What's in a Style Sheet

When we start with a new client the first thing we do before we start writing anything is to create a list of words, acronyms, and style use that will help us be consistent in all documents and with all authors. It also helps us create a working standard for our clients when they take over the documents. Here is a list of items we put into an Excel spreadsheet.

Alphabetized Spelling and Word Use Tab
For Example:
We had a client that insisted on having the 'TM' symbol on every instance of their product name. So in this list under C for the product name we listed...

• Product Name^TM
  

This told the writer how this word would be used. We also listed industry words (after we have confirmed spelling with industry associations or resources)...

• electrocardiography
  

and writing standards for words...

• double-click
  
• log in (adj or n.)
• login (verb)
  

Acronym Tab
We list all the industry and proprietary acronyms with their full spelling

• ECG - electrocardiogram

Styles, Standards, and Marketing Tab
On a third tab we record all the clients current:

• font styles (Body text - Arial 10pt, left align)
  
• branded colours (RGB and HEX)
  
• unit short forms (e.g. msec (millisecond)
  
• Computer usage terms (describes how to write the name of application parts e.g. button names - bold)
• Numbered standards (describes how to write words with numbers like package size e.g. 50-Pack)
• Numbers (0.2V or I, II, V or 8^th)
• Writing standards (e.g. use serial commas)

"I don't know what I want to do when I grow up"

Have you ever had a friend say this to you? I have a couple, and I confess I have said this myself. This statement is not spoken because of a lack of ability, work, or passion it comes about because of other aspects of life. This morning I had an insight I am going to share:

This morning I was tweeting about a conference "call-for-speakers" in the information management side of what I do. I thought to myself - I don't have any clarity about the focus of my profile on Twitter. Am I an information management specialist, am I a business owner, am I an investor, or a mom and mentor, etc.? After deliberating for a bit I thought to myself, I am a CEO. I am the person that understands and oversees all the other aspects. I am the visionary that leads the way to the information and directs the purpose. This is what I am going to focus on.

When I sat back and looked at this statement I realized that when I put all my skills and interests under this one umbrella, clarity came to my 'understanding of me'. I finally know what I want to be when I grow up, it is an Entrepreneurial CEO and luckily I am already there.

This does not reduce the amount of work I have, but it does help me say 'Yes' or 'No' to certain activities when they do not meet this focus.

I share this for the benefit of all my friends and others that have a CEO mindset. Thinking like the person at the top makes focusing on one type of skill set quite difficult. You need to look higher up the chain to meet your abilities and to ensure you are using the gifts you have to their fullest.

Weird that Twitter helped add clarity to my 'understanding of me'.