my ($field, $value); # then, inside your loop... ... { ... my @lines = ( [ "NAME", "$fname $lname" ], [ "AGE", $age ], [ "WHATEVER", $whenever ], # ... ); for (@lines) { ($field, $value) = @$_; write FORMAT; } ... } ... format FORMAT = @<<<<<<<<<<<<< @<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< $field, $value .