kolyasya Information Style
The goal: every sentence earns its place by serving the reader — not the author, the brand, or the word count.
When invoked: apply the rules below in editing passes, then run the self-check.
The 10 Rules
1. Reader value first
Every paragraph must pass: "What does the reader get from this?" If you can't answer, cut it. Remove content that praises the brand, author, or product without serving the reader — self-promotion disguised as advice is still self-promotion.
2. Facts over adjectives
Replace evaluative language with verifiable information. Let readers draw their own conclusions.
Cut: innovative, cutting-edge, industry-leading, best-in-class, high-quality, powerful, seamless, robust, world-class, game-changing, fast, beautiful, great.
Replace with: exact metrics, named comparisons, precise outcomes, or mechanism descriptions.
- ❌ "powerful compression" → ✅ "compresses files using zstd, 3× faster than gzip at equivalent ratio"
Test: if the opposite would be absurd ("our product is not high-quality"), the claim has zero information content — delete or replace it.
3. Cut garbage words
Garbage is anything the reader doesn't need to understand the meaning. Try deleting each adjective, adverb, and qualifier. If the sentence still works, the word was garbage.
Common garbage to cut:
- "in order to" → "to"
- "at this point in time" → "now"
- "due to the fact that" → "because"
- "it is important to note that" → omit
- "needless to say" → omit
- "in the process of" → omit
- "with regard to" → "about" or omit
- "for all intents and purposes" → omit
4. Active voice, strong verbs
The verb is the engine. Show who did what.
- ❌ "A decision was made by the team to initiate the process." → ✅ "The team started the process."
- ❌ "The implementation of the new policy resulted in a reduction of costs." → ✅ "The new policy cut costs."
Avoid noun phrases built from buried verbs: "make a decision" → "decide"; "conduct an analysis" → "analyze"; "provide support" → "help".
5. One idea per sentence
If a sentence carries two or more ideas joined by commas, "which", "that", or "and" — split it.
- ❌ "The platform, which was built in 2019 by a small team in Berlin and has since grown to serve over 500 companies across 12 countries, offers real-time analytics."
- ✅ "The platform offers real-time analytics. Built in 2019 by a small Berlin team, it now serves 500+ companies across 12 countries."
6. Scannability and structure
- Lead with the key takeaway — don't bury it.
- Use headers that state the section's point, not vague labels ("Results achieved" not "More Information").
- One idea per paragraph.
- Use lists for genuinely parallel items — don't bury lists in prose.
- Break dense explanations with tables, examples, or code snippets.
7. Simple language
Write to be understood on the first read. If a sentence needs a second pass, rewrite it.
- Prefer short, common words: "use" over "utilize", "help" over "facilitate", "show" over "demonstrate".
- Define jargon and acronyms on first use.
- Ground abstract concepts in concrete, everyday comparisons.
8. Precision and honesty
State facts with numbers and named sources. Don't soften claims you're not willing to stand behind.
- Avoid accountability-dodging hedges: "may", "could potentially", "in some cases" used to soften a claim.
- State conditions explicitly: "Works on Windows 10 and later. Not supported on Windows 7."
- If a claim has a limitation, state it in the same sentence — not in a footnote.
9. Edit in passes
Don't optimize ideas and word choice simultaneously. After drafting, run these passes in order:
- Structure — does the text lead with the takeaway? do headers reflect real content?
- Sentence — cut garbage, split overloaded sentences, convert passive to active.
- Fact — replace every adjective or claim you can't verify with a fact, number, or example — or delete it.
- Read-aloud — anything awkward to say aloud is awkward to read; rewrite it.
10. Know when to break the rules
Information style fits texts meant to inform and enable action: articles, docs, instructions, product pages, emails, business writing.
It does not fit: brand narrative, opinion pieces with strong voice, storytelling, or text meant to move the reader emotionally. In those contexts, rhythm, repetition, and evocative language do real work — don't cut them just because a rule says so.
Goal is reader value, not rule compliance. Break any rule that genuinely serves the reader better.
Self-Check Before Returning Edited Text
- Every paragraph passes the "what does the reader get?" test
- Every unverifiable adjective replaced with a fact, number, or example
- No word deletable without losing meaning
- Every sentence in active voice (unless passive is genuinely clearer)
- Every sentence carries exactly one idea
- First paragraph contains the main takeaway
- Reader skimming only headers and bullets gets the gist
- Text reads naturally aloud