5 prompts to help Claude sound like you

You read the draft. It's clear. The spelling's fine. It's even made a few useful points.

But you wouldn't say it like that. Any of it, actually.

So you ask Claude to make it sound more like you - maybe a bit friendlier, less formal … and more human, please.

Somehow you've now got a blog that sounds like a motivational speaker who's had too much coffee.

If you've been wondering how to make Claude or Chat GPT sound like you, the answer starts with giving it more to work with. "Friendly and professional" leaves rather a lot open to interpretation.

In my last prompts blog, I shared some of the instructions I use to give AI a better brief. This time, let's get specific about voice. I'm using Claude here, but you can adapt these prompts for whichever AI writing tool you use.

1. Show Claude what sounds like you. And what doesn't.

You know that email you wrote without overthinking it? The one where you can almost hear yourself talking as you read it back?

That's useful material.

Choose a few examples that feel like you. They might be blogs, emails or social posts. They don't need to be your most polished work. If you've edited every bit of personality out of them, they're probably not the best examples for this job.

Give Claude some context, too. Where are you from? Are there words or phrases you use all the time? Does a little of your spoken voice make its way into your writing?

Location can help explain spelling and expressions, but be specific. Being from New Zealand doesn't mean you want "yeah, nah" sprinkled through every paragraph.

And show it what you don't like. A sentence that feels too formal becomes much more useful when you add, "Here's how I'd say that instead."

Try this prompt:

Here are three examples of my writing that sound like me: [paste examples]. I'm from [location], and these words or phrases are part of how I speak: [examples]. Here are some examples I don't like, with my preferred versions: [add both]. Identify the specific features of my voice, using examples from the writing. Use those features when drafting for me, without repeating my favourite phrases everywhere or exaggerating regional slang.

You're giving Claude something to work from, rather than hoping its idea of "friendly" matches yours.

2. Tell Claude how you think, not just how you sound

Someone could copy your favourite phrases and still write a whole page of advice you disagree with.

Your opinions belong in the brief, too. And, can change the voice, tone and style of your content.

What do you wish your customers understood? What advice in your industry makes you roll your eyes? Perhaps there's a popular approach you don't recommend, because your experience has shown you something different. What are the “hills you’d die on”, or “discos you’d dance at” - every time.

For me, "just because you can, doesn't mean you should" applies to plenty of conversations about AI. I'm interested in where it can help, but I don't want to hand over every part of running my business simply because a tool makes it possible.

That belief changes what I'd write. It also changes the advice I'd give you.

Try this prompt:

Here's what I believe about this topic: [add your views]. Something I wish my customers understood is [explain]. I disagree with [common advice or assumption] because [reason or experience]. Use this perspective to shape the draft. Don't invent opinions or personal experiences for me. If you need to know where I stand, ask.

The more clearly you explain your thinking, the easier it is to judge whether the draft represents you.

3. Give your business a character. Then play with it.

Describing your own voice can be surprisingly difficult. It's your voice. You don't usually stop halfway through a conversation to analyse it.

So try coming at it from another direction.

If your business were a book or movie character, who would it be? Is there a celebrity or influencer whose way of communicating feels close to what you're after?

Think about what appeals to you. Their warmth? The way they're direct without being unkind? Perhaps they can challenge an idea with a little cheekiness and still leave you feeling encouraged.

Use those qualities as a starting point for finding your own combination.

Give Claude one paragraph and ask it to try a few voices. Keep the information the same so you can hear what the different descriptions do. Turn one quality up. Tone another down. See what happens.

It turns out "cheeky and influential" is mine!

Try this prompt:

I'm exploring my business's voice. The character or public figure I have in mind is [name]. The qualities I like are [describe what appeals to you]. Rewrite this paragraph in three versions: one using those qualities, one that's [two different descriptors], and one that's [another combination]. Keep the meaning and facts the same. Avoid catchphrases or impersonation. I want to find a voice that feels like me: [paste paragraph].

Read the versions aloud. Which one could you imagine saying to a client? Which makes you cringe a little? Both reactions are useful.

Play with it! Push it as far as you can. Take chatty to cheeky to downright mischievous. Try confident, then bold, then unapologetically outspoken. Or warm, then reassuring, then “your favourite aunty giving you a pep talk over a cuppa”.

