This article covers the basics for drafting a good document (with examples), and shows pro Slite editor tips. ✨
The basics
Title
Answers the question "what is it about?"
Should be easy to find via search
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 🤗 .
Be concise.
Structure content visually.
Avoid passive voice, where possible. 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. For example:
Structure your doc
Developing a consistent structure between docs will help readers know what to expect. We're building the Slite editor with this in mind. (Doc templates can help you save and reuse structures whenever you need them.)
Headers
Guide the reader by using headers 1, 2, and 3. 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.
Bullet Points
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".
Emphasis
You can use our quote feature to make a sentence more visible. (Shortcut ⌘+Shift+>.)
Add a takeaways section
For meeting notes, add takeaways + TLDRs at the top to summarize. It's also a good place to add action items and to-dos.
Enrich your content
Slite docs aren't limited to text. We recommend displaying the best supporting visuals you have on hand.
Images
Tables
Embed other media like Youtube videos, Airtables, Trello cards, etc.
Code blocks
Add quotes
Attach PDFs and other files
Take this doc as an example
Now that's a good doc. A meaningful title, a TLDR, good supporting images, and great use of headers, all of which make it super easy to navigate.
Pro tips
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.)
Insert today's date by using our slash command to add a date in no time
Resize images by hovering over their right margin to get the resize icon.
Use our shortcuts to format your note even faster
🗣 Email support@slite.com or use the in-app messenger to drop us some feedback, or to share your own best practices.