You know the voice. That weird, over-polished, says-nothing tone that screams “AI wrote this.”
“In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, it’s important to leverage synergies and optimize your workflow for maximum efficiency.”
Nobody talks like that. Nobody writes like that. And yet, that’s what AI gives you by default.
Here’s the thing: it’s not the AI’s fault. It’s yours.
Not in a mean way. Just in a “you didn’t tell it what you actually wanted” way.
The Real Problem
When you ask AI to write something without specifying a voice, it defaults to what I call “Wikipedia Professional” — technically correct, completely lifeless, sounds like it was approved by a committee of lawyers.
This happens because:
- AI is trained on the internet. Most formal writing online is bland corporate speak.
- Safe = boring. Without guidance, AI picks the safest, most generic tone.
- You didn’t tell it otherwise. And it can’t read your mind.
The result? Every email sounds like a press release. Every blog post sounds like a textbook. Every social caption sounds like it was written by someone who’s never used social media.
The 3-Line Fix
Here’s what actually works. Before your request, add three lines:
Voice: [describe the tone you want]
Audience: [who's reading this]
Avoid: [what you don't want]
That’s it. Three lines. Watch what happens.
Example: Writing a Product Description
Without the fix:
“Our innovative solution leverages cutting-edge technology to streamline your workflow and maximize productivity.”
With the fix:
Voice: Casual, confident, slightly witty. Like a smart friend explaining something.
Audience: Busy professionals who hate marketing speak.
Avoid: Buzzwords, corporate jargon, anything that sounds like a LinkedIn post.
Write a product description for a task management app.
“Finally, a to-do app that doesn’t make you want to throw your laptop. It’s simple: add tasks, check them off, feel like a functioning adult. No ‘synergy.’ No ’leverage.’ Just stuff getting done.”
Same AI. Same request. Completely different output.
Voice Descriptors That Actually Work
Not sure how to describe the voice you want? Steal these:
For Professional But Human
- “Confident but not arrogant. Clear but not cold.”
- “Like an email from a colleague you actually like.”
- “Smart and direct, but warm.”
For Casual/Conversational
- “Like texting a friend who happens to be an expert.”
- “Informal but not sloppy. Fun but not trying too hard.”
- “The opposite of a corporate memo.”
For Authoritative Content
- “Expert explaining to a curious beginner.”
- “Confident and knowledgeable, but never condescending.”
- “Like a TED talk, not a lecture.”
For Sales/Marketing
- “Enthusiastic without being pushy.”
- “Like a friend recommending something they genuinely love.”
- “Confident but honest about limitations.”
The “Avoid” Section Is Secretly the Most Important
Here’s a trick most people miss: telling AI what NOT to do is often more effective than telling it what to do.
Why? Because AI defaults to certain patterns. If you don’t explicitly ban them, they’ll show up.
Common things to avoid:
- Buzzwords: synergy, leverage, optimize, innovative, cutting-edge
- Filler phrases: “It’s important to note that,” “In order to,” “At the end of the day”
- Hedging: “might,” “could potentially,” “in some cases”
- Corporate speak: “value proposition,” “stakeholders,” “deliverables”
- Clichés: “game-changer,” “think outside the box,” “low-hanging fruit”
Try adding this to any prompt:
“Avoid: buzzwords, filler phrases, anything that sounds like it was written by a marketing department.”
Instant improvement.
Real Before/After Examples
LinkedIn Post
Before (default AI):
“Excited to announce that I’ve joined XYZ Company as Senior Product Manager! I’m looking forward to leveraging my experience to drive innovation and create value for stakeholders. Grateful for this opportunity and excited for what’s ahead! #NewJob #Excited #Grateful”
After (with voice fix):
“New job: I’m joining XYZ as a Product Manager. The team is building something I actually want to use, which feels rare. First day is Monday. Mildly terrified, mostly excited.”
Customer Email
Before (default AI):
“Dear Valued Customer, We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced. Your feedback is important to us, and we are committed to resolving this matter promptly. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any further concerns.”
After (with voice fix):
“Hey [Name], That’s frustrating — I’d be annoyed too. I just issued a full refund (should hit your account in 2-3 days). Sorry we dropped the ball on this one. Let me know if anything else comes up.”
Blog Introduction
Before (default AI):
“In today’s increasingly digital world, effective communication has become more important than ever. Whether you’re a business professional or an individual looking to improve your writing skills, understanding the fundamentals of clear communication is essential.”
After (with voice fix):
“Most writing advice is useless. ‘Be clear.’ ‘Know your audience.’ Thanks, I’m cured. Here’s what actually helps — specific techniques you can use in your next email, not vague principles that sound good but change nothing.”
Going Deeper: The 5-Line Version
Once you get comfortable with the 3-line fix, you can expand it:
Voice: [tone and style]
Audience: [who's reading]
Goal: [what you want the reader to do/feel]
Format: [structure preferences]
Avoid: [what you don't want]
Example:
Voice: Direct and practical. Like a smart coworker sharing a tip.
Audience: Freelancers who are good at their craft but struggle with pricing.
Goal: Make them feel confident enough to raise their rates this week.
Format: Short paragraphs, concrete examples, no fluff.
Avoid: Generic advice, motivational clichés, anything condescending.
Write about how to raise your freelance rates.
This gives AI everything it needs to match your exact vision.
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Being too vague “Write in a friendly tone” isn’t specific enough. Friendly like a customer service bot? Friendly like a best friend? Friendly like a professional who smiles?
Mistake 2: Contradicting yourself “Be concise but thorough” or “Be professional but casual” — pick a direction.
Mistake 3: Not giving examples If you have a sample of writing you like, share it. “Match the tone of this example” is incredibly effective.
Mistake 4: Giving up after one try First output not quite right? Adjust. “Make it more casual” or “That’s too jokey, dial it back” works great.
Skip the Learning Curve
If you don’t want to craft these voice instructions every time, we have pre-built skills that handle this automatically.
Our Brand Voice Creator helps you define your voice once, then use it everywhere.
And the Copywriter Pro skill is already tuned for conversational, human-sounding marketing copy.
No more fighting with the robot voice. Just copy, paste, and write like a human.
TL;DR: AI sounds robotic because you didn’t tell it not to. Add three lines — Voice, Audience, Avoid — and watch it transform. The more specific you are about what you don’t want, the better the output.
Now go rewrite that email that’s been sitting in your drafts because it “sounds weird.”