Developing a Blogging Voice

I observe and analyze 100s of LinkedIn posts weekly. 90% are random. No clear tone. No rhythm. No personality. Just big ideas floating in the void. Now, the best creators? Their posts feel like them, even without a profile picture attached. Their voice. Their thinking. Their values. All wrapped into every sentence. Here’s how to make your posts feel like an extension of your brand (instead of a break from it): 1. Clarify your core message → What do you want to be known for? → What do you stand against? The enemy? → What do you believe others need to realize? Once that’s clear — every post becomes a tool for reinforcing it. 2. Pick 2-3 brand traits to embody → Bold? Calm? Analytical? Empathetic? → Let those traits shape your tone and structure. → If your brand is sharp and direct… don’t try to ramble. → If your brand is warm and reflective… don’t force punchlines. Stay in character. 3. Use language that reflects your world → Certain phrases. → Certain metaphors. → Even certain types of examples. This is how people start recognizing your voice. They feel it, even before they read your name. 4. Repeat, repeat, repeat → Great brands are built on consistency. If your message changes every week, you’re not building familiarity. You’re building confusion. Repetition doesn’t make you boring. It makes you believable. In short? Your content shouldn’t just represent your brand. It should reinforce it. Make it feel like you as that’s what they remember.

I worked with a founder who sounded like a management consultant on LinkedIn. Polished. Professional. Perfectly boring. But when we talked... She was warm, funny, deeply thoughtful. The kind of person you'd WANT to grab coffee with. Her content wasn't working because her brand voice didn't match who she actually was. ~ Most founders don't have a voice problem. *They have a voice misalignment problem.* You're not a bad writer. You're trying to sound like someone you're not. Maybe you think "professional" means formal. Or you're mimicking the big names. Or you started writing to impress instead of connect. But your audience doesn't follow you for polish. They follow you for perspective. For the way you see the world that no one else does. Here are 5 signs your brand voice doesn't match who you actually are. ~ Sign 1: You sound more formal in writing than in conversation. If your LinkedIn posts feel like a corporate white paper but your client calls feel like coffee shop chats, there's a disconnect. Read your content out loud. Does it sound like something you'd actually say? If not, rewrite it like you're talking to a friend. ~ Sign 2: You're using words you'd never say in real life. "Leverage." "Synergy." "Ecosystem." If you wouldn't say it in conversation, don't write it in a post. Jargon doesn't make you sound smart. It makes you sound distant. Swap the buzzwords for the words you actually use. ~ Sign 3: You delete the personal stories before you hit publish. You draft a post with a vulnerable moment or specific example. Then right before you publish, you cut it. Too personal. But that's the part that makes people trust you. Your audience doesn't need more generic advice. They need to see you've lived what you're teaching. ~ Sign 4: You're mimicking someone else's voice instead of finding your own. You see a successful founder with a bold style, so you try to write like them. Or someone poetic and reflective, so you shift to match. But imitation isn't voice. It's camouflage. Your voice is what's left when you stop trying to sound like anyone else. ~ Sign 5: Writing feels like a chore, not a release. If every post feels like pulling teeth, it's probably because you're writing in a voice that doesn't feel like you. When your voice is aligned, writing feels natural. Not always easy, but natural. If it feels forced, you're forcing the wrong voice. ~ Your quick audit: Go read your last three posts. Ask yourself: • Would I say this out loud? • Am I using words I think I should use, or words I actually use? • Did I cut the personal part? • Does this feel like me? Your brand voice should feel like coming home, not putting on a costume. If it doesn't, it's time to take the mask off.

“Ever since we got on a call, I read your posts in your voice.” Someone told me this recently. It stuck with me. Because that’s the whole point. When people read your content, they should be able to hear you. Not a template. Not a trend. Not whatever format is working this month. You. Lately I keep seeing advice telling creators to change how they write because AI has learned the formats. Apparently if your posts have spacing now, people assume it’s AI. So the solution is… rewrite your voice? No thanks. I’ve been writing like this since 2022. Same tone. Same rhythm. Same way I talk on calls. If someone reads my posts and hears my voice, that’s the signal I care about. Not whether an AI detector approves it. Formats will get copied. Styles will get imitated. But your voice only works if you keep using it. And I’d rather sound like myself than constantly rewrite my personality to keep up with the internet.

