Writing Tips
You can use these writing tips when you’re looking to pull together a case study, press release or feature article. Make sure to always seek approvals when writing about a specific person or quoting an individual.
Use plain English and short paragraphs
Keep the tone human and solution-focused
Try to limit to 1–2 pages
Use quotes to show emotion, not to explain technical details
Try to avoid using jargon, but when needed, explain it (e.g., ‘Housing Needs Survey’)
Include photos where possible (with consent)
If using AI to help draft, make sure to avoid Oxford commas, em dashes and American spelling.
- An Oxford comma is a comma placed immediately before a conjunction (usually and, or, or nor) in a list of three or more items (for example, John, Penelope, and Sam).
- Em dashes are long dashes used in writing, to indicate a long pause (—)
- American spelling tends to use ‘z’s’ where English would use ‘s’ (for example, ‘organisation’ compared with ‘organization’).
Ethical and consent considerations
You can always offer anonymity if the interviewee is apprehensive about their story being shared (e.g., initials instead of names, or just use first names)
Avoid sharing unnecessary personal details (like specific home addresses)
Always obtain written consent before using a person’s story or image