Finding and Maintaining Your Voice

The Voice Problem

In the previous lesson, we explored structuring content for engagement. Now let’s build on that foundation. AI-generated content has a voice. Unfortunately, it sounds like everyone else’s AI-generated content.

You’ve seen it: grammatically perfect but somehow lifeless. Informative but forgettable. Professional but generic.

Your voice is what makes your content yours. It’s why people follow you specifically, not just anyone writing about your topic.

What Is Voice?

Voice is the consistent personality expressed through your writing:

• Word choice: Formal or casual? Technical or accessible?
• Sentence rhythm: Short and punchy? Flowing and complex? Mix of both?
• Perspective: Authoritative expert? Fellow learner? Skeptical outsider?
• Opinions: Strong takes? Balanced analysis? Contrarian views?
• Tone: Serious? Playful? Warm? Direct?

When someone reads your content, they should feel like they’re hearing a consistent person—even across different topics.

Discovering Your Voice

Your voice already exists. You just need to recognize it.

Exercise: The Email Test

Think about emails you write to close friends about topics you care about.

How do you:

• Start the email?
• Explain complicated things?
• Express excitement or frustration?
• Use humor (or not)?

That’s your natural voice. Your content voice should be a polished version of this.

Exercise: The Opinions Audit

What do you believe that most people in your field don’t? What common advice do you disagree with? What approach do you take that’s different?

Strong opinions = distinctive voice.

Exercise: The Vocabulary Inventory

What words and phrases do you use repeatedly? What analogies do you naturally reach for? What examples from your life do you reference?

These become your voice signatures.

Voice Elements to Define

Create a simple voice guide for yourself:

Tone: How do you want to feel to readers?

Example: “Knowledgeable but not stuffy. Friendly but not overly casual. Direct but not harsh.”

Vocabulary level: What words fit your voice?

Example: “Use plain language. Avoid jargon unless defining it. Contractions are fine.”

Perspective: What’s your angle?

Example: “Practitioner who’s been in the trenches, not academic theorist.”

Opinion stance: How strong are your takes?

Example: “Share clear opinions. Don’t hedge everything. But acknowledge nuance.”

Personality markers: What makes you… you?

Example: “Self-deprecating humor. Pop culture references. Specific numbers over vague claims.”

Maintaining Voice with AI

AI can help with structure and drafting while you maintain voice:

Step 1: Prime the AI with Your Voice

Before drafting, give AI examples of your writing:

Here are 3 examples of my writing style:

[Paste your best paragraphs]

Based on these examples, describe my writing voice in terms of:
- Tone
- Sentence structure
- Vocabulary choices
- Personality markers

Now you have a voice description to reference.

Quick check: Before moving on, can you recall the key concept we just covered? Try to explain it in your own words before continuing.

Step 2: Generate Draft with Style Notes

Write a draft about [TOPIC] using this voice profile:

[Your voice description]

Include:
- [Your typical opening style]
- [Your perspective on this topic]
- [Specific examples I want to include]

Step 3: Voice-Edit the Draft

This is where voice really happens. Go through the draft and:

Add your opinions: AI drafts are often balanced to a fault. Add your actual take.

Insert your examples: Replace generic examples with your specific experiences.

Adjust word choices: Swap AI words for your words. “Utilize” → “use.” “Commence” → “start.”

Fix the rhythm: Read aloud. Break up long sentences. Combine choppy ones.

Add personality: Where can you inject humor, self-deprecation, or strong opinions?

Voice Red Flags

Signs your content sounds AI-generic:

No opinions: Everything is hedged and balanced. “On one hand… on the other hand…”

No specifics: Generic examples that could come from anywhere.

No personality: Perfect grammar but zero humanity.

Weasel words: “Generally,” “typically,” “it’s often said that”

Corporate speak: “Leverage,” “synergies,” “thought leadership”

Consistency Across Content

Voice should be consistent across:

• Different topics
• Different formats (blogs, social, newsletters)
• Different lengths

A reader should recognize your voice whether they’re reading a tweet or a long-form article.

Practical tip: Reread your last 5 pieces of content. Do they sound like the same person?

Voice Evolution

Your voice will evolve. That’s fine.

What changes:

• Confidence (usually increases)
• Style preferences
• Topics and focus areas

What stays stable:

• Core personality
• Fundamental perspective
• Values and beliefs

Let voice evolve naturally. Don’t force reinvention.

Exercise: Voice Injection

Take this generic paragraph and rewrite it in your voice:

“Effective communication is essential in the modern workplace. Many professionals struggle to convey their ideas clearly. By implementing certain strategies, individuals can improve their communication skills and achieve better outcomes.”

What would you keep? What would you change? What would you add?

Key Takeaways

• Voice is the consistent personality in your writing—word choice, rhythm, perspective, opinions
• Your natural voice already exists; content voice is a polished version
• Define your voice: tone, vocabulary, perspective, opinion stance, personality markers
• Use AI for structure and drafts; inject voice during editing
• Watch for voice red flags: no opinions, no specifics, no personality
• Maintain consistency across topics and formats

Next: editing and polishing drafts efficiently.

Up next: In the next lesson, we’ll dive into Editing and Polishing.