Tone of voice
Tone of voice isn’t what we say, but how we say it. It’s the language we use, the way we construct sentences and the personality we communicate.
Here at the City Renewal Authority we’ve got a friendly, go get ‘em attitude. We write with inclusive, colourful language and prefer to use an informal tone most of the time.
Above all, what’s most important to us is that our communication is clear and easy to understand.
We’ve got some useful tips and tricks that will help you capture our tone of voice.
Use easy language. Think about the simplest way you can convey your message. Wherever possible try to avoid slang, jargon or acronyms.
Use plain english
When promoting your project don’t use language that claims ownership over your event. The City Renewal Precinct is a place for everyone to enjoy. The events, activities and projects that occur within the precinct are for the broader community (even if you are the one putting in the hard yards to make it happen!).
For example, rather than saying, “We are holding an outdoor movie” try instead “See an outdoor movie.” This takes away the ownership of an event to create a more inclusive message.
Steer clear of possessive pronouns
You can be far more assertive when saying what something is rather than what something isn’t. Try to remove all of the “don’t, not, never, can’t” language from your writing.
For example, rather than saying “It doesn’t begin until 10am.” Try instead, “It begins at 10am.”
Use positive language over negative language
Sentences written in an active voice are easier to understand than in the passive voice, which can be vague and often use more words. Put simply, the active voice emphasises the person who performs an action while the passive voice emphasises the recipient of the action.
For example, “Research was approved by government” (passive) vs. “Government approved the research” (active).
Use an active voice rather than a passive voice
When referring to the City Renewal Authority please use our full name – not “CRA.”
