Brand Voice

How we write.

We follow the "Nicely Said" style: clear, concise, honest, considerate, and conversational. No marketing fluff. No manufactured urgency. Just words that respect the reader's time.

This page explains our approach—and serves as a reference for anyone writing copy for WORKWAY.

The implicit but

Our core pattern is the "implicit but"—a statement that respects capability while naming the real constraint.

"The automation layer you'd build yourself—if you had the time."

This works because it says something different from most developer tools:

  • You could build this.

  • You're choosing not to.

  • That's a smart tradeoff, not a limitation.

It's the difference between "we're smarter than you" and "we already did the work." Developers don't avoid building infrastructure because they can't. They avoid it because it's not their job.

Five principles

From Nicole Fenton and Kate Kiefer Lee's "Nicely Said"—the foundation of how we write.

Be clear

Say what you mean. If a sentence confuses you when you read it back, rewrite it.

"Sync your meetings to Notion" not "Leverage AI-powered meeting intelligence."

Be concise

Use fewer words. Cut the ones that don't add meaning.

"Try it free" not "Get started with your complimentary trial today."

Be honest

State facts. Don't exaggerate. If something is coming soon, say "coming soon."

"20 free runs" not "Limited time exclusive offer."

Be considerate

Respect the reader's time and intelligence. They'll figure out the implications.

"TypeScript SDK" not "Easy-to-use developer-friendly code interface."

Write how you speak

Read it out loud. If it sounds stiff, loosen it. If you wouldn't say it to a colleague, don't write it.

"We handled the infrastructure" not "Infrastructure concerns have been addressed."

Before and after

The same idea, written two ways. The "after" version follows our principles.

Hero statement

Before

"Automation infrastructure for developers."

After

"The automation layer you'd build yourself—if you had the time."

Why: Respects capability. Names the real constraint.

Feature description

Before

"We provide enterprise-grade workflow automation."

After

"Workflows that run while you sleep—without waking you when they fail."

Why: Speaks to outcome, not category.

Call to action

Before

"Start your free trial today!"

After

"Try it. 20 runs free. No credit card."

Why: States facts. No manufactured urgency.

Value proposition

Before

"The most powerful automation platform for developers."

After

"TypeScript workflows on Cloudflare Workers. Cheaper than Zapier at scale."

Why: Specific and verifiable. No superlatives.

The test

Before publishing any copy, ask yourself:

01

Would I say this to a colleague? If not, rewrite it.

02

Is every word necessary? Cut the ones that aren't.

03

Is this true? If you can't back it up, don't say it.

04

Does it respect the reader? No condescension, no hype.

If the answer to any of these is "no," the copy isn't ready.

Our writing style is based on Nicely Said by Nicole Fenton and Kate Kiefer Lee. If you write for the web, it's worth reading.