Our success solely depends on the proper absorption of the knowledge we offer about a volatile field by the high echelons of civil service. They are the bureaucratic counterparts of corporate CEOs. They find themselves making hundreds of decisions a day and seldom have the time to go through exhaustive content unless it is of the highest priority. So, we need to be as concise as possible to make them absorb what we have to offer before losing their attention to their routine interruptions or fire-fighting. Also, our content must also be engaging to make retention easier.

1) Use words sparingly:
Cut down the number of words as brutally as possible.Always start writing with a word limit.

2) Let the designer make the constraints:
Ask your visual designers to come up with stringent space constraint and try to follow them to the core. Allow yourself to be
positively policed by them.

3) Replace the weak:
Weak words that require modifiers should be replaced with stronger words that can stand alone and convey the meaning.
For example: replace verbs that rely on adverbs with stronger verbs - ‘Run quickly’ replaced with ‘Dash’, ‘Change completely’ with ‘Morph’.

4) Feel free to use foreign words that capture the gist effectively: Words such as Ad hoc, Quid pro quo, Status quo are common in the vocabulary of the bureaucrats and they would find the content with them esoteric and engaging.

Editing the number of words should not result in a draft that may seem riddling or incomplete. Always read it aloud yourself before proceeding. Unbridled usage of strong words and foreign words may become a load for the readers

Our primary role is that of an advisor. Being clear with words is one of the major, if not the most important, aspects of an advisor. Also, we can ill-afford to irk our audience with an unclear draft. Though our offerings can be radical, the way we convey it must be conservative and old school. ( should be in line with existing protocols and customs for correspondence and communication). Having said that the content does not have to be bland and banal. It can reflect the field we represent by being vivid with details that otherwise escape the attention of the bureaucrats.

1) Error Free:
Come up with grammatically sound drafts that conform to established customs and follow a single dictionary (British English). For example: simple rules ike using ‘yours sincerely’ with a known person and ‘yours faithfully’ with an unknown person in emails

2) Slang Free:
It goes without saying the drafts must be free of casual tones, slangs and unauthorised abbreviations. Internet Slang is again a strict no

3) Familiar figures of speech:
Figures of speech should be used to avoid being prosaic by adding flavour to the content, but moderation is the key. Alliterations,
euphemisms and metaphors can be used as long as they can be understood easily. Circumlocution and Puns can be avoided. Editorial headings from Indian dailies can be used - especially ‘The Hindu’.

Attempts to be clear should not result in oversimplification of the complex concepts of technology. Complete absence of understanding is better than a misunderstanding or half-baked knowledge. Also, don’t force figures of speech and end up creating contents that may come across as stilted drafts.

As the target audience is placed on par with royalty, it goes without saying our voice should be courteous but this doesn’t mean being timid or servile. We are the experts of our field and, an appropriate audacity and a display of our mettle should be reflected in our voice and tone all across to establish credibility and easier cooperation.

1) Humility:
Always replace words of superiority with better alternatives that reflect the stand of a minister and not a guru. For example, instead of saying “we help them in awareness of the recent developments in AI ”, we can say “ We apprise them of the recent developments in the AI”. Make a subtle shift that strokes their ego instead of irking the same.

2) Vocal about the deference:
Emails must always explicitly show our deference. Address them with their proper titles and always thank them. Declare allegiance to the nation whenever suitable. For example, end your emails with “ Jai Hind”

3) Never be too humble:
Showcase proven facts without hesitation even if they are highly critical of the current practices and back every direction you provide with objective evidence. Showcase recent victories from your side with the deserved spotlight. Show them it can be done and it is done.

Both humility and confidence are double-edged swords. Judge the context, use them, test them, learn from mistakes and refine them before approving canned content.