What a great reminder, Jessica! Where I struggle the most with this is not in my posts, but anytime I answer the question, what do I write about - bio, about page, two line description. still a work in progress. Uh, oh, I think "work in progress" is category language, lol.
Uh, oh, LOL 🤣 That made me laugh so hard. I’ve got a framework you can follow. But then again, a framework is still a framework and a little template of its own. Just give it your own “schwung” as we call that here, meaning give it your own vibe. Here’s the framework: "I help [specific person] who is [stuck moment/frustration] get [outcome] without [thing they're trying to avoid], by [your approach based on beliefs]." Hope this gives a little direction 🙂
There’s a neuroscience reason why category language doesn’t stick: the brain processes familiar patterns on autopilot. Predictable words get recognized, not read — the brain already knows where the sentence is going, so it skips.
Specific, unexpected language creates a tiny friction. A half-second of “wait, what?” — and that’s exactly when memory forms.
Your test — “could a competitor use this?” — is elegant. I’d add one more: does this sentence make the brain work, even slightly? If not, kill it.
Cool! Just found you today via @ChrisBWrites and I look forward to reading the full list. Like Chris, my first (and so far only) publication is mostly about poetry, and personal inspirational sharing. I’m centered more on aging with self-love and feist, spirituality, sexuality, motherhood, and thriving with a disability. I feel like my bio expresses those things without “categoryspeak.”I’m open to input if you or Chris or anybody else want to take a peek. Do you do private consultations, Jess? I sometimes wonder if I’m trying to do too much with one publication and should have two of them, one more specifically about poetry, and tips for poet and authors about creativity, writing and publishing, and one more about women’s empowerment, divine feminine, intimacy, and spiritual awakening. Hmmm. 🤔 Thank you so much. I’m glad I found you both here!
Hi Sage! I've updated the list today, and it's linked to a new Notion board. So, check it out. I have to say that "category speak" is not illegal. But they are lazy when they stand alone. I added the disclaimer in the post today. 😎
I do think these topics deserve two separate publications, but the question is, can you handle the extra work? If so, I would separate them.
You can reach out to me for a consultation. happy to help! And I'm going to launch a custom GPT to help you filter out category language in your copy. Keep an eye out 👀
Hi, Sage! It definitely sounds like you could have two publications. One about poetry, creativity and publishing and the other about thriving with a disability and include self love, empowerment and motherhood in that one. It’s okay to write about multiple topics and be multifaceted but you could definitely use a second publication to get organized. I hope this helps. 🙌
Woww! This isa good one! Even I've been thinking certain words and even phrases are so overused, people don;t even care if there's any meaning in them. They just see buzz.
Thank you!!! I have been so sick of the language that is so overused!! Your not broken, your not wrong. I tell people that yes we are broken!! And it is up to us to go find those broken parts, clean it out, understand and love it and then fill it with gold so we are stronger for it. We keep getting told that and yet everyone asks, then why do I still feel like shit. It is because we all have broken pieces. And the language tells us not to look deep, feel deep. to cover it up and always be happy. No! We don't always want to be happy! We want to experience the debth of ALL the emotions! I just wrote an article about this. ha ha. Thank you for your take on this, I loved it!
Love this!! I can’t stand the sea of generic ‘advice’ and my approach is actually in opposition to most of it, but I also don’t want to just oppose everyone all the time either, so I’ve been trying to strike a balance, but now I’m moving to an audio podcast so I can just talk and use my inflection so people get to know me and that will be a better filtering process hopefully.
The harder version of this problem is structural. Category language doesn't just creep in because founders copy templates. It creeps in because boards, investors, and category buyers reward it. A pitch deck that says "transformational" gets funded. A pitch deck that says "we fix the moment when service providers attract clients who haggle on price" makes the room nervous because it's smaller and more specific.
The founders who use category language aren't being lazy. They're optimizing for the audience that signs the checks. The brands that win on language are usually the ones whose cap table allows them to sound specific.
Which is why the kill list is most useful early, before the deck gets sanitized for the next round.
Great read! As a marketer I’d add one nuance - a lot of these words aren’t dead internally. They’re still very much alive in briefs and boardrooms. But the moment something is consumer-facing, category language is a brand killer. Your audience doesn’t care how your industry talks. They care if you named something they’ve been feeling but couldn’t say.
That’s why clarity, specificity and consistency are the trifecta. Clarity defines who you are. Specificity makes you memorable. Consistency makes it stick. Without all three, even the most original language eventually becomes mashed potato.
What a great reminder, Jessica! Where I struggle the most with this is not in my posts, but anytime I answer the question, what do I write about - bio, about page, two line description. still a work in progress. Uh, oh, I think "work in progress" is category language, lol.
