How to change your writing style in ChatGPT - incl. examples and templates

Would you like to create better content with ChatGPT, but can't figure out how you can get it to adapt to your writing style?

You're not alone. Since ChatGPT burst to the scene marketers and content creators around the world have looked for ways to make ChatGPT sound more human. The tricky thing is that the way generative AI created content depends entirely on the instructions (or lack of) that we give it.

As a marketing leader and AI enthusiast, I've tested thousands of different prompts in ChatGPT to create content for my own website and for different B2B businesses. I've found a few key ways to make ChatGPT sound less boring and bot-like.

In the video below I'll break down how you can quickly improve the writing style of content you generate with ChatGPT by modifying the instructions you give in your prompts.

The three key elements of writing style in ChatGPT

There are three major elements that influence writing style in ChatGPT.

Voice - This voice is the personality behind the text, which remains constant regardless of the subject matter being discussed.
Tone - You an imagine tone as the variable mood of the writing. This is usually the emotional element that reflects what the writer or reader is feeling.
Structure - The way you write influences writing style as much as how you write. Do you use long sentences or bullet points? Do you vary sentence lengths? All this can be defined in your writing structure.

Together these three elements form your writing style. Whether you define this style to be used in ChatGPT or other generative AI tools, it will have a big influence on what kind of content you are able to create.

What is the writing style of ChatGPT

If you don't make any changes to the writing style in ChatGPT, it will use the following writing style used across any prompts created by users.

Voice: Neutral, knowledgeable, and friendly, providing a consistent personality across various interactions.
Tone: Adaptable, changing according to the conversation's context or the user's mood, ranging from formal to casual, and informative to empathetic.
Structure: Organized and logical, using paragraphs, bullet points, and headers to make information clear and digestible.

The writing style of ChatGPT focused on clarity, conciseness, and accessibility, choosing words and sentence structures that suit different user's needs and the topic's complexity.

How to define your writing style in ChatGPT

Changing the writing style in a ChatGPT prompt is simpler than you might think.

The only thing you need to do is simply add to your prompt details, such as:

Use this voice: professional and engaging,

Use this tone: casual and enthusiastic,

Use this structure: start with a clear introduction, use short sentences, summarize key information in bullet points.

Remember, your input determines the output's quality. The more detailed your instructions, the closer the generated content will align with your brand voice and writing style.

Keep in mind you need to add these modifiers to each chat separately. If you're using a number of prompts in the same chat, you may find that the writing style changes over time. You may need to remind ChatGPT of the voice, tone, or structure and give your writing style a refresh by adding a sentence "Ignore all previous instructions."

How to get ChatGPT to analyze your writing style

ChatGPT can analyze the writing style of any text you provide by examining various aspects of the content, such as its voice, tone, and structure. Here's a breakdown of how it approaches this task:

Identify the voice: ChatGPT looks for characteristics that define the personality or identity coming through the text. It assesses whether the voice is formal, authoritative, conversational, or friendly, among other possibilities. This involves looking at the choice of words, the use of first-person versus third-person narratives, and the overall approach to engaging with the reader.
Assess the tone: The tone of a piece of writing refers to the mood or attitude it conveys, which can vary widely—from serious, humorous, and sarcastic to enthusiastic, cautious, or neutral. ChatGPT analyzes the tone by considering word choice, sentence structure, and punctuation. For instance, an abundance of exclamation points might suggest an enthusiastic tone, while a measured use of technical terms could indicate a more formal or informative tone.
Evaluate the structure: This involves looking at how the text is organized. ChatGPT examines the text for its use of paragraphs, headings, bullet points, or numbered lists. It assesses whether the text follows a narrative, descriptive, expository, or argumentative structure. It looks at the flow of ideas, the presence of an introduction and conclusion, and how transitions are managed between sections or points.
Analyze broader context: Beyond the mechanical aspects, ChatGPT also considers the content's context and purpose. It assesses whether the text aims to inform, persuade, entertain, or describe something. This step helps in understanding the choice of style elements.

If requested, ChatGPT can compare the provided text with known writing styles or authors. It identifies similarities in voice, tone, or structure, offering insights into how the text might be influenced by or differ from established styles.

Here are a few writing styles of the blogs of well-known B2B companies. See if you can re-create a similar writing style by copying the voice, tone and structure instructions into a prompt.

Blog	Voice	Tone	Structure
Ahrefs	Informative, Expert, Accessible	Professional, Enthusiastic, Educational	Begin with a key challenge related to the blog, then offer detailed, data-backed strategies for overcoming it through tutorials and case studies.
Semrush	Analytical, Professional, Insightful	Expert, Friendly, Encouraging	Start with clear introduction to the topic, followed by in-depth analysis, practical tips, and actionable insights, supported by data and examples.
Zapier	Practical, Conversational, Helpful	Friendly, Optimistic, Clear	Start with an overview or problem statement, followed with step-by-step solutions or tips, and conclude with examples or further resources for deep dives.
HubSpot	Personable, Expert, Engaging	Inspiring, Educational, Conversational	Begin with an engaging question or problem, provides comprehensive solutions or insights, and conclude with actionable steps or further reading options.
UiPath	Technical, Forward-looking, Insightful	Professional, Optimistic, Educational	Start with an overview of the topic, provide insights into how the topic is being applied in various industries, and conclude with future implications or actionable advice for organizations on the topic.
IBM	Expert, Diverse, Innovative	Professional, Insightful, Forward-looking	Begin with an introduction to technological advancements or research findings, followed by in-depth analysis. Conclude with implications for businesses and society.

