how-to-talk-to-claude/src/content/docs/how-to/match-tone-style.md

title	description
How to Get Claude to Match Your Tone and Style	Making AI responses sound like you, not like a corporate manual

The Problem

Claude's given you some great content, but it sounds like it was written by a very polite, very professional robot. The ideas are solid, but the voice is all wrong. You need something that sounds like you - whether that's casual and conversational, professional but warm, sarcastic and witty, or whatever your natural style is.

Maybe you're working on:

• An email that needs to sound professional but not stuffy
• Social media content that should match your usual voice
• A blog post that feels authentically yours
• A proposal that reflects your communication style
• Any writing where voice matters as much as content

The problem isn't that Claude can't match different styles - it's that it doesn't know your style unless you show it what you want.

Solution 1: Show, Don't Just Tell

The most effective way to get Claude to match your style is to show examples of your actual writing alongside what you want.

Pattern: "Here's how I usually write, now help me with [new thing]"

Try this: "I'm working on [type of content] and I want it to match my usual style. Here are a couple examples of how I normally write [similar content]:

[Paste 2-3 examples of your actual writing]

Now can you help me write [specific thing] in a similar tone and style?"

Real example: "I'm working on an email to a client and I want it to match my usual style. Here are a couple examples of how I normally write client emails:

[Example 1: Your actual email] [Example 2: Another actual email]

Now can you help me write an email about [specific topic] in a similar tone and style?"

Pattern: "Here's my voice, here's the generic version, now match my voice"

Try this: "I need help rewriting this to sound more like me. Here's the current version:

[Paste the generic/formal version]

And here's how I usually write about similar topics:

[Paste your example]

Can you rewrite the first one to match the style of the second?"

Solution 2: Give Claude Your Style Guidelines

Sometimes examples aren't enough - you need to explicitly describe your voice.

Pattern: "My writing style is [specific characteristics]"

Be specific about:

• Formality level: "conversational but professional" vs "casual and friendly" vs "formal but approachable"
• Sentence structure: "I use short sentences" vs "I like longer, flowing sentences" vs "I mix short and long for rhythm"
• Word choice: "I avoid jargon" vs "I use industry terms" vs "I explain technical stuff in simple terms"
• Personality: "slightly sarcastic" vs "enthusiastic and positive" vs "thoughtful and measured"

Example: "My writing style is conversational and direct. I use short paragraphs, avoid corporate buzzwords, and I'm not afraid to start sentences with 'And' or 'But.' I like to use specific examples rather than abstract concepts, and I tend to be slightly irreverent but not unprofessional. Can you rewrite this email to match that style?"

Solution 3: Use Iterative Feedback

Getting your style right usually takes a few back-and-forth exchanges. Don't expect perfection on the first try.

Pattern: "That's closer, but adjust [specific thing]"

After Claude's first attempt, try:

• "That's much better! Can you make it a bit more [specific adjustment]?"
• "Good direction, but I would never say [specific phrase]. Can you try [alternative approach]?"
• "Perfect tone, but can you make the sentences shorter/longer?"
• "I love the content, but it needs to be more casual/formal/conversational"

Example conversation: You: "Can you rewrite this to be more conversational?" Claude: [Rewrites it] You: "That's better, but I'd never use the phrase 'best practices.' I'd probably say something like 'what actually works' instead. Also, can you break up that long paragraph?" Claude: [Adjusts it] You: "Perfect! That sounds exactly like me."

Pattern: "Here's what I'd change about this version"

Try this: "This is really close to my style. The only things I'd change are:

• [Specific change 1]
• [Specific change 2]
• [Specific change 3]

Can you adjust those while keeping everything else the same?"

Solution 4: Style Guidelines for Different Content Types

Your voice might shift depending on what you're writing. Be explicit about context.

For professional emails:

"I want this to sound professional but warm. I usually start emails with something personal, use conversational language but avoid slang, and I always end with something that invites response rather than just 'let me know if you have questions.'"

For social media:

"I want this to sound like my usual social media voice: casual, sometimes funny, but not trying too hard. I use contractions, sometimes incomplete sentences for emphasis, and I like to end with questions to start conversations."

For blog posts or articles:

"I want this to match my usual blog style: conversational but informative, like I'm talking to a smart friend. I use 'you' a lot, include personal examples, and I'm not afraid to have opinions."

For presentations or formal writing:

"I want this to sound authoritative but not stiff. I use clear, direct language, avoid corporate buzzwords, and I like to include specific examples rather than abstract concepts."

Solution 5: Common Style Adjustments

Here are quick fixes for the most common style mismatches:

"Make it less formal"

"Can you rewrite this to be more conversational? Use contractions, shorter sentences, and make it sound like I'm talking to a friend rather than giving a presentation."

"Make it more professional without being stuffy"

"Can you adjust the tone to be more professional but still approachable? Keep it conversational but avoid slang and casual phrases."

"Make it sound more confident"

"Can you rewrite this to sound more decisive? Less 'I think maybe' and more 'here's what I recommend.'"

"Make it warmer/more personal"

"Can you add some personality to this? Maybe include a brief personal example or make it sound less like a manual and more like advice from someone who's been there."

"Make it shorter and punchier"

"Can you tighten this up? Shorter sentences, fewer words, more direct."

Advanced: Training Claude on Your Voice Over Time

Once you start working with Claude regularly on writing, you can reference previous conversations:

Try: "Remember how we worked on my email style yesterday? Can you write this new email in that same voice?"

Or: "You nailed my blog voice in that post we worked on about [topic]. Can you use that same style for this new post?"

Quick Reference: Style-Matching Conversation Starters

For showing examples: "Here's how I usually write [type of content]: [examples]. Now help me write [new thing] in the same style."

For describing your voice: "My writing style is [specific characteristics]. Can you [write/rewrite] this to match?"

For iterative refinement: "That's closer, but can you make it more [specific adjustment]?" "Good direction, but I'd never say [phrase]. Try [alternative] instead."

For different content types: "I want this to sound like my usual [email/social media/blog] voice: [description]"

For common adjustments: "Make it less formal/more professional/more confident/warmer/shorter"

Remember: Getting your voice right is usually a conversation, not a single request. Don't be afraid to give specific feedback and ask for adjustments until it sounds like you.

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What's Next?

If this helped: Try How to Maintain Your Voice in Collaborative Writing for keeping authenticity in longer collaborations.

If you're still getting robotic responses: Check How to Fix It When Claude Completely Misses the Point for conversation recovery techniques.

For advanced tone control: How to Use Persona Prompts for Focused Perspectives lets you request specialized voices and perspectives.

See also:

• Tutorial 1: From Awkward Small Talk to AI Collaboration - Experience tone matching in practice
• Why Conversations Work Better Than Commands - Understand why this collaborative approach works

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