The brief
Take useful writing. Keep every fact. Make it sound like a person wrote it on purpose.
1. Customer help copy: dry -> human
Before
Your child's device may temporarily lose access to certain features while a software update is installing. Please keep the device connected to Wi-Fi and power until the update is complete. Do not restart the device during installation.
After
Some features on your child's device may take a break while a software update installs. Nothing dramatic: keep it on Wi-Fi and plugged in until the update is complete, and resist the heroic urge to restart it halfway through.
2. Job description: corporate -> clear and inviting
Before
We are seeking a detail-oriented support specialist responsible for responding to customer inquiries, maintaining documentation, and collaborating cross-functionally to resolve issues in a timely manner.
After
You will be the person customers are relieved to hear from. You will answer questions, untangle the occasional mystery, keep our help docs useful, and work with the rest of the team when an issue needs more than one brain. Clear writing matters here. So does kindness.
3. Internal announcement: factual, but not forgettable
Before
The office will be closed on Friday for a company planning day. Employees should complete urgent tasks by Thursday afternoon and update project statuses before logging off.
After
Friday is planning day, which means the office will be closed while we spend some quality time with calendars, whiteboards, and ideas we swear looked simpler yesterday. Please finish anything urgent by Thursday afternoon and update your project status before you log off.
Why this works
Meaning preserved. The facts stay intact.
Voice added. The writing feels warm and alive without becoming jokey.
House style respected. Humor supports the message instead of competing with it.
Readable at speed. Short pieces stay clean, direct, and easy to scan.