Write Like an Amazonian
Writing tips from a company with a strong writing culture
Summary:
Bezos famously banned PowerPoint at Amazon.
"It's probably the smartest thing we ever did."
They replaced it with 6-page memos.
Here's how to "Write Like an Amazonian"
1. Use less than 30 words per sentence
Aim to be clear and concise.
In business writing, the goal is to convey the main point. Quickly.
Some ways to stay below 30:
- Avoid compound sentences. Break the sentence into two separate thoughts.
- Use concise words. Here are some examples from Amazon's "Write Like an Amazonian."
- Cut qualifiers like "I think" or "In my opinion." Be direct with your recommendation.
- Use bullets and spacing to make your writing digestible. Tweeting is a great forcing function for concise writing.
2. Be objective: replace adjectives and adverbs with data
Numbers don't lie. Fluffy words are imprecise.
Replace vague adjectives with data.
"The social campaign will drastically improve echo dot sales." →
"The social campaign will increase echo dot sales by 3.5%."
"Sending a follow up greatly increases sales." →
"Follow ups increase sales conversions by 20%."
When writing posts for the cohort, you won't always have the time to conduct extensive research.
However, the point of this tip is as follows: use fluffy adjectives and adverbs (extremely, very, exponentially) sparingly.
Again, aim to be clear and concise.
3. Use the "So What" Test
Put yourself in the shoes of the reader.
Don’t let them ask “So what?” at the end of your post.
Your post should strive to communicate one main point. Your one main point should answer the “So What?” question.
Take advantage of introductions and conclusions with your posts.
To start the essay, clearly illustrate the “So What” in one or two sentences. Reiterate the “So What” with a brief conclusion.
4. Avoid Jargon and Acronyms
Adding buzzwords will not make you sound smart. Use plain language.
Keep your writing simple. An 8th grader should understand it.
Remember, we're aiming for clarity. We're not trying to impress.
Don't alienate the reader by using acronyms you haven't explained first.
Elon Musk says it best.
5. Use subject-verb-object sentences
You might've learned this as using active voice over passive voice in school.
Active voice drives clarity.
✅ Bezos founded Amazon.
Subject: Bezos
Verb: Founded
Object: Amazon
Avoid passive voice. Passive voice is an object-verb-subject sentence.
❌ Amazon was founded by Bezos.
Object: Amazon
Verb: Founded
Subject: Bezos