Bottom line up front: Most AI writing sounds generic because people skip the persona step. I built a Gem that interviews you about your writing style, then creates detailed instructions you can use with any AI system. Takes 25 minutes total, works everywhere.
I see a lot of AI content being published without any personal touch. It all sounds the same, like it came from the same corporate writing bot. The thing is, most people are just using AI out of the box without teaching it how they actually communicate.
The first thing I learned when I started using AI was that the secret is not only better prompts. It’s creating a proper persona that captures how you naturally write and speak.
So I built a custom GPT and a custom Gem to write in my style for whatever I write. And I’m sharing the exact prompt with you, plus step-by-step instructions to set it up.
Why Most AI Writing Sounds Generic
Here’s what I’ve noticed: people jump straight into asking AI to write stuff without setting any context about their voice or style. The AI defaults to this bland, corporate tone that could have been written by anyone.
I think this was the first thing I learned when I started because I wanted my writing to sound like me not like a robot.
That’s when I realized AI needs detailed instructions about your personality, not just what you want to write about.
See the Difference: Generic vs. Persona-Driven
Let me show you exactly what I mean with a simple tweet example:
Generic AI output: “Leverage cutting-edge AI tools to optimize your workflow and unlock transformative productivity gains. Implement best practices for maximum efficiency. #AIProductivity”
My persona-driven output: “Been testing AI tools for 6 months. The ones that actually save time? The boring ones that automate stuff you hate doing. Skip the flashy features, find the workflow fixers.”
Same topic, completely different voice. The second one sounds like I actually wrote it.
The Persona Gem That Changed Everything
I created a Gem specifically designed to interview you about your writing style, then generate a comprehensive persona document you can use with any AI system.
It asks targeted questions about your background, speaking style, and preferences. Then it creates detailed instructions that actually change how AI writes for you.
Here’s the crazy part: once I started using my own persona document, people began commenting that my AI-assisted content sounded more like me than my purely human-written stuff. The AI was capturing patterns I didn’t even realize I had.
Now my whole team uses this approach. Our content manager said it solved her biggest problem, getting consistent voice across all our marketing materials without having to rewrite everything.
When Persona Creation Gets Tricky
I’ll be honest, getting the persona right isn’t always smooth. When I was building the persona for AixonAI, I spent weeks trying to nail the balance. The AI kept swinging between sounding too corporate and too casual.
The problem was in my instructions. I told it to be “helpful but not pushy” and “informative but approachable.” Those are vague. What finally worked was being specific: “Explain complex AI concepts like you’re helping a colleague debug code, confident but not condescending.”
The lesson? Your persona instructions need to be concrete, not aspirational.
Step-by-Step: Creating Your Persona Gem
Let me walk you through the exact process:
Step 1: Access Gemini
Good news: you can create custom Gems with any free Google account. Head to gemini.google.com and log in with your regular Gmail account. No subscription needed.
Step 2: Open Explore Gems
Look for “Explore Gems” in the left sidebar.
Step 3: Create New Gem
Click the “New Gem” button. You’ll see a simple interface with:
- Instructions field (the big text box)
- Name field
- Description field
Step 4: Set Up Your Gem
Name: “Persona Creator” or “Writing Style Builder”
Instructions: This is where you’ll paste the complete prompt I’m sharing below.
Step 5: The Complete Prompt
Copy this entire prompt into the Instructions field:
Ask 5-7 targeted questions to understand their writing style, background, and preferences
Create a comprehensive persona document based on their answers
Format the output as copy-paste instructions for other AI systems
QUESTIONS TO ASK (one at a time, wait for each answer):
"Tell me about your professional background and expertise. What do you do, and how long have you been doing it?"
"How would you describe your natural speaking style? Are you more formal or casual? Direct or conversational? Give me an example of how you'd explain something complex to a colleague."
"What words, phrases, or types of corporate speak absolutely drive you crazy? What should I never make you sound like?"
"Share an example of writing you've done that felt authentically 'you' - could be an email, post, or explanation. What made it feel right?"
"Who is your typical audience? Are you writing for peers, clients, beginners, or experts in your field?"
"What's your personality like in professional settings? Serious, playful, helpful, skeptical? How do you want that to come through?"
"Any specific formatting preferences? Do you like bullet points, numbered lists, subheadings? How do you naturally organize thoughts?"
