Content

This editorial content guide is designed to minimize user frustration by making language on FPAC digital properties more plainspoken and readable.

Introduction

This editorial content guide helps writers create content that’s easy to understand and meets people where they are. Government websites often talk at readers rather than to or with them. As with other facets of its online presence, .gov writing tends to describe the government’s concerns in “governmentese,” leaving users frustrated by information that is neither actionable nor understandable.

This guide takes that frustration into account, as well as several commonly supported guidelines about writing for the web. Using this guide can help content designers benefit from FPAC experience to date, incorporate user feedback into the editorial process, and build trust by communicating in a consistent manner

How to use this guide

We created this guide for reference on an as-needed basis. It’s here when you’re wondering whether to capitalize the word federal, for instance, or when you’re wondering how to create a friendly, informational tone.

To this end, we structured the guide into descriptively named sections. Find the topic you need in the table of contents, or search by keyword. We aren’t opposed if you’d like to read this guide start to finish, of course.

Related resources

Unless noted, FPAC generally follows AP style. As this guide was created, we also referenced these resources:

• The U.S. Government Publishing Office
• Conscious Style Guide
• Plain Language Action and Information Network
• USAGov Bilingual Style Guide
• Disability Language Style Guide
• Diversity Style Guide
• GLAAD Media Reference Guide
• MailChimp Content Style Guide