majiayu000 Writing Voice
Core principle: Write for the ear, not just the eyes. Prose should be suitable to read out loud.
The Test
Read it out loud. If it:
- Sounds like a press release → rewrite
- Sounds like a corporate memo → rewrite
- Sounds stilted or unnatural → rewrite
- Sounds like you explaining to a colleague → ship it
AI Dead Giveaways
Patterns that scream "AI wrote this":
- Bold formatting everywhere: Never bold section headers in body content
- Bullet list everything: Convert to flowing paragraphs when possible
- Marketing words: "game-changing", "revolutionary", "unleash", "empower"
- Structured sections: "Key Features:", "Benefits:", "Why This Matters:"
- Vague superlatives: "incredibly powerful", "seamlessly integrates"
- Dramatic hyperbole: "feels like an eternity", "pain point", "excruciating" — use facts instead
- AI adjectives: "perfectly", "effortlessly", "beautifully", "elegantly"
- Space-hyphen-space: "The code works - the tests pass"
- Overusing fragments: "Every. Single. Time." (once is emphasis, twice is a pattern)
- Staccato buildup: Setup. Fragment. Fragment. Fragment. Punchline. This "dramatic reveal" pattern feels manufactured. Combine into one flowing sentence with em dashes or semicolons instead.
- Forced specificity: Random numbers that don't add meaning
Punctuation
Never use " - " (space-hyphen-space) or " — " (space-em-dash-space). Prefer simpler punctuation:
| Prefer | When |
|---|---|
| Period (.) | Default choice. Two sentences are often clearer than one. |
| Colon (:) | Introducing explanation: "Here's the thing: it doesn't work" |
| Semicolon (;) | Related independent clauses: "The code works; the tests pass" |
| Em dash (—) | Sparingly, for interruption or emphasis: "It's fast—really fast" |
Em dashes are fine but easy to overuse. When in doubt, use a period.
Voice Matching
When the user provides example text or tone guidance, match it:
- If they're terse, be terse
- If they give 5 sentences, don't write 5 paragraphs
- If they use direct statements, don't add narrative fluff
- Match their energy, not a template