VoiceTone
Voice and Tone
Overview
The DroidBuilders voice is the consistent personality behind all written communications. It never changes -- it is always warm, grounded, and genuine. Tone adjusts by context: more celebratory at an event, more rigorous in a grant proposal, more informative on the wiki.
The DroidBuilders Voice
Three words that define how we always sound:
| Word | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Warm | We are volunteers who care deeply about the people we serve. Our writing reflects that care -- never corporate, never cold. |
| Precise | We are builders and engineers. We get the details right. Our writing is clear, specific, and accurate -- no vague platitudes. |
| Joyful | We exist to create moments of delight and discovery. That spirit should show in our words -- playful when appropriate, never self-serious. |
Tone by Context
| Context | Tone | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Social media (event day) | Enthusiastic, celebratory | Share the energy of the moment |
| Social media (general) | Warm, conversational | Invite people in; celebrate the community |
| Website (homepage) | Inviting, confident, mission-focused | Clear value statement without jargon |
| Website (wiki / how-to) | Direct, informative, accessible | Step-by-step; no assumed knowledge |
| Education and schools | Encouraging, hands-on, curiosity-first | Connect droids to real STEM concepts kids can grasp |
| Grants and funders | Credible, specific, outcome-focused | Lead with the STEM mission and who we reach; back claims with numbers |
| Donation / fundraising | Heartfelt, specific, impact-focused | Concrete stories; never guilt-driven |
| Press / media | Factual, professional, accessible | Jargon-free; lead with the mission and our independent status |
| Event signage | Brief, joyful, bold | One clear idea per piece |
| Crisis / serious communications | Calm, direct, empathetic | Facts first; no speculation |
Writing Principles
Lead with impact, not process.
- ❌ "DroidBuilders, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that organizes volunteer events..."
- ✅ "We bring full-scale droids -- and the engineering behind them -- to classrooms, children's hospitals, and community events."
Connect wonder to STEM.
- ❌ "Kids love seeing the droids."
- ✅ "When a kid asks how the dome turns, we get to show them the motor, the gears, and the code -- that's STEM in action."
Be specific. Specificity builds trust.
- ❌ "We've helped a lot of people."
- ✅ "In 2024, DroidBuilders volunteers appeared at over 60 events across the country."
Speak to the person, not the crowd.
- ❌ "Attendees are encouraged to interact with the droids."
- ✅ "Come say hello -- the droids are friendly, and the builders love a good question."
Don't explain the joke.
- ❌ "Our droids bring joy to people, especially children, because everyone loves Star Wars."
- ✅ "There's nothing quite like watching a four-year-old meet R2-D2 for the first time."
Earn the exclamation mark. Enthusiasm is good; overusing "!" dilutes genuine excitement. Reserve it for moments that truly call for it.
Fundraising Language -- Special Rules
DroidBuilders is community-funded through donations that support our STEM education mission and community presence -- not individual build projects. This distinction matters to the community and must be reflected clearly in all fundraising language.
Never reference "droid builds" as a funding purpose. This implies the organization subsidizes personal projects and has created real controversy in the builder community.
Approved fundraising frames:
- The STEM education mission (school visits, classroom engagement, hands-on learning)
- Community impact (hospital appearances, public events, equity of access)
- Operational costs that enable outreach (logistics, event supplies, insurance)
- Community infrastructure (website, wiki, builder resources)
- Organizational sustainability
Examples:
- ❌ "Help us fund new droid builds and keep our builders equipped."
- ✅ "Your support brings hands-on STEM to more kids and keeps our droids on the road."
- ❌ "Donations help builders complete their projects."
- ✅ "Every dollar goes toward the STEM outreach, events, and infrastructure that make our mission possible."
Words We Use / Avoid
| Use | Avoid | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Volunteers | Members, employees | Reflects who we actually are |
| Community | Fanbase, fans | We serve broadly, not just fans |
| Builders | Makers, creators | Industry-specific, respected term |
| Outreach, appearances | Shows, performances | Reflects service and education, not entertainment |
| Replica droids | Costumes | Droids are props/robots, not costumes |
| STEM, hands-on learning | "Edutainment" | Names our actual mission plainly |
| Mission | Operations | Keeps focus on why we exist |
| Support the mission | Donate to DroidBuilders | Action-oriented and impact-focused |
Writing for Accessibility
- Aim for a Flesch-Kincaid reading level of 7-9 for public-facing content
- Spell out abbreviations and acronyms on first use
- Write descriptive alt text for all images (see Accessibility Standards)
- Use active voice; avoid passive constructions
- Break long passages into short paragraphs with descriptive subheadings