Don't outsource your writing to AI. Use it to sharpen it. If AI writes for you, it must sound like you. Not like a robot. The four parts explained: 1. Voice — what you stand for. Your principles, your point of view, the promise your writing makes. Voice answers: what do I believe, and what do I refuse to say? It sets the stance before you type a word. 2. Tone — the emotional color. Calm or fiery. Tight or loose. Professional or irreverent. Choose a spot on that grid and hold it. Consistency builds trust. 3. Style — how your words behave. Sentence length. Rhythm. Question clusters. One list per piece. Concrete examples, not vague claims. Style is the fingerprint readers recognize. 4. Structure — how the ideas flow. Start with a sharp hook. Move from problem to principle to playbook. Use clean pivots. Close with a clear action. How to make AI write like you: - Feel it first. Read three strong posts you wrote. Note rhythm, sentence length, questions, and banned words. That is your fingerprint. - Polish with a sample and a tight prompt. Feed one sample and your rules. Ask for a short post in that style. Check tone so you do not drift into beige. - Iterate fast. Generate. Edit to sound like you. Tell the model what you changed. Update the rules. Repeat. Each loop gets closer. Want my exact prompts? Comment "AI Voice" and I will send you a short workbook with the prompts (I do it manually, so give me a few minutes :) Your move.

Stop asking ChatGPT to "Sound like a human." That's too vague. And you'll still get robotic, corporate-sounding content. If you want writing that actually feels natural, relatable, and authentic, you need to define what kind of human voice you're aiming for. Use these prompts instead: 1. The Conversational Voice "Rewrite this content to sound like I'm having a casual conversation with a friend over coffee. Use short sentences, contractions, and natural speech patterns. Remove any formal or stiff language. Make it feel like I'm talking directly to one person, not presenting to an audience. Content: [paste text]." 2. The Confident Expert Voice "Transform this into the voice of a confident professional who knows their stuff but doesn't need to prove it. Use clear, direct language without jargon or hedging words like 'maybe' or 'perhaps'. Sound authoritative but approachable. Remove any unnecessary qualifiers. Content: [paste text]." 3. The Storytelling Voice "Turn this content into a narrative that pulls people in emotionally. Use sensory details, personal moments, and natural pacing. Make it read like someone sharing an experience, not explaining a concept. Keep the human element at the center. Content: [paste text]." 4. The Relatable Voice "Make this sound like someone who truly gets what the reader is going through. Use 'you' and 'I' language. Acknowledge common frustrations and shared experiences. Make it feel empathetic and understanding, like talking to someone who's been there. Remove any corporate speak or distant tone. Content: [paste text]." 5. The Punchy Voice "Give this content energy and punch. Use short, impactful sentences. Remove fluff and filler words. Make every sentence drive forward with momentum. Sound bold and decisive, not cautious or wishy-washy. Cut anything that doesn't add value. Content: [paste text]." 6. The Thoughtful Voice "Adapt this to sound reflective and insightful, like someone who's genuinely thought deeply about the topic. Use natural pauses, nuanced observations, and honest admissions of complexity where appropriate. Avoid oversimplification but stay accessible. Sound human, not perfect. Content: [paste text]." 7. The No-BS Voice "Strip this down to a direct, no-nonsense tone that cuts through the noise. Remove corporate jargon, buzzwords, and anything that sounds like marketing speak. Say what needs to be said plainly and honestly. Sound real, not polished to the point of being fake. Content: [paste text]." P.S. ~ For more updates like this: 1. Scroll to the top 2. Click "View my newsletter" 3. Subscribe, and you'll never miss a thing in the world of AI ever again.