You might go too far. Good! Sometimes you need to hear “absolutely not” before you recognise “oh, that’s me”. Then dial it back until it feels right.

4. Tell Claude how your reader should feel. And why.

Voice and tone are two different things, but together they make up the “how I sound”. Your voice can stay recognisably yours while your tone changes to suit the conversation.

You probably wouldn't use the same level of enthusiasm to explain a difficult problem as you would to share something you're excited about. The reader's situation matters.

Say you're writing for someone who's overwhelmed by conflicting advice. Asking Claude to make the content "exciting" could add to the noise. You might want the reader to feel understood first, then more confident that there's something manageable they can do.

Explain that movement. It gives the writing somewhere to go emotionally, rather than keeping the same level of cheerfulness from start to finish.

Try this prompt:

My reader is [describe them and their situation]. They may be feeling [starting emotion] because [reason]. By the end, I want them to feel [desired emotion] because they understand [what the content will help them see or do]. Let the tone shift naturally as the piece develops, while keeping my voice consistent. Don't tell them how they must feel or exaggerate their problem.

When I wrote this blog, I wanted you to finish feeling curious enough to experiment, with a clearer idea of what to try.

5. Give Claude instructions for a natural writing rhythm

Sometimes the individual words are fine, but the writing still feels odd. Nearly, but not quite you.

Every sentence is about the same length. Each paragraph follows the same pattern. Or it's gone the other way and everything is a dramatic little fragment.

Like this.

And this.

You get the idea.

Natural writing has variety. A longer sentence gives you room to explain something, while a short one can let a point land. Contractions such as "you're" and "doesn't" can help the writing feel conversational. A little humour might fit, but you don't need a joke in every section.

You can also ask for emotional modulation. That's a rather grand phrase for letting the energy and feeling change with what you're saying. A thoughtful point might need a quieter moment before you move into something more upbeat.

Try this prompt:

Edit this draft for a natural rhythm, using my writing examples as your guide. Vary sentence length according to what each point needs. Use contractions where I'd naturally use them. Let the energy shift with the subject, giving thoughtful points room and picking up the pace where it fits. Include light humour only where it suits my voice and the reader's situation. Avoid repetitive sentence patterns, forced jokes and a string of short, punchy fragments. Preserve my meaning and opinions.

Read it aloud afterwards. If you stumble over a sentence or can't imagine yourself saying it, that's a good place to edit.

You get the final say on what sounds like you

Pick a piece of content, give Claude a little more context and see what changes.

When something feels wrong, try explaining why. "I'd never call this exciting. My client is worried, and I'd be much gentler here" gives you both something more useful to work with than "make it more human".

Keep the instructions that help. Adjust the ones that produce something a bit too much. And don't feel obliged to keep a sentence just because it's beautifully written. You're allowed to say, "Lovely. Still not me."

If you're spending more time fixing your content than you'd hoped, I can help. My AI editing service brings your voice back into the writing, while making sure the message is clear and gives your reader a reason to act. Or, if you'd rather hand over the writing altogether, we can do that too.

Book a chat about your content. Let's make it sound like you, with every word doing a job.

Frequently asked questions about helping AI to sound more like me

Claude hasn't heard you chatting with a client or explaining something you're passionate about. If all you've given it is “friendly and professional”, there's plenty of room for interpretation.
Give it examples of your writing, explain your opinions and show it what you'd change in its drafts. Instead of “that doesn't sound like me”, try “I'd never use that phrase. Here's how I'd say it.” You may still need to edit, but you're giving it much clearer guidance.
Start with what you do have, such as a social post or a paragraph from your website that feels right. You could also talk through a topic, transcribe it and mark the phrases you'd use in writing. Remove private client information before sharing examples.
You can combine them into a brief, but testing them on a short piece can make it easier to see what helps. Start with your examples and opinions, explore the character if you need to, then add the reader's emotional context. Use the rhythm prompt when reviewing the draft.
Compare it with your examples and read it aloud. Check both the language and the advice. Would you say this to a client? Do you agree with it? Would someone who knows you recognise your voice? Edit anything that doesn't fit.