Updating your writing style with these examples and templates

If you want more inspiration for finding your unique writing style in ChatGPT I've complied a long list of examples and templates you can try for adjusting your voice, tone and structure.

Examples of voice in ChatGPT

Think of your brand's voice as its personality. It should be consistent across all pieces of content. Whether your brand is professional, witty, or empathetic, ChatGPT can match this voice.

Here are 10 different voices you can use in ChatGPT:

Voice	Characteristics
1. Professional	Formal language, free from jargon and focused on clarity. Never sacrifices accuracy for brevity.
2. Casual	Informal and friendly, great for relaxed blogs or conversational social media posts.
3. Witty	Packed with humor and clever wordplay. Not only informs, but entertains.
4. Empathetic	Warm, understanding, and emotionally resonant. Think customer support or crisis communication.
5. Theatrical	Creative language aimed to give a dramatic feeling.
6. Persuasive	Uses compelling arguments and strong calls to action. Great for sales or marketing materials.
7. Educational	Dedicated to teaching, using easy-to-understand language and examples.
8. Storytelling	Rich with creative descriptions and narratives. Ideal for engaging blog posts or scripts.
9. News Reporting	Just the facts, served up straightforwardly. Aimed at delivering news accurately and quickly.
10. Technical	Specialized language for specific industries or products. Geared toward expert readers or in-depth guides.

You can use one or more words to describe your voice. For example, you can say "Professional and technical" or even with three words "Professional, technical and witty."

The key here is consistency across the different content you create. Once you've defined your voice, stick with it across all channels to build brand recognition and trust.

Examples of tone in ChatGPT

While your voice stays constant, the tone can shift depending on the context. Imagine you're discussing a serious topic versus announcing a new, exciting product. The tone shifts from solemn to enthusiastic. ChatGPT can adjust accordingly.

Here are 10 examples of tone modifiers you can use in ChatGPT prompts:

Tone	Characteristics
1. Authoritative	Confident and knowledgeable, leaving no room for doubt. Uses strong, decisive language to establish expertise.
2. Friendly	Warm and welcoming, like a conversation with an old friend. Emphasizes connection and relatability.
3. Inspirational	High-energy and uplifting, aiming to motivate and encourage the audience toward a certain action or mindset.
4. Professional	Polished and formal, but not stuffy or overly complex. Clear, concise, and respectful, suitable for business contexts.
5. Informative	Focused on delivering information in a clear and straightforward manner without unnecessary flair.
6. Persuasive	Aimed at convincing the reader with compelling arguments and evidence, often leading to a call-to-action.
7. Humorous	Light-hearted and often playful, incorporating jokes, puns, or satire to engage and entertain.
8. Reflective	Introspective and thoughtful, often looking back at experiences or ideas to draw conclusions or insights.
9. Sincere	Honest and genuine, without pretense. Seeks to build trust through transparency and authenticity.
10. Optimistic	Positive and hopeful, looking towards the future with confidence and a belief in positive outcomes.

You can use one or more words to describe your tone. For example, "Optimistic and Humorous" could be very different from "Optimistic and Sincere." Try out different variations to see which tone fits your writing style the best.

Examples of writing structure in ChatGPT

The structure organizes your ideas, making them easier to digest. Whether it's a blog post, an email, or social media content, the structure matters.

Tailoring ChatGPT's writing structure can greatly enhance the clarity and impact of your content. The table below outlines 10 ways to shape its writing structures you can use:

Structure	Explanation
1. Listicle	Ideal for readability and SEO, it structures information into a list with subheadings, perfect for how-tos or summaries.
2. Q&A Format	Mimics an interview, providing a back-and-forth dynamic that's engaging and easy to follow for FAQ pages or expert interviews.
3. How-To Guide	Step-by-step instructions that lead the reader to accomplish a specific task, providing actionable insights along the way.
4. Problem-Solution	Presents a problem then outlines the solution, showing your understanding and expertise on the subject matter.
5. Comparison	Juxtaposes two or more items, offering a clear analysis conducive to making informed decisions or understanding differences.
6. Cause and Effect	Explains why something happens (the cause) and what is the result (the effect), assisting in educational or explanatory contexts.
7. Narrative	Tells a story with a clear beginning, middle, and end, often to illustrate a point or to engage emotionally with the audience.
8. Chronological	Presents information in time order, useful for histories or processes where sequence is key.
9. Pros and Cons	Weighs both sides of an argument or decision, providing a balanced view that helps readers evaluate choices.
10. Case Study	Gives an in-depth look at a particular example or instance, demonstrating theories in a real-world context to underline expertise.

Use these structures with purpose, understanding each has its place, offering a distinct way to harness information effectively. Whether you're guiding readers through complex data or narrating compelling stories, structuring your content is a critical move toward clear and insightful communication.

Adapting Your Writing Style: A Few Parting Tips

Adjusting your writing style in ChatGPT can dramatically improve the way you generate content. It's about matching your message with your audience's needs and preferences. Keep experimenting, analyzing the results, and refining your approach.

Know your audience: Understanding who you're writing for is the first step in adapting your style effectively.
Be flexible: Experiment with different voices, tones, styles, and structures to find what works best for different types of content and platforms.
Leverage ChatGPT's versatility: Use prompts to explore various writing styles and observe how changes in your instructions affect the output.

Remember, it's not just what you say, but how you say it that matters. Always consider the message you're delivering and the audience you're speaking to when choosing your tone. Remember, the goal is to connect, inform, and inspire your audience, guiding them to your intended conclusion.

How to change your writing style in ChatGPT (incl. examples and prompt templates)