Voice & tone
The voice follows from the idea: curious, warm, and unhurried, with a grown-up sense of taste. We speak the way you’d talk to a well-traveled friend who trusts you to find the magic in a place — not the way a brochure shouts about deals.
Principles
Section titled “Principles”- Invite, don’t sell. Open a door and let the reader step through. Wonder is more persuasive than urgency.
- Be specific. A named teahouse, a particular light, a real moment — concrete detail carries more feeling than adjectives.
- Honest about surprise. Frame the unexpected as part of the experience, not a problem to apologize for.
- Calm and spare. Say less. Let the space and the image do their share.
Tone by context
Section titled “Tone by context”The voice is constant; the tone flexes:
- Inspiration (site, social): evocative, sensory, a little poetic.
- Practical (logistics, confirmations): clear, warm, reassuring — plain verbs, no jargon, never cold.
- When something goes wrong: direct and human. Explain what happened and what happens next. Don’t over-apologize; do take care of the person.
A quick test
Section titled “A quick test”Read it aloud. If it sounds like a person who loves this place talking to someone they like, it’s right. If it sounds like a press release, rewrite it.