[Rick Retirement Planner]

Hello — I write emails, personal essays and a little blogging, and I want better grammar without the AI turning my words into something that doesn’t sound like me. What are practical ways to use AI proofreading so it corrects grammar but preserves my voice?

Specifically, I’d love simple, non-technical advice on:

• Which tools or settings are good for suggesting edits rather than rewriting text.
• Short prompts or instructions I can give the AI to keep my tone and quirks.
• Workflows for reviewing suggestions (track-changes style, small edits only, etc.).
• Any easy tricks to teach an AI my style without complicated setup.

If you have a favorite prompt or a before/after example that keeps the original voice, please share — even one sentence is helpful. Thanks!

[aaron]

Good point: your emphasis on preserving personal voice while fixing grammar is exactly the right focus.

Here’s a direct, no-fluff approach to proofread with AI without losing who you are.

Problem: AI tools tend to “standardize” language—clean grammar but flatten personality.

Why it matters: Voice builds trust and recognition. Lose it and you lose conversions, reader loyalty and brand distinctiveness.

My core lesson: Treat AI as a copy-editor, not a ghostwriter. Give it constraints, examples, and an acceptance filter.

• Do: Provide two sample sentences that represent your voice; ask for minimal edits; ask for explanations of changes.
• Do not: Ask the AI to “improve the writing” without constraints or ask it to rewrite from scratch.

Step-by-step (what you’ll need, how to do it, what to expect)

1. Gather: original draft + 2–3 short samples that show your voice (tone, common phrases, level of formality).
2. Set rules: e.g., “Keep contractions, maintain first-person, do not change metaphors.” Write 3–5 constraints.
3. Run a focused prompt (copy-paste below). Expect a corrected version, a version with track-style edits, and a short rationale for each change.
4. Apply: accept changes that match your voice, reject the others. Tweak the prompt and re-run for borderline cases.
5. Final pass: read aloud—if it sounds like you, publish.

Copy-paste AI prompt (use exactly as written)

“You are a precise copy-editor. Edit the following text for grammar, punctuation, and clarity only. Keep my personal voice: maintain contractions, first-person perspective, and informal tone. Do not rewrite metaphors or change sentence structure more than necessary. Return three sections: 1) corrected text, 2) list of changes with brief reason for each, 3) two alternative wording options only if a sentence is unclear. Here is my voice sample: ‘I like getting straight to the point and using simple, human language.’ Now edit this text: [paste your draft].”

Worked example

Original: “I am not sure if this is right, but I think we should maybe consider a different approach.”

AI suggested: “I’m not sure this is right, but I think we should consider a different approach.”

Change log: Removed “maybe” (redundant), converted to contraction to match voice.

Metrics to track

• Grammar error rate (manual count pre/post)
• Time to final draft (minutes)
• Acceptance rate of AI suggestions (% accepted)
• Reader engagement (open rate, replies, qualitative feedback)

Mistakes & fixes

• Over-correction: AI makes writing formal. Fix: add constraint “keep informal voice” and provide samples.
• Loss of idiom: AI replaces phrases. Fix: forbid changing idioms or metaphors.
• Too many alternatives: ask for only two options and one clear recommended choice.

1-week action plan

1. Day 1: Choose 3 representative pieces and capture voice samples.
2. Day 2: Run the prompt on one short piece; review changes; note acceptance rate.
3. Day 3: Tweak constraints and re-run on remaining pieces.
4. Day 4–5: Apply accepted edits, read-aloud check, gather 3 colleague/friend reactions.
5. Day 6–7: Measure time saved and engagement; adjust process.

Your move.

[Jeff Bullas]

Nice call: you nailed the core—treat AI as a copy-editor, not a ghostwriter. That’s the quickest route to keep your voice intact.

Here’s a practical, do-first method to proofread with AI without losing your personality. Short, repeatable, and safe for non-technical users.

What you’ll need

• Original draft (short — 100–300 words to start)
• Two short voice samples that sound like you (one sentence each)
• Three simple rules (e.g., keep contractions, keep first-person, don’t change metaphors)

Step-by-step (how to do it and what to expect)

1. Paste your draft and voice samples into the prompt below.
2. Run a strict, grammar-only pass. Expect a corrected text, a change log, and any flagged unclear sentences.
3. Review the change log—accept or reject edits. For rejected edits, note why (tone, word choice).
4. If needed, run a second pass asking only for small style tweaks that match the accepted edits.
5. Read the result aloud. If it sounds like you, you’re done. If not, tweak rules and re-run.

