writing-clearly

name	writing-clearly
description	Help PMs write clear, concise prose for PM artifacts. Use for PRDs, status updates, Slack posts, emails, and documentation.

Writing Clearly

Help PMs write clear, concise prose for PM artifacts. Applies principles of plain language, structure, and scannability to make communications effective and easy to act on.

When to Use

• Writing or editing a PRD
• Drafting status updates or stakeholder comms
• Composing Slack posts or emails
• Creating documentation or runbooks
• When asked "help me make this clearer" or "tighten this up"

Process / Template

1. Identify the Artifact and Audience

• What are you writing? (PRD, update, post, doc)
• Who will read it? (engineers, leadership, customers)
• What do they need to do? (decide, build, understand, act)

2. Apply Clear Writing Principles

Lead with the main point

• Put the conclusion or ask first
• Don't bury the lead in the last paragraph

Use plain language

• Prefer short words over long (use vs. utilize, help vs. facilitate)
• Prefer active voice (we will ship vs. it will be shipped)
• Cut jargon unless the audience expects it

Be specific

• Use numbers, dates, names instead of "soon," "many," "several"
• Replace vague terms with concrete ones

Structure for scannability

• Use headers, bullets, and short paragraphs
• One idea per paragraph
• Front-load key info in each sentence

Cut ruthlessly

• Remove filler (e.g., "in order to" → "to")
• Remove redundancy
• If a sentence doesn't add value, cut it

3. Use the Right Format

Artifact	Key Moves
PRD	Clear problem statement, explicit requirements, scannable sections
Status update	TL;DR first, bullets, metrics, explicit asks
Slack/email	Short paragraphs, one ask per message
Doc/runbook	Step-by-step, headers, examples

4. Edit in Passes

• Pass 1 — Structure: does the order make sense?
• Pass 2 — Clarity: can a reader understand it in one pass?
• Pass 3 — Brevity: what can be cut?

5. Validate

• Can the reader answer: What? Why? What do I do?
• Would a busy executive get it in 2 minutes?
• Are there ambiguous pronouns or missing context?

Output

Clear, concise prose that:

• Communicates the intended message
• Is easy to scan and act on
• Respects the reader's time
• Fits the format (PRD, Slack, email, doc)