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"
• 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.

Natural Prose

• Write like a human telling a story, not a press kit.
• Avoid emojis in headings and formal content unless explicitly requested

Open Source & Product Writing

When writing landing pages or product-facing prose:

• Start with what the tool actually does, not why it's amazing
• Emphasize user control and data ownership
• Highlight transparency: audit the code, no tracking, no middleman
• Present honest cost comparisons with specific, real numbers
• Acknowledge limitations and trade-offs openly
• Use honest comparative language: "We believe X should be Y"
• Present facts and let users draw conclusions

Good vs Bad Example

Good (natural, human):

"I was paying $30/month for a transcription app. Then I did the math: the actual API calls cost about $0.36/hour. At my usage (3-4 hours/day), I was paying $30 for what should cost $3.

So I built Whispering to cut out the middleman. You bring your own API key, your audio goes directly to the provider, and you pay actual costs. No subscription, no data collection, no lock-in."

Bad (AI-generated feel):

"Introducing Whispering - A revolutionary transcription solution that empowers users with unprecedented control.

Key Benefits:

• Cost-Effective: Save up to 90% on transcription costs
• Privacy-First: Your data never leaves your control
• Flexible: Multiple provider options available

Why Whispering? We believe transcription should be accessible to everyone..."

The difference: story vs structured sections, personal vs corporate, specific numbers vs vague claims.

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