# PROSE.md Template

Hybrid format: narrative sections per layer + do/don't tables as an annex. The narrative teaches the _why_ (so writers can handle edge cases); the annex provides the scannable enforcement layer.

Length target: 20–60 pages. Beyond that, writers stop reading. Below that, edge cases proliferate. Siemens reduced their brand guidelines from 2,750 to 250 pages by ruthless deletion — that is the discipline.

## Skeleton

```markdown
# PROSE.md — <Brand Name>

> Version <semver> · Last updated <YYYY-MM-DD> · Owner: <name / role> · Status: <draft | active | deprecated>
>
> Read alongside `TONE.md` (emotional posture) and `SOUL.md` (storyteller archetype). Visual identity lives in `DESIGN.md` and is out of scope here.

## Purpose

200 words: who this guide is for, how to use it, what it does not cover, the relationship to TONE.md and SOUL.md.

## The Prose Pillars

5–8 pillars in the form "We write X, not Y", each with a one-sentence rationale and one example. Pillars must be falsifiable. "We write short sentences with concrete subjects; we avoid abstract nominalizations" passes the test. "We write warmly" does not.

## Voice vs. Tone note

One paragraph adapting Mailchimp's formulation: "You have the same voice all the time, but your tone changes." Voice = consistent (this guide). Tone = situational (TONE.md).

## 1. Lexicon

### 1.1 Use / avoid A–Z

[Narrative paragraph explaining the lexicon's center of gravity — e.g., "Anglo-Saxon verbs over Latinate; concrete nouns over abstract; named over generic."]

[Table: 50–200 entries.]

### 1.2 Terminology

[Product names, feature names, capitalization, plural forms.]

### 1.3 Jargon ladder per channel

[Table: which specialist terms permitted in which channel grouping.]

### 1.4 Acronyms · 1.5 Naming · 1.6 Foreign words · 1.7 Technical depth scale

[As applicable; see five-layers.md for full structure.]

## 2. Syntax

[Narrative: this brand's syntax center of gravity in one paragraph.]

### 2.1 Sentence length distribution

[Mean target ± 2 words. Distribution targets. Category default reasoning.]

### 2.2 Sentence types · 2.3 Clauses · 2.4 Active/passive · 2.5 Parallelism · 2.6 Paragraph length · 2.7 Paragraph architecture

[Each subsection: rule + 1-sentence why + example.]

## 3. Rhythm

[Narrative: what cadence sounds like read aloud.]

### 3.1–3.6 Cadence · Breath points · Repetition · Callbacks · List patterns · White space

## 4. Structure

### 4.1 Openings

[3–5 permitted hook types with example openings from prior brand corpus.] [Forbidden openings list.]

### 4.2 Closings · 4.3 Transitions · 4.4 Headings · 4.5 Subheadings · 4.6 Lists · 4.7 Asides · 4.8 Quotations · 4.9 Citations · 4.10 Blockquotes

## 5. Voice Markers

[5–12 markers with rules of use and rationing.]

### 5.1 Signature moves · 5.2 Signoffs · 5.3 Recurring metaphors · 5.4 Idioms · 5.5 Taboos · 5.6 Intentional tics

## 6. Punctuation Policy

[The full table from five-layers.md, adapted to this brand's positions.]

## 7. Formatting Policy

[Heading hierarchy, lists, code blocks, images, callouts, tables, links.]

## 8. Channel Overrides

[One section per in-scope grouping. Each section: deltas on sentence length, paragraph length, hook types, closing types, formatting, CTA.]

### 8.1 Long-form articles

### 8.2 Social posts

### 8.3 Email & newsletter

### 8.4 Marketing copy

## 9. Cultural & Linguistic Adaptation

[English variant (US/UK/intl); French↔English handling; false cognates; transfer budgets; accessibility/inclusion.]

## 10. Anti-LLM Countermeasures

[Banned lexical tells, structural tells, punctuation defaults. The rules LLMs do not follow by default — that is the durable defense.]

## 11. Sample Bank

### 11.1 Before/after pairs (≥ 10)

For each:

- Rule violated
- Original
- Rewrite
- Rule applied
- Why the rewrite is better (one sentence)

### 11.2 Exemplar pieces (≥ 3, annotated paragraph by paragraph)

### 11.3 Anti-exemplars (≥ 2, de-identified)

### 11.4 Hook bank (30+ approved openings)

### 11.5 Closing bank (15+ approved closings)

### 11.6 Transition bank (20+ approved transition phrases)

## 12. Ghostwriting Addendum (per principal, if applicable)

[Per-principal idiolect: 10 signature openings, 5 signature closings, 3 recurring stories with allowed retelling cadence, list of banned topics, list of preferred connectors, average post length, line-break convention.]

---

## Annex A — Do/Don't Quick Reference

The scannable layer. One table per layer; writers can audit a draft in 10 minutes.

### A.1 Lexicon

| ✅ Do | ❌ Don't |
| --- | --- |
| Use plain Anglo-Saxon verbs | Use empty Latinate verbs (leverage, facilitate, utilize) |
| Spell out acronyms on first use | Assume all readers know the acronym |
| Use product names exactly as registered | Improvise capitalization |

### A.2 Syntax

| ✅ Do | ❌ Don't |
| --- | --- |
| Vary sentence length (σ ≥ 6 words per 100-word window) | Write uniformly long or uniformly short sentences |
| Active voice as default | Use passive without a documented reason |
| Cap subordination at 2 levels | Stack subordinate clauses |

### A.3 Rhythm

| ✅ Do | ❌ Don't |
| --- | --- |
| Place a breath sentence (≤ 8 words) every 3–5 sentences | Forget to breathe |
| Use parallel structure in lists and tricolons | Mix grammatical categories in a list |
| Cap lists at 7 items | Write 12-item lists with no grouping |

### A.4 Structure

| ✅ Do | ❌ Don't |
| --- | --- |
| Front-load headings with the topic noun | Open with throat-clearing ("Introduction to...") |
| Use logical connectors (because, therefore, however) | Use additive filler (also, moreover, furthermore, last but not least) |
| Frontloaded link text | "click here", "learn more", "read more" |

### A.5 Voice markers

| ✅ Do | ❌ Don't |
| --- | --- |
| Deploy signature moves at the declared rate | Overuse a signature move into self-parody |
| Maintain the taboo list | Drift into category-default phrasings |

### A.6 Punctuation

| ✅ Do | ❌ Don't |
| --- | --- |
| Enforce the Oxford comma decision consistently | Switch within a piece |
| Ration exclamation marks per the policy | Use exclamations as enthusiasm performance |
| Banned em dash → use comma, colon, parens, or period (if banned) | Keep em dashes when policy says no |

### A.7 Channel overrides

| Channel | Mean sentence length | Paragraph length | Hook style | CTA |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Long-form | 14–18 | 2–5 sentences | Scene · contrarian · stat · concrete detail | Practical next step / callback |
| Social | 8–12 | 1–3 sentences | Bold claim · direct problem · concrete detail | Specific reply prompt |
| Email | 10–14 | 1–2 sentences | Personal frame · curiosity gap | Single primary CTA in P.S. |
| Marketing copy | 8–12 | 1–3 sentences | Promise · direct problem · authority | Direct action button |

---

## Changelog

| Date       | Version | Change        | Author |
| ---------- | ------- | ------------- | ------ |
| YYYY-MM-DD | 1.0.0   | Initial guide | name   |
```

## Notes on populating the template

- **Pillars are mandatory.** Without falsifiable pillars, writers default to invented rules.
- **Sample bank is the most-read section.** Lead with it in onboarding; treat it as the front door, not the appendix.
- **Annex tables are co-located by layer.** Editors read top-down narrative for understanding; writers spot-check via the annex on every piece.
- **The changelog is part of the trust.** A guide updated visibly is a guide writers trust.