One of the best results of creating content online: finding your voice. When I started creating content online, I didn’t have it all figured out. No perfect strategy, no foolproof plan. Just a lot of thoughts and stories I wanted to share. → At first, my posts felt off, like I was trying to be someone else. I mimicked successful creators, thinking I’d reach their level of impact. But here’s the thing: It felt wrong. - We often begin by borrowing other people’s voices. - We use phrases we think sound smart. - We try formats that worked for others. - We put out content we *think* people want. And then, things shift. As I kept showing up, I experimented, trying different styles and formats until something felt real. I stopped trying to sound impressive and started telling stories: → My stories. → Lessons I learned. → Insights that truly mattered to me. That’s when everything changed. People started engaging, sharing, and reaching out. The truth about content creation: - It’s not just about building a brand or growing a following. - It’s about finding your voice. - It’s about showing up authentically, unfiltered, and learning to speak in a way that feels real. When you do that, people respond. They connect. They relate. So, if you’re struggling…keep going. The process will teach you more than any strategy ever could. You’ll find your voice, and when you do, everything else will fall into place. → Are you finding your voice online? I’d love to hear your journey!

How to find your natural writing voice (without sounding robotic): This is the #1 struggle I see with new creators. They sit down to write, and suddenly they turn into a corporate robot. "In today's dynamic landscape..." "Leveraging synergies..." Stop... just stop 😂 Nobody talks like that in real life, and nobody wants to read it. If you want to build a personal brand, you need to sound like a person. Specifically, YOU! Here is how to find your voice: 1. Voice write your posts Don't type. Talk. Use a voice recorder or speech-to-text. Speak your idea out loud as if you were explaining it to a friend. 2. Edit for rhythm, not grammar School taught us to write in perfect, complex sentences. LinkedIn rewards short, punchy ones. Read your post out loud. If you stumble, rewrite it. 3. Kill the jargon If you wouldn't say it in a casual conversation, delete it. Use simple words. → "Use" instead of "Utilize" → "Help" instead of "Facilitate" → "Now" instead of "Currently" Your writing should sound like YOU, not some corporate mission statement. P.S. How long did it take you to find your voice on LinkedIn? P.P.S Going to try text only posts for the next few weeks. Testing if I really need a design attached to still get the same average engagement.

Everyone wants to find their voice overnight. But your voice isn't unlocked by a simple decision. Most people quit before they ever find out what their voice actually is. When I first started creating content I had no idea what to talk about. I knew personal branding was non-negotiable. I had years of experience, research, and studying under my belt. But knowledge and communication are two completely different skills. Nobody tells you that. You can know exactly what someone needs to hear and still have zero ability to make them care. So I posted anyway. Bad hooks. Wrong angles. Ideas that made sense in my head and landed like nothing on a screen. Hundreds of posts. Hundreds of quiet failures. But something weird happened along the way. The more I posted, the more I figured out what I actually cared about talking about as well as resonated with others. You can't think your way to that. You can't find it in a course, a framework, or someone else's strategy. It only shows up after enough reps. Your voice isn't something you discover. It's something you build one confused, imperfect post at a time. Your voice is just your confusion made public long enough to become conviction. Theory gets you ready. Reps make you real. Stop waiting to sound like yourself. You only get there by starting before you do.

For 14 months, my LinkedIn posts received 0 views. I was posting into the void. No engagement. No feedback. Self-doubt & fear locked me in a cage. • Why would anyone care what I have to say? • No one around me writes, so why do I? • I'm not a good writer. • I should quit. I tried learning from other creators. Following what they said was good writing. But I wasn't getting anywhere. It wasn't clicking with me. Until one day, I wrote a post my way. I shared a perspective & it blew up. People engaged saying it was something new on LinkedIn. And that's when it hit me. To stand out as a writer: Use what interests you as Fuel. Don't listen to creators telling you what good writing is. Instead, learn writing your way. Craft your own voice. I spent 1 month learning how to write my way. I studied what interested me: • Screenwriters • Comedians • Journalists I found out what makes good writing. And I arrived at the same conclusion as those creators. But I earned the wisdom instead of copying it. If you consume the same content as others, you'll think the same way. You won't have a unique writing voice. If you learn for yourself & craft your own voice, You won't sound like anyone else. You'll sound like yourself. And that's what makes you stand out. PS: Do you agree? How do you stand out with your writing?