You're fed up with ChatGPT's writing style. It's like the AI has been programmed to use the most exaggerated, flowery language possible. Every sentence is filled with unnecessary big words, repetitive phrasing, and a false sense of balance that leaves you wondering what the heck you just read.
You've tried instructing ChatGPT to use "natural sounding language," "to the point," and "normal language," but nothing seems to help. Or it helps too much, and the AI swings to the other extreme, writing like a fourth-grader.
It's frustrating because you want ChatGPT to communicate in a clear, concise manner without all the unnecessary fluff and exaggeration. You don't need the writing to be bland or overly simplistic, but you also don't want it to be so verbose and long-winded that it becomes meaningless noise.
What if there was a way to fine-tune ChatGPT's writing style to strike the perfect balance between simplicity and substance?
A way to eliminate the robotic, pompous language while still allowing for nuance and depth? By adjusting the diction to an 11th-grade reading level and prioritizing variable sentence length, you could achieve a writing style that is easily understood by a wide audience without sacrificing complexity.
Here are some tips for making ChatGPT's writing sound more natural and less robotic:
1. Mimic the Writing Style of Specific Author Styles
To encourage a more concise and straightforward writing style from ChatGPT, you can instruct it to emulate the writing styles of known authors.
One popular choice amongst ChatGPT users is the spare, minimalist style of Ernest Hemingway. Hemingway was known for his simple yet powerful language, his ability to convey complex emotions and ideas with few words, and his avoidance of unnecessary embellishments.
Example prompt:
Write in the style of Ernest Hemingway, using clear, concise language without unnecessary flourishes or exaggerations. Get to the point directly, and avoid overly complex or flowery phrasing.
Or simply:
Write in the style of Ernest Hemingway
Other popular choices for authors:
Seth Godin (entrepreneurship) - accessible and often conversational, distilling complex business concepts into digestible, compelling narratives that resonate with entrepreneurs and professionals alike
David Attenborough (natural science) - vividly descriptive and deeply passionate, bringing to life the natural world with a sense of wonder and an intimate, storytelling approach
Neil deGrasse Tyson (natural science) - engaging