Writing Style

Words we prefer

• Headless
• Composable
• Node.js-native / TypeScript-native
• Enterprise-grade
• Open-source
• No vendor lock-in
• Transparent pricing
• Scalable

Words to avoid

• Leverage — say "use" instead
• Synergy — vague corporate-speak; doesn't describe an actual outcome or benefit
• Cutting-edge / Next-generation — dates fast and says nothing specific
• End-to-end — overused claim; say what's actually covered (e.g. "from design through deployment")
• Robust — be specific instead
• Solution (as a standalone noun) — say what it is: platform, integration, migration, build
• Seamless — used so often it's lost meaning; say what's actually smooth (e.g. "no downtime")
• Best-in-class / World-class — unverifiable superlative, no evidence behind the claim
• Innovative (as a standalone adjective) — show the innovation, don't label it

Time & Date Formatting

Time: Use a 24-hour format with an en dash (no spaces around it).

Dates: CMOS recommends Month Day, Year (no ordinal numbers like "1st").

Numbers & Units

• Numbers under 10 are written out, 10+ are numerals.
  CorrectThree case studies, 12 projects, five departments
• Use a comma for 1,000 and above (except in years).
• Use a period (.) as the decimal point.
  Correct2.5 cm, 99.99% accuracy
• For measurements and units, use numerals + abbreviation, no period after abbreviations.
  Correct50 km, 10 m², 8 GB RAM, 1 h, 5 hrs
• Exceptions to the numeral + abbreviation spacing rule above (no space between numeral and symbol):
  • Currency before the number: $10, €5, £3, ¥200
  • Percentages: 99.9%, 5%
  • Degrees: 20°C, -5°F

Abbreviations & Acronyms

Spell out acronyms the first time, then use the abbreviation.

Code & Technical Formatting

File names, commands, variables, paths, and short code snippets go in monospace (inline code / backticks) — not quotation marks, not italics.

Capitalization

• Use title case for document titles, main headings, and marketing materials.
• Use sentence case for subheadings in reports.
• Capitalize job titles only when they appear before a name.
• Capitalize proper names of products, brands, and official event names.
• Do not capitalize common industry terms, buzzwords, or generic technology names.
• Use proper capitalization in emails and formal correspondence.

Use the Capitalization tool if you're not sure: Capitalize My Title — Chicago style

Punctuation

• Use the Oxford comma: content, campaigns, and customer journeys.
• Use one space after a period.
• Apostrophes: Notum's plugin, customers' feedback
• Quotation marks " "
  • Use curly quotes (" "), not straight quotes (").
  • Periods and commas go inside closing quotation marks: "Book a demo," not "Book a demo".
• Colons :
  • Use to introduce a list or explanation after a complete sentence: Notum offers three core products: X, Y, and Z.
  • Don't use one after an incomplete lead-in.
• Semicolons ;
  • Use to join two closely related independent clauses.
  • Use to separate list items that themselves contain commas.
  • Keep rare in marketing copy — favor two short sentences instead.
• Parentheses ( )
  • Use sparingly, for secondary information only.
  • Punctuation goes outside the closing parenthesis if the parenthetical is mid-sentence (like this), inside if it's a full standalone sentence. (Like this.)
• Ellipses . . .
  • Use three spaced periods ( . . . ) to show omitted text within a quotation.
• Dashes —, –, -
  • Em dash (—) for breaks in thought
  • En dash (–) for number ranges: 9–5
  • Hyphen for compound adjectives: customer-first approach

List & Bullet Formatting

• Capitalize the first word of each bullet.
• Keep items in a list parallel in structure — don't mix "Book a demo" with "Downloading the checklist." This includes punctuation and capitalization, not just sentence structure — don't end one bullet with a period and leave the next without one in the same list.
• No period at the end of short phrase-style bullets; use periods if a bullet is a full sentence.
• Use numbered lists only for sequential steps; use bullets for everything else.
• Keep bullets short — if a point needs more than 1–2 lines, consider a short paragraph instead.
• Use no more than two levels of bullets (one level of nesting). If content needs a third level, restructure into a subsection instead.
• Use bullets for 3+ related items a reader will scan; keep 1–2 related points in a sentence instead.
• Introduce a list with a lead-in line ending in a colon (e.g. "Exceptions to the numeral + abbreviation spacing rule above:").

UI Elements

Write UI element names in bold, no quotation marks. Use > to separate steps through nested menus.

Links

• Links within notum.tech open in the same tab.
• Links to external sites open in a new tab.
• Link text describes the destination, never a generic phrase.

Emails

• Bold for emphasis, no underlining or ALL CAPS mid-sentence
• One to two clear CTAs per message
• Friendly, respectful tone

CTAs

• Use strong, direct language where clarity of action matters most, e.g.: Book a demo, Download the migration checklist