Numbers, the you attitude, and positive wording part 16

• general rule for numbers:

  1. spell out numbers 1 through 10
  2. Spell out ordinal numbers (like first). Hyphenated number like twenty-first counts as one word
  3. If a number starts a sentence, spell it out
  4. use words when expressing rounded or approximate numbers
  5. write all numbers the same way in a sentence
  6. The plural of a numeral is done by adding an s
  7. Use numerals for dates
  8. Use numerals with currency symbols in text
• numbers when they have a special purpose: Use all numerals when they are used in tables, dates, money, clock time, proportions and ratios, scores, votes, percentages, abbreviations and symbols, highway designations, and page numbers
• numbers and percentages: Express percentages in figures and spell out the word "percent"
• numeric values in sequence: Write one as a number and another as a word
• numbers as fractions: Spell out fractions that stand alone. Use figures only to express a mixed number
• rules for large numbers: Use a combination of numerals and writen numbers for large numbers like 3 million
• You attitude:

  1. empathize with the reader and think of the benefit they receive
  2. Emphasize what the reader wants to know
  3. Don't tell readers how they will feel or react
  4. Don't use emotional language expressing feelings unless for universally good or bad news like promotions and death especially
  5. Protect the reader's ego when you are correcting a reader and don't blame them
  6. don't tell the reader what they must or have to do. don't be patronizing
  7. Tell the reader why you are asking for something
• Positive emphasis:

  1. avoid negative trigger words like "never", "failed", "unable to", "cannot", and "unfortunately"
  2. State information in the positive
  3. Justify negative information by providing a reason or linking it to reader benefit