Copy-paste AI prompt — strict grammar-only

“You are a precise copy-editor. Edit the following text for grammar, punctuation, and clarity only. Keep my personal voice: maintain contractions, first-person perspective, and informal tone. Do not change metaphors or humor. Return three sections: 1) corrected text, 2) list of changes with a brief reason for each, 3) any sentences you think are unclear (no more than two) and one suggested alternative each. Voice samples: ‘I like getting straight to the point and using simple, human language.’ and ‘I use short sentences and everyday words.’ Now edit this text: [paste your draft].”

Prompt variant — conservative edit with options

“Same as above, but for each changed sentence also provide one alternative wording that leans more formal and one that leans more casual, and mark the recommended choice. Don’t change idioms or metaphors.”

Worked example

Original: “I am not sure if this is right, but I think we should maybe consider a different approach.”

AI corrected: “I’m not sure this is right, but I think we should consider a different approach.”

Change log: Removed redundant “maybe”; converted to contraction to match voice; no metaphors changed.

Mistakes & fixes

• AI over-formalizes: fix by adding rule “keep informal tone” and rerun.
• AI swaps idioms: fix by specifying “do not change metaphors or idioms.”
• Too many suggestions: limit alternatives to 1–2 and require a recommended choice.

7-day action plan (quick wins)

1. Day 1: Pick one short piece and run the strict prompt.
2. Day 2: Review changes; tune rules if voice drifted.
3. Day 3–4: Repeat on 2 more pieces; measure acceptance rate.
4. Day 5–7: Standardize your rules and save the prompt as a template.

Play with this for a few days. The trick is the acceptance filter—only accept edits that preserve rhythm and personality. Do that, and AI becomes your tidy, respectful editor rather than a rewrite machine.

[Steve Side Hustler]

Nice — you’ve already locked the right mindset: treat AI like a careful copy-editor, not a ghostwriter. Below is a quick, no-fuss workflow you can use in 10–20 minutes per short piece. It keeps grammar tight while you stay unmistakably you.

• Do: Give the AI two short voice samples (one-line each), set 3 simple rules (e.g., keep contractions, keep first-person, don’t change metaphors), and run a strict grammar pass.
• Do: Ask for a short change log so you can approve suggestions fast.
• Do: Read aloud before accepting — if it doesn’t sound like you, reject or tweak that change.
• Do not: Let the AI rewrite your piece from scratch or blanket-accept every change.
• Do not: Use vague instructions like “make it better” — be specific about what to preserve.

What you’ll need

1. Original short draft (100–300 words).
2. Two one-line voice samples that capture your tone (examples of phrases you use).
3. Three clear rules to protect voice (e.g., keep contractions, keep first-person, don’t alter idioms).

Step-by-step (how to do it and what to expect)

1. Paste your draft and voice samples into your AI editor. Tell it to fix grammar/punctuation only and to list each change with a brief reason.
2. Expect three outputs: a corrected version, a short change log, and at most two flagged sentences that might be unclear.
3. Quick review: scan the change log. Accept changes that match your voice, reject ones that don’t — record why if you plan to refine rules.
4. If several rejects happen, tweak your three rules (add a “do not change X” rule) and re-run on the troublesome lines only.
5. Final check: read the text out loud or have one friend read it. If it sounds like you, publish.

Worked example — tiny, practical

Original: “I am not sure if this is right, but I think we should maybe consider a different approach.”

AI suggestion: “I’m not sure this is right, but I think we should consider a different approach.”

Why accept: contraction matches voice; removed redundant “maybe” to tighten meaning. Why reject if you wanted softer tone: keep “maybe” or swap to “I could be wrong, but…”

Quick metrics to track for 1 week

• Time to final draft (mins)
• Acceptance rate of AI suggestions (%)
• Reader feedback (one-sentence notes)

Small habit: save your three rules and voice lines as a template. Run it twice on the first few pieces to tune, then treat AI as your tidy, respectful editor — not your rewriter. That keeps grammar sharp and your voice intact.

[aaron]

Smart call on the change log and the “don’t rewrite” rule. Here’s how to lock in your voice with guardrails that make drift almost impossible—and show you numbers to prove it.

Core idea: freeze your voice first, then proofread. Build a light “voice fingerprint” (simple metrics), cap how much the AI can change, and ask for hard stats after each pass.

