Enough already with the ‘At XX, we …’ construction

At Wylie Communications, we believe that writers should write and that approvers should check the facts and leave the headlines alone.

At Wylie Communications, we understand that it makes you sick when nonwriters garble your beautifully constructed headlines.

At Wylie Communications, we know that you sit up at night, dreaming of ways you can go all Joffrey Baratheon on those damned approvers’ asses.

At Wylie Communications, we realize that that’s why you drink too much Chardonnay and come to work late and with a headache.

Stop we-we-ing on the reader.

It’s time to can the “At XX, we …” construction.

Why? Because it’s:

• Patronizing. At Wylie Communications, we don’t believe our insurance company really understands us.
• Formulaic. At Wylie Communications, we feel that this cliché might make us vomit.
• Off target. At Wylie Communications, we prefer that you write about us instead of about your organization and its beliefs, feelings and realizations.

What shall we write instead?

What if, instead of writing about us and our thoughts, we focused on the reader and the reader’s needs? Try this little editing trick:

At Wylie Communications, we … You …

At Wylie Communications, we think that’s a much better approach.

What do you think?

Move your audience to act

Want to deliver copy that gets read?

• Get it off your desk: Invite Ann’s team to handle a persuasive writing or editing project.
• Polish staff skills: Bring Ann to your organization for a Think Like a Reader workshop.
• Boost your own abilities: Work with Ann to think like a reader in one-on-one writing coaching. Or find out about Ann’s next Think Like a Reader webinar.
• Learn more: Read Ann’s Think Like a Reader toolkit.
• Join the club: Find dozens of persuasive writing tipsheets at RevUpReadership.com.