This article covers the basics for drafting a good document that people will read. We'll cover some pro editor tips down the road. ✨
The basics
Title
Answers the question, "what's my doc about?"
Should be easy to find via search – think keywords.
Writing style
Your goal is to make sure others can easily read through your docs to find what they need, but your voice is your own. A few tips:
Be concise
Be structured
Make it visually clear: use videos & sketches when more appropriate than text
Avoid passive voice. Active voice will make your writing clearer & easier to read.
Passive: The movie ET was directed by Spielberg
Active: Spielberg directed the movie ET.
Introduce your doc
We recommend that you clarify your doc's topic and author(s) at the top. Type "/hint".
Structure your doc
Developing a consistent structure between docs will help readers know what to expect. We've built the Slite editor with this in mind, and are always improving it. (Doc templates can help you save and reuse structures whenever you need them.)
Headers
Guide the reader by using H1, H2, and H3. They'll structure your note efficiently.
Use the in-line toolbar or the keyboard shortcuts (try ⌘+Shift+1 and ⌘+Shift+2 to get H1 and H2, on Mac.)
Headers will automatically generate a table of contents; very useful for long docs.
Doc cards
Guide people, save them time. Guide them through what are the most important documents to read in this section. Hit "/doc card". More about Doc Cards.
The famous/infamous bullet points
In some cases, using bullet points is one of the best ways to clarify your thoughts for yourself and readers. They are great to make your ideas more concise and explicit. We recommend it. (⌘-Shift-8.)
Document links
These are a great way to avoid duplicating existing content by simply linking notes to each other. Reference any note by typing "@[doc title]".
Enrich your content
Slite docs are not limited to text. Sometimes text is just not the best way to convey a message or explain a complex process. Make the most of other features, such as:
Tables, Smart Tables & Collections to better organize your docs
Embeddable media like Youtube videos, Airtables, Trello cards, etc.
Code blocks
Add quotes
Attach PDFs and other files
Embed discussions
...
Check how your doc is performing
Analytics help you see if what you wrote has been used by the rest of your team. So you can know whether you need to update or archive your doc.
Click on "[Name edited Date]" in the doc header to open the page analytics.
Pro tips
Use our "/" shortcuts to format your note even faster
Insert today's date by using our slash command "/today"
Hit Cmd/ctrl + click to open a new browser page or a window from a Slite doc link.
Emojis can help set the tone for your text communications. Check our emoji picker by starting to type :smile:, for example. (You can also use ⌘-CTRL-Space on Mac.)
🗣 Email support@slite.com or use the in-app messenger to drop us some feedback, or to share your own best practices. Happy Slite-ing!