The Voice Primer
A free do-it-yourself prompt from Your Voice, Installed. Works with Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Copilot and other AI chat tools.
AI tools write in a default voice unless you tell them otherwise. This primer gets the AI to study your own writing and describe your style back to you as a short, reusable guide. It takes about 10 minutes.
Step 1: Gather 3 to 5 pieces you wrote
Pick writing that sounds like you on a good day: posts, emails, newsletters, a page from your site. Variety helps. Remove anything confidential and other people's personal details before you paste.
Step 2: Paste this prompt into a new chat
I'm going to give you several pieces of my own writing. Study them and write me a Voice Guide I can reuse when I ask you to write for me.
Describe, with short quoted examples from my writing: 1. Rhythm: typical sentence and paragraph length, and how I vary them. 2. Openings and closings: how I usually start and end a piece. 3. Word choice: words and phrases I use often, and how formal or casual I am. 4. Personality: humor, warmth, directness, confidence, and how they show up. 5. Formatting habits: lists, emoji, bold, line breaks, punctuation quirks. 6. What I avoid: words, tones, and structures that never appear in my writing.
Then write 8 to 12 clear rules ("Do / Don't") that would help another writer sound like me. Keep the whole guide under 400 words. Don't flatter me; be specific.
Here is my writing: [paste your samples here, separated by ---]
Step 3: Check the guide
Read it and fix anything that's wrong. You know your voice better than any tool. Add a line listing words you never want to see.
Step 4: Use it
- Claude: paste the guide at the start of a chat, or save it in a Project's instructions.
- ChatGPT: paste it into a Project's instructions or your custom instructions.
- Any other AI tool (Gemini, Perplexity, Copilot and others): paste it into the tool's custom instructions or project instructions box if it has one, or at the start of a chat.
- Then ask: "Using my Voice Guide, write a [type of piece] about [topic]."
Quick checklist for better drafts
- ☐ Give the AI one concrete goal per request (one post, one email).
- ☐ Tell it who the reader is.
- ☐ Ask for a shorter version than you think you need. Cutting is easier than padding.
- ☐ If a phrase sounds off, add it to your "never use" list in the guide.
- ☐ Always read the draft before you publish it.
Want it done for you?
The primer gets you a quick improvement. Your Voice, Installed goes further: we build a full, ready-to-install Claude Skill and ChatGPT setup from your writing, plus a portable voice guide, setups for Gemini, Perplexity and Copilot, and 3 sample pieces in your voice, delivered by email. $39, one-time payment.
Learn more at voiceinstalled.com
Claude is a trademark of Anthropic, PBC. ChatGPT is a trademark of OpenAI. Gemini is a trademark of Google LLC. Perplexity is a trademark of Perplexity AI, Inc. Microsoft Copilot is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. Your Voice, Installed is independent and not affiliated with any of them.