In a remote, asynchronous, and digital world, writing is a powerful skill.

Jeff Bezos banned PowerPoint at Amazon and promoted a writing culture with 6-page memos. "It's probably the smartest thing we ever did." - Jeff Bezos.

The writing culture has helped Amazon grow into a trillion dollar company. It can help you too.

Here's how to "Write Like an Amazonian.” (Source: "Write Like and Amazonian" and this tweet).

1. Use less than 30 words per sentence

Aim to be clear and concise.

In business writing, the goal is to convey the main point. Quickly.

Some ways to stay below 30:

• Avoid compound sentences. Break the sentence into two separate thoughts.

• Use concise words

• Cut qualifiers like "I think" or "In my opinion." Be direct with your recommendation.

• Use bullets and spacing to make your writing digestible. Tweeting is a great forcing function for concise writing.

2. Be objective: replace adjectives and adverbs with data

Numbers don't lie. Fluffy words are imprecise.

Replace vague adjectives with data.

"The social campaign will drastically improve echo dot sales." → "The social campaign will increase echo dot sales by 3.5%."

"Sending a follow up greatly increases sales." → "Follow ups increase sales conversions by 20%."

The point from this tip is as follows: use fluffy adjectives and adverbs (extremely, very, exponentially) sparingly. Again, aim to be clear and concise.

3. Use the "So What" Test

Business writing is not meant to entertain.

What is the main point? Does the reader have a clear, specific action to take?

Put yourself in the shoes of the reader. Don't let them ask "So what?" at the end.

Take advantage of introductions and conclusions with your posts. Clearly illustrate the "So What" in one or two sentences to start the essay. Reiterate the "So What" with a brief conclusion.

4. Avoid Jargon and Acronyms

Adding buzzwords will not improve your writing. Use plain language. Keep your writing simple. An 8th grader should understand it. Remember, we're aiming for clarity. We're not trying to impress.

Also, don't alienate the reader by using acronyms you haven't explained first.

5. Use subject-verb-object sentences

You might've learned this as using active voice over passive voice in school.

Active voice drives clarity.

✅ Bezos founded Amazon.

Subject: Bezos

Verb: Founded

Object: Amazon

Avoid passive voice. Passive voice is an object-verb-subject sentence.

❌ Amazon was founded by Bezos.

Object: Amazon

Verb: Founded

Subject: Bezos

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In the digital world, communication through writing is a powerful skill. Writing like an Amazonian is a great way to improve this skill.