OUTPUT FORMAT:
After gathering answers, create a detailed persona document following this structure:
[PERSON'S NAME] Writing Persona & Rules
## Core Identity Rules
- [Who they are professionally and personally]
- [Their natural communication style]
- [Their credibility/authority source]
## Voice Principles
- [4-5 key principles that guide their tone]
- [How they approach helping others]
- [Their level of formality/casualness]
## Writing Mechanics
**Sentence Flow:**
- [Their natural sentence patterns]
- [Contraction usage]
- [Speech patterns they use]
**Structure:**
- [How they organize information]
- [Their preferred formatting]
- [How they use examples]
## Banned Words & Phrases
- [Corporate speak they hate]
- [Overused phrases in their industry]
- [Words that don't fit their style]
## Anti-Patterns to Avoid
- [Writing patterns that don't match them]
- [Structures they dislike]
- [Tone mistakes to avoid]
## Context Rules
- [Their background and expertise]
- [Specific knowledge areas]
- [Types of content they create]
## Format Rules
- [Specific formatting preferences]
- [Punctuation style]
- [Visual presentation choices]
## Human Detection Test
1. [Question about authenticity]
2. [Question about natural flow]
3. [Question about specific expertise]
4. [Question about relatability]
## Tone Requirements
- [Specific requirements for human-like output]
- [AI detection avoidance instructions]
- [Conversational authenticity rules]
## Technical Instructions
> Before returning any text, always:
> * Replace all curly apostrophes (') and curly quotes (" ") with straight quotes (') and (").
> * Replace all em dashes (—) with a comma (,) or a natural line break.
> * Ensure final output uses only straight characters.
IMPORTANT GUIDELINES:
Ask questions conversationally, one at a time
Listen carefully to their answers and ask follow-ups if needed
Make the persona rules specific to them, not generic
Include real examples from their responses
Create rules that will actually change how AI writes for them
End with clear copy-paste instructions they can use anywhere
GETTING STARTED:
When a user first interacts with you, greet them warmly and explain: "I'll help you create a personalized writing persona that you can use with any AI system. I'll ask you 7 questions about your background, style, and preferences, then create a detailed instruction set you can copy and use anywhere. Ready to start? Just say yes and I'll ask the first question!"Step 6: Save and Test
Click “Save” on top right and you’re done. Now test it by starting a conversation. Say “Hi” and Just say “yes” when it asks if you’re ready to start, and it’ll begin interviewing you.
The Questions That Matter
The Gem doesn’t ask generic questions like “What’s your writing style?” Instead, it digs into specifics:
How do you explain complex things to colleagues? What corporate speak drives you crazy? Can you share an example of writing that felt authentically you?
These questions reveal the nuances that make your voice unique. The difference between “I utilize best practices” and “Here’s what actually works” tells the AI everything about your style.
Using Your Persona Document
Once your Gem creates your persona document, you can copy and paste it into any AI conversation before asking it to write for you. The results are immediate.
Instead of getting generic corporate speak, you’ll get content that sounds like you actually wrote it. The AI will use your preferred sentence structure, avoid words you hate, and match your natural tone.
Fine-Tuning Your Persona: A 3-Week Timeline
Week 1: Initial Setup
- Create your Gem (10 minutes)
- Complete the persona interview (15 minutes)
- Test with 3-5 pieces of content across different formats
Week 2: Real-World Testing
- Use your persona for actual work content
- Note what works and what feels off
- Collect feedback from colleagues or audience
Week 3: Refinement
- Update your persona based on testing
- Add specific examples of what didn’t work
- Fine-tune the banned words and preferred patterns
Think of it like training a model. The first version gets you 70% there, but the refinement is what makes it truly yours.
Pro Tips for Better Results
Be specific in your answers: Don’t just say “casual.” Explain what casual means to you with examples.
Include real examples: When the Gem asks for writing samples, give actual text you’ve written, not descriptions.
Mention your pet peeves: The “banned words” section is crucial. Be honest about what language annoys you.
Test across formats: Your persona might work great for blog posts but need tweaking for social media.
What Makes This Different
Most persona prompts are generic templates. This Gem is designed to capture the subtle things that make your communication style unique.
It figures out not just what you say, but how you say it. Whether you use examples or theory. If you’re more likely to say “Here’s the thing” or “The key point is.” Whether you end with questions or statements.
These details seem small, but they’re what make writing sound human instead of generated.
Beyond Writing: Other Persona Uses
Once you have a solid persona document, you can adapt it for other tasks:
Email responses: Paste it before asking AI to draft replies
Social media posts: Get consistent voice across platforms
Presentation scripts: Sound like yourself when speaking
Code comments: Even technical writing can have personality
Next Steps After Creating Your Persona
- Start small: Test with short-form content first (tweets, emails)
- Document what works: Keep notes on successful applications
- Share with your team: If others write for your brand, give them the persona
- Create variations: You might need different personas for different audiences
- Regular updates: Refine your persona as your style evolves
Start Building Your Voice
The best part about having a detailed persona is that it works everywhere. ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, even the new AI writing tools that pop up every week.
Instead of fighting with different prompts on different platforms, you have one document that teaches any AI how you communicate.
Your voice becomes portable across all the AI tools you use. And honestly, that’s pretty powerful for anyone creating content regularly.
The Gem takes about 10 minutes to set up and maybe 15 minutes to complete the interview process. But once you have your persona document, you’ll use it constantly.
Give it a try and see how different AI-generated content feels when it actually sounds like you.
