Write to engage

If English isn’t your first or natural language and you’re having to write in it then have it checked out by a native English speaker (it shouldn’t be hard to find someone in CISV). Ask them to check for meaning, spelling and grammar – we are an educational organization after all.

Tone of Voice

While we need to pay close attention to getting the visual image right, the text used with the imagery should reinforce the values of our brand in an equally appealing way.

Traditionally the language that has been used to describe CISV has often been a bit too serious. Although we're serious about our educational principles, we're trying to achieve them in a fun, engaging and enthusiastic way. Why not reflect who we are in the way we write to our audiences?

So we would like you to be a bit less serious – and a bit more emotional and engaging (as well as being authoritative and accurate). Try to introduce a lighter tone and express emotions a little more. The thing is, if you are able to trigger the right kind of a feeling in your audience, the more likely they are to become interested in CISV. One of the best ways to do this, is to use quotes from CISVers of all ages (only identify participants by first name and country). They are generally less formal and often express the excitement, engagement and commitment to CISV ideals and can be great fun.

Other tips

However, just using the right tone of voice is not enough. Ask yourself the following questions before you get started:

  • what message(s) do I want to convey?
  • who am I writing for? Remember your text is likely to be read by educators, parents and schoolchildren.
  • why am I writing: to inform, advise or persuade?

The following tips might also help you out:

  • be clear and to the point: "less is more."
  • use short sentences.
  • try to use everyday words and avoid jargon or the many CISV acronyms.
  • make it simple for the reader to find the information they need by using headers and sub-headers.
  • use bullet points (particularly for listing benefits and key points).
  • Break long texts up sensibly with paragraph breaks.