diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e6ce6b6..2cedd71 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -118,14 +118,35 @@ entirely in this repo, in this order:
    lint that gates every human push passes. Nothing merges on
    autopilot.
 
+## Voice
+
+The rules every page here follows:
+
+- **The title is the only question.** A page asks one thing — its
+  `name`. Nothing below it asks anything.
+- **Alternatives are bold statements**, argued against each other —
+  positions we'd like a visitor to get behind, in our voice, never
+  the visitor's presumed voice and never a question.
+- **Explain why, then hand over the field.** Where input is needed,
+  the feature's name and description state the reason ("the reply is
+  personal — it needs an address"), and labels are nouns, not
+  questions.
+- **Don't assume the visitor's role.** A concern that only speaks to
+  some visitors gets its own question page; the question nav (every
+  page's footer) surfaces all questions the current visitor qualifies
+  for, so nothing depends on front-page space. Post-submission pages
+  carry `followup: true` and only join the nav once the visitor holds
+  an answer chain.
+
 ## Schema quick reference
 
 The exact structs live in portal's `src/content.rs`; the shape:
 
 ```
 Question            id (doubles as the URL path), name, description,
-                    qualifies (Kanidm group gate), responsible {name, contact},
-                    alternatives[]
+                    qualifies (Kanidm group gate), followup (nav-hidden
+                    until the visitor carries a chain),
+                    responsible {name, contact}, alternatives[]
   Alternative       name, description, action, consequence[label],
                     encouragements[], images[] (1 = banner, 2+ = card deck),
                     record_as (bucket), self_transition {bucket, to, label},