call to action, which is a Good Thing.
Oh, and when writing in Imperative Mood, don’t bother with redundant words like, “You can…“,  ”Please…“, or “Imagine…“.

3. Do use lists

Really, it’s OK just to list features and facts.

If possible, describe features using Imperative (see #2), e.g. “Enjoy peace of mind!“. If in doubt, use nouns with modifiers, e.g. “Full featured virus checker!

Lists are great:

  • Easy to get right – Few words to get wrong.
  • Readers like them – Fewer words to read.
  • Adds clarity  - Looks logical and organized.

The best lists use bullets.

However, for product descriptions, it’s OK to use periods, like this:

Easy to  get right. Readers like them. Adds clarity.

Don’t try to be elegant! If it’s a list, then present it as a list.

* * * * * *

 In short; keep it simple! Good luck. (And remember I’m here if you need me.) 

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