April 13: Write Like an Amazonian

Five tips on how to write like an Amazonian.

Source: Fact of the Day 1
Published: April 2021

Write Like an Amazonian

• Use fewer than 30 words per sentence.

Due to the fact that →  because

Lacked the ability to → could not

• Replace adjectives with data.

We made the on-time delivery rate much higher. → We increased the on-time delivery rate by 15bps, from 97.10% to 97.25%.

• Eliminate weasel words.

Nearly all customers → 86% of AWS accounts globally

Significantly expanded grocery products → Grew grocery selection by 30k ASINs

• Does your writing pass the “so what” test?

If you deleted the paragraph, would the reader miss it?

How does this enrich the reader’s understanding?

What are the implications of your claim?

• If you are asked a question, start your response by directly answering the question.

How many job postings are open for your team? → Six postings are open today, and I expect three requisitions to be approved by Friday.

Editor’s note: The data above are merely examples.

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