Writing Overview

To effectively connect with our audiences, we must tell our stories with a distinctive voice that reflects our spirit, brand and personality. The tone of our stories should be confident and genuine, written in a vibrant, easy-to-read style. We can do that by what we say and how we say it.



How to Say It
Student Lacrosse Player

To effectively connect with our audiences, we must tell our stories with a distinctive voice that reflects our brand personality. The tone of our stories should be confident and genuine, written in a vibrant, easy-to-read style. It should provoke emotion and inspire people to action. We can do both by what we say and how we say it.


Pre-Health Student

Prospective students vs. prospective donors vs. parents.


Students

Use second and first person. “You can” vs. “students can.”


Le Moyne Student Conversing with Priest

Claim ownership of Le Moyne’s assets. Speak authentically to the strengths of individual schools and the College at large. For instance, the College's Jesuit identity, the lifelong friendships that are formed, the close relationships that form between students and faculty, and the unique opportunities that students have, for instance to do research as undergraduates. 

Le Moyne Physics Students

• Write like you were talking to a friend.

• Avoid sounding stuffy or institutional.

• When writing about complex research and related topics, find ways to explain the work with analogies, examples, illustrations, photos and graphs.

• Use active rather than passive verbs.

Student with elephant
accomplished, caring, concerned, enthusiastic, friendly, innovative, inquisitive, passionate, smart, trustworthy, upbeat, warm, worldly
 
Provide vivid, specific examples to back up what we say about Le Moyne and establish context.

• Use Le Moyne’s people and their stories to convey our messages.

• Demonstrate how and where Le Moyne makes a difference.

• Make the message personal; put a face on our achievements.

For Example

Less Like

Le Moyne’s beautiful 160-acre campus offers lots of opportunities for students outside of the classroom.

More Like

There are 168 hours in a week. That may seem like a lot of time to fill. At Le Moyne, it’s not. Le Moyne students: play on 21 NCAA teams, 13 club teams, and 14 intramural leagues; run more that 80 clubs and organizations; and volunteer more than 30,000 hours to community service.


Less Like

At Le Moyne, you will have an opportunity to apply what you learned in the classroom to the real world.

More Like

In order to understand the impact of climate change on the environment, Le Moyne students didn’t just hit the books; they hit the road, travelling to Iceland with Professor of Biological Sciences Larry Tanner to study glacial retreat.


Less Like

Visit our campus and imagine what your life will be like as a Le Moyne student.

More Like

Explore a place where you’ll discover who you are – fun, loving, passionate and driven - and who you will become – a leader, an expert, an advocate for those in need.