A fistful of bullet point tips

“Well, if there’s gonna be any shooting… I gotta get my rest.”

Clint Eastwood, The Man With No Name

Every good western needs a shootout. But it isn’t just gunslingers for whom the bullet is essential. Used judiciously, the bullet point can be one of the most effective weapons in a writer’s armoury.

For a start, there are very few writing devices that combine such a wealth of different functions. They can draw the reader’s eye to key points, break up walls of text and lend authority to important statements.

But – just as with real bullets – bullet points must be used with caution. Use them too often and your text can sound hectoring, as if you’re giving your reader a series of lists; get them wrong and you look unprofessional.

So, here are some tips to ensure your bullets always hit the target:

• Law and order
  It’s not set in stone, but introducing your list with a colon usually works best. Also, consider how your bullet points are ordered. If some are more important than others, should it be a numbered list? Are there some points that belong together?
• Sure shot
  Be consistent. For example, if one point isn’t a full sentence, none are; if you do use full sentences it’s best to begin with a capital letter. Furthermore, starting each point with either a verb or a noun makes your bullets sound consistent, but active verbs work best (see how we like to write our bullet points, above).
• The wild wild Web
  Bullet points work especially well in the fast paced, scan-reading world of the Internet. With a readership impatient for information, getting to the point quickly (and noticeably) is even more important, so make sure your main message is at the start of each bullet point.
• Spurring summaries
  Bullet points are eye-catching. Summarising the key points of your writing in bullet points means that if readers only see that section, they still hear your key messages. But remember that bullet points communicate efficiency rather than warmth, so avoid them when you want to build rapport or deal with a sensitive issue.
• The good, the bad and the ugly
  Formatting is the key to good, eye-catching bullet points. You’ll notice that this Trade Secret of Writing includes bullets that also work as headings, where the first line is bold and followed with a ‘soft return’ (press SHIFT and RETURN at the same time on your keyboard).
• Non-cryptic headings
  In business writing, it’s important to use headings which are clear, concise and understandable. Note that this point uses a non-cryptic heading, whilst the previous headings are more creative.