Uh, oh, LOL 🤣 That made me laugh so hard. I’ve got a framework you can follow. But then again, a framework is still a framework and a little template of its own. Just give it your own “schwung” as we call that here, meaning give it your own vibe. Here’s the framework: "I help [specific person] who is [stuck moment/frustration] get [outcome] without [thing they're trying to avoid], by [your approach based on beliefs]." Hope this gives a little direction 🙂
Very cool! I will give it a try!
There’s a neuroscience reason why category language doesn’t stick: the brain processes familiar patterns on autopilot. Predictable words get recognized, not read — the brain already knows where the sentence is going, so it skips.
Specific, unexpected language creates a tiny friction. A half-second of “wait, what?” — and that’s exactly when memory forms.
Your test — “could a competitor use this?” — is elegant. I’d add one more: does this sentence make the brain work, even slightly? If not, kill it.
Cool! Just found you today via @ChrisBWrites and I look forward to reading the full list. Like Chris, my first (and so far only) publication is mostly about poetry, and personal inspirational sharing. I’m centered more on aging with self-love and feist, spirituality, sexuality, motherhood, and thriving with a disability. I feel like my bio expresses those things without “categoryspeak.”I’m open to input if you or Chris or anybody else want to take a peek. Do you do private consultations, Jess? I sometimes wonder if I’m trying to do too much with one publication and should have two of them, one more specifically about poetry, and tips for poet and authors about creativity, writing and publishing, and one more about women’s empowerment, divine feminine, intimacy, and spiritual awakening. Hmmm. 🤔 Thank you so much. I’m glad I found you both here!
Hi Sage! I've updated the list today, and it's linked to a new Notion board. So, check it out. I have to say that "category speak" is not illegal. But they are lazy when they stand alone. I added the disclaimer in the post today. 😎
I do think these topics deserve two separate publications, but the question is, can you handle the extra work? If so, I would separate them.
You can reach out to me for a consultation. happy to help! And I'm going to launch a custom GPT to help you filter out category language in your copy. Keep an eye out 👀
Oh, that’s fabulous! Thank you!
Hi, Sage! It definitely sounds like you could have two publications. One about poetry, creativity and publishing and the other about thriving with a disability and include self love, empowerment and motherhood in that one. It’s okay to write about multiple topics and be multifaceted but you could definitely use a second publication to get organized. I hope this helps. 🙌
Thanks, Jess!
You’re very welcome, Sage! Let Jess or me know if you need any help!
Woww! This isa good one! Even I've been thinking certain words and even phrases are so overused, people don;t even care if there's any meaning in them. They just see buzz.
Thank you!!! I have been so sick of the language that is so overused!! Your not broken, your not wrong. I tell people that yes we are broken!! And it is up to us to go find those broken parts, clean it out, understand and love it and then fill it with gold so we are stronger for it. We keep getting told that and yet everyone asks, then why do I still feel like shit. It is because we all have broken pieces. And the language tells us not to look deep, feel deep. to cover it up and always be happy. No! We don't always want to be happy! We want to experience the debth of ALL the emotions! I just wrote an article about this. ha ha. Thank you for your take on this, I loved it!
Great examples in here. Thanks for killing the sea of sameness!
this is another great piece, Jess!! 💥🙌
Thank you so much for reading!
Love this!! I can’t stand the sea of generic ‘advice’ and my approach is actually in opposition to most of it, but I also don’t want to just oppose everyone all the time either, so I’ve been trying to strike a balance, but now I’m moving to an audio podcast so I can just talk and use my inflection so people get to know me and that will be a better filtering process hopefully.
The harder version of this problem is structural. Category language doesn't just creep in because founders copy templates. It creeps in because boards, investors, and category buyers reward it. A pitch deck that says "transformational" gets funded. A pitch deck that says "we fix the moment when service providers attract clients who haggle on price" makes the room nervous because it's smaller and more specific.
The founders who use category language aren't being lazy. They're optimizing for the audience that signs the checks. The brands that win on language are usually the ones whose cap table allows them to sound specific.
Which is why the kill list is most useful early, before the deck gets sanitized for the next round.
Great read! As a marketer I’d add one nuance - a lot of these words aren’t dead internally. They’re still very much alive in briefs and boardrooms. But the moment something is consumer-facing, category language is a brand killer. Your audience doesn’t care how your industry talks. They care if you named something they’ve been feeling but couldn’t say.
That’s why clarity, specificity and consistency are the trifecta. Clarity defines who you are. Specificity makes you memorable. Consistency makes it stick. Without all three, even the most original language eventually becomes mashed potato.