TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Our Voice
- Our Tone
- Grammar and elegance
- Sources
- Self-Edit Listing
- The Great Trade Reference
- Inclusive Language
- Words To Prevent
The Great Trade may be the premier source of people trying to better take care of themselves, their communities, and also the planet. We provide smart and slow content, including reliable brand recommendations, thoughtful essays on intentional living, and sources for living more sustainably.
This is our editorial style guide. Please utilize it like a resource when designing content for that Good Trade.
Our Voice
While our tone changes based on subject or medium, The Great Trade’s voice remains constant over the web.
Our voice is sensible, warm, and inclusive. It’s also conversational and welcoming. Our visitors feminist and forward-thinking they’re searching for large and small methods to enhance their lives and also the lives of individuals around them.
Our authors frequently use anecdotes introducing content, so we offer actionable tips and insights in all of our tales that readers can use in their own individual lives. We promote connection and space for significant and urgent conversations, both on the internet and within our communities.
Our Tone
With respect to the writing assignment and platform, our tone changes to suit the occasion. The most typical tone shifts are listed below:
BRAND GUIDES
For brand guides and product roundups, we’re authoritative, specific, and concise. We all do hard work with our readers by researching and delivering content in regards to a company’s ethics and sustainability practices. When designing brand or product guides, avoid redundant and vague language. Rather, be obvious and comprehensive, using plain language to fulfill readers.
Example guides: Natural & Organic Makeup Brands, Ethical & Sustainable Clothing
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RESEARCHED PIECES
We frequently make use of the “What? Why? How? model” to pay for essential topics. (What’s fast fashion? Why do problematic? Exactly how should we really make a difference?)
Our researched pieces are smart, accurate, and digestible. We use straightforward language and expand on unfamiliar vocabulary and industry terms. Authors frequently include personal anecdotes to create these pieces more engaging and relatable. Most significantly, we aim to educate and empower.
Example pieces: What’s Fast Fashion?, Global Warming Isn’t Only A Liberal Issue-Here’s Why, The Situation For Conscious Sips
THOUGHT PIECES
When writing a concept piece, consider first your subject and also the audience. For any piece about sex, you might become more direct in tone to assist eliminate cultural narratives. When covering mental health, gentle and empathetic language is much more appropriate.
While in doubt, use a tone that’s friendly, conversational, inclusive, and empathetic. Use active voice, and depend heavily on narrative to interact with and connect with readers.
Grammar & Style
In The Good Trade, we follow AP style having a couple of exceptions. Below are the most typical grammar queries. While in doubt about style or punctuation, consult this free AP guide or seek advice from your editor.
APOSTROPHES
- Show possession. Example: Take a look at Patagonia’s spring collection.
- Create contractions. Example: We’re big on Patagonia’s spring collection.
- Don’t use apostrophes in acronyms. Example: Persistent organic pollutants, or POPs…
- When possessive, “its” doesn’t have an apostrophe. Example: Pact is famous because of its organic cotton.
- Use apostrophes when shortening years. Example: I had been born in 1990. I’m a ‘90s child.
COMMAS, COLONS, AND SEMICOLONS
We make use of the serial or Oxford comma. ??
Generally, we simply use colons for lists. If you wish to get fancy, listed here are a couple of other uses of colons.
When writing a listing, the very first word following a colon isn’t capitalized. Example: You will find three major concerns with fast fashion: sustainability, ethics, and outfit durability.
Capitalize the very first word following a colon only if it starts a brand new and finish sentence.
Use semicolons to link two carefully related, independent clauses. Example: Practice conscious eating focus on how food tastes and feels in your tongue.
COMPOUND WORDS
You will find three kinds of compound words:
- Open Compounds: A thing comprised of two words, separated with a space. Examples: senior high school, peanut butter, property
- Hyphenated Compounds: A thing comprised of several words, separated with a hyphen. Examples: stay-at-home, mass-created
- Closed Compounds: Two words that induce a word. Examples: secondhand, nontoxic
- Typically, compounds with prefixes are closed words. Examples: email (not e-mail), coworker (not co-worker)
- Anti- test is closed unless of course adopted with a root word beginning by having an “i” Example: antibacterial anti-inflammatory
- Compound words created by -ly adverbs aren’t hyphenated. Examples: sustainably made, ethically made
*while in doubt about hyphen usage, consult Merriam-Webster or perhaps your editor.
CLICHÉS
We like and embrace humor and wit, but please choose originality inside your writing and steer clear of clichés. Example: Better safe than sorry in this point in time amazed.
For a summary of every cliché, ever.
- Clearness & CONTRACTIONS
- Our readers prefer shorter sentences. They are simpler to see, especially on cellular devices.
- Use periods greater than commas. Insert semicolons sparingly.
- Shorten sentences with contractions. (I’ve had ? I’ve had)
- Strive for tight writing with one thought per sentence.
- Use active voice more frequently than passive.
- Avoid weak descriptors (good, nice, fun) and nominalization (adjectives produced from nouns/verbs).
Example:
- As conscious consumers, we ought to consider the ecological impact in our purchases. (OK)
- As conscious consumers, we ought to consider how our purchases change up the atmosphere. (Better)
FILLER WORDS AND TAUTOLOGIES
As The Good Trade’s voice is conversational, please use filler words and tautologies sparingly.
Probably the most common filler words: All, Really, Essentially, Eventually, Just, Maybe, Only, Really, Stuff, That, Things, Very, and 288 additional filler words.
A tautology is really a redundancy on paper-i.e. two words inside a sentence that express exactly the same meaning. Its not necessary both to share exactly the same truth.
Examples: Within my personal expertise ? In my opinion When designing your personal wardrobe ? When designing your wardrobe
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Figures AND SYMBOLS
- Create figures one through nine. Use numerals for 10 and greater.
- Exception: When beginning a sentence having a number, always spell the amount out.
- Use numerals for addresses, ages, financial values, dates and occasions, size and dimensions, percents, speeds, temperatures.
- Make use of the percentage symbol in guide summaries, The Daily Good, as well as on social. Create the term for site copy (10 %).
- Hyphens are only concerned with compound words and figures. See compound section above.
- When utilizing age like a descriptor, use hyphens. Example: My 10-year-old sister versus. When my sister was ten years old.
- En dash (Alt/option): Utilized in product roundups and guides for cost ranges ($20-$50).
- Em dash (Alt, shift/option): To produce a pause inside a sentence. Example: But-for sensitive people-words can hurt too.
QUOTES AND PARENTHESES
- Just use single quotes within quotes, or titles within titles.
- Example: “I recommend studying ‘The Future We Choose’ for a quick and digestible find out about global warming,” stated Cruz.
- Example: Our recent article, “No, You Aren’t ‘Too Sensitive,’” offers self-care strategies for sensitive people.
- Use double quotes around books and media.
- Per AP style, The Great Trade doesn’t use italics unless of course for emphasis.
- Punctuation always goes inside speech marks and parenthesis.
- A useful reference: Quotation cheat sheet.