Write Slack Messages Like This to Make Your Coworkers Happy
I took a look at some of my old Slack messages.
I recently looked back at some of my old Slack messages. At the time, I didn’t realize just how confusing they were.
A key part of being a good communicator is understanding what clear communication actually looks like. In this article, we’ll explore a few simple techniques to help ensure your messages are always clear and effective.
Use Terms Consistently
Why: Consistency ensures clarity and avoids confusion. Using different terms for the same concept may confuse your audience and make your writing harder to follow.
🛑 Don’t: The API allows for rapid data retrieval. This interface is highly efficient for querying large datasets.
✅ Do: The API allows for rapid data retrieval. This API is highly efficient for querying large datasets.
Avoid Pronoun Confusion
Why: Pronouns often refer back to a previously mentioned noun. If used improperly, they can confuse readers by making it unclear what’s being referenced.
In many cases, it’s better to repeat the noun for clarity. However, when used thoughtfully, pronouns can enhance the flow of writing without sacrificing clarity.
🛑 Don’t: JavaScript is dynamically typed, while Java is statically typed. It dominates the web development space.
This example is ambiguous: does “it” refer to Java or JavaScript?
✅ Do: JavaScript is dynamically typed, while Java is statically typed. JavaScript dominates the web development space.
Here is another example:
🛑 Don’t: Running the update installs new security patches and resets system preferences. This improves device performance.
✅ Do: Running the update installs new security patches and resets system preferences. Installing security patches improves device performance.
Here is an example where the pronoun is crystal clear:
✅ Do: Python is popular for beginners because of its simple syntax, and it is also widely used in data science.
Use active voice over passive voice
Why:
Clarity: Active voice makes it clear who is responsible for the action.
Conciseness: It often requires fewer words, making communication more efficient.
Directness: It conveys the message in a straightforward way, improving understanding.
🛑 Don’t: The code review was done yesterday.
✅ Do: I completed the code review yesterday.
🛑 Don’t: It was suggested in the meeting that an automatic retry mechanism should be added to the API requests, and further analysis will be conducted by the engineering team to determine its feasibility.
✅ Do: In the meeting, the team suggested adding an automatic retry mechanism to the API requests, and the engineering team will conduct further analysis to determine if it’s feasible.
Use strong verbs rather than weak verbs
Strong Verbs:
These are specific, descriptive verbs that convey action clearly and directly. Strong verbs reduce the need for adverbs or extra modifiers, making your writing more concise and powerful.
Examples of Strong Verbs:
Instead of “make changes,” use “revise” or “modify.”
Instead of “do the research,” use “investigate” or “analyze.”
Instead of “get approval,” use “approve” or “authorize.”
Weak Verbs:
Weak verbs are often vague, requiring extra words (like adverbs) to clarify meaning. They usually include verbs like “is,” “are,” “do,” “get,” and “make.” These verbs often pair with nominalizations (nouns derived from verbs), making sentences longer and less direct.
Examples of Weak Verbs:
“Make a decision” (weak) → “Decide” (strong)
“Give feedback” (weak) → “Critique” or “Evaluate” (strong)
“Is running” (weak) → “Runs” (strong)
🛑 Weak: The team is making improvements to the feature.
✅ Strong: The team is improving the feature.
🛑 Weak: We will give a presentation on the new tool.
✅ Strong: We will present the new tool.
🛑 Weak: We need to make sure the server is running before deployment.
✅ Strong: We need to verify the server is running before deployment.
Reduce “There Is / There are”
Using “There is” or “There are” pairs a generic noun with a generic verb, often weakening your sentences. By reducing or eliminating these constructions, you make your writing more direct, concise, and clear.
1. Best Case: Simply Delete “There Is/There Are”
In the best case, you can simply delete the “There is” or “There are,” which replaces the generic subject with a stronger, more precise one.
Example:
🛑 Don’t: There is a file in the repository that contains outdated code.
✅ Do: A file in the repository contains outdated code.
✅ Alternative: The repository contains a file with outdated code.
2. Move the Subject and Verb to the Beginning
Sometimes, a “There is/There are” sentence buries the true subject and action at the end of the sentence. By moving them to the beginning, you create a more direct sentence.
Example:
🛑 Don’t: There are three crucial steps in the deployment process you must follow.
✅ Do: You must follow three crucial steps in the deployment process.
3. Create a Subject if None Exists
In some cases, writers use “There is” or “There are” to avoid the hassle of identifying the true subject. If no subject exists, create one to improve clarity.
Example:
🛑 Don’t: There is no indication that the server will restart automatically after the update.
✅ Do: The server might not restart automatically after the update.
If you want to learn more about writing proper Git commit messages, take a look at what Sophie writes at Speak Tech English.
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