High-value move: the Voice Fingerprint

• Contractions target (e.g., 70–90% of eligible cases)
• Average sentence length (e.g., 12–16 words)
• Never-change list (idioms, signature phrases, product names)

Copy-paste prompt — build your fingerprint (60 seconds)

“Analyze the following paragraph and create a simple voice fingerprint. Return: 1) contraction rate (% of eligible contractions used), 2) average sentence length (in words), 3) tone in 3 plain adjectives, 4) a list of 5–10 phrases or idioms that feel signature to the voice, 5) a one-paragraph style guide I can reuse. Text: [paste a representative paragraph you like].”

Copy-paste prompt — strict grammar with edit cap + stats

“You are a careful copy-editor. Fix grammar, punctuation, and clarity only. Respect my voice fingerprint. Do not change metaphors, idioms, or brand terms. Keep sentence structure unless a fix is required for correctness. Edit cap: change no more than 10% of words. Keep contractions within ±5% of the target. Keep average sentence length within ±2 words of the target. Return 4 sections: 1) corrected text, 2) change log with brief reasons, 3) any sentences you’re unsure about (max 2) with one suggested alternative each, 4) stats: words changed, % changed, contraction rate, average sentence length, any rule you couldn’t follow. Voice fingerprint/style guide: [paste your fingerprint/style guide]. Now edit this text: [paste your draft].”

Variant — delta-only view (fast approval)

“Same instructions and caps. Return two sections only: 1) corrected text with brackets around changed words so I can see edits inline, 2) stats (words changed, % changed, contraction rate, average sentence length). No rewrites beyond grammar.”

Why this matters: You keep rhythm, word choice, and idioms while fixing errors. The edit cap and stats prevent silent voice drift. Your acceptance rate goes up, and review time shrinks.

What you’ll need

• One paragraph you love (to build the fingerprint)
• Your never-change list (idioms, product names, signature lines)
• A short draft (100–300 words) for the first run

Step-by-step

1. Fingerprint in one minute: run the fingerprint prompt on a paragraph you’re proud of. Save the style guide and targets.
2. Set your rules: keep contractions, keep first-person, don’t change metaphors/idioms, edit cap 10% words, sentence length ±2 words.
3. Run the strict grammar prompt. Expect corrected text, change log, and stats. If % changed is over your cap, ask the AI to roll back the least essential edits first.
4. Approve quickly: skim the change log; accept anything that fixes correctness and preserves rhythm. Reject anything that swaps words for style, unless you requested it.
5. Second pass (optional): only for the 1–2 flagged unclear sentences. Approve if it still sounds like you.
6. Save the winning fingerprint and rules as your template for future pieces.

What to expect: A clean, readable draft that sounds like you, with edits you can see and stats that confirm nothing drifted. Over time, your acceptance rate improves and your edit cap can drop to 5%.

Metrics to track (weekly)

• % words changed: target ≤10% (then tighten to ≤5%)
• Contraction rate delta vs. target: within ±5%
• Average sentence length delta: within ±2 words
• Acceptance rate of AI suggestions: 70–90% is healthy
• Time to final: aim for 10–20 minutes per short piece
• Reader response: replies or comments per 100 sends/posts

Common mistakes and fast fixes

• AI over-formalizes. Add “prefer short, everyday words; keep contractions,” and restate your never-change idioms.
• Too many edits. Lower the cap to 5–8% and request a rollback of low-value changes first.
• Hidden rewrites. Use the delta-only variant or require brackets around changed words.
• Loss of rhythm. Add a rule: “Do not change sentence starts or cadence unless grammar requires it.”
• Inconsistent outputs. Always paste the fingerprint at the top of your prompt.

1-week action plan

1. Day 1: Build your fingerprint from one favorite paragraph. Make your never-change list (5–10 items).
2. Day 2: Run the strict grammar prompt on one 150–250 word piece. Capture stats and acceptance rate.
3. Day 3: Tighten rules if drifted (e.g., lower edit cap, add cadence rule). Re-run on the same piece and compare stats.
4. Day 4–5: Process two more pieces using delta-only view for speed. Aim for ≤10% words changed and ≥70% acceptance.
5. Day 6: Review metrics across pieces. Adjust targets (e.g., set contraction target, sentence length range) to match how you naturally write.
6. Day 7: Save your final prompt + fingerprint as a template. Next week, drop the edit cap to 5–8%.

Insider tip: If a change feels “correct” but not you, add that sentence to your fingerprint as a counterexample with a note: “Reject edits that remove this kind of phrase or cadence.” The model learns your acceptance filter.

Your move.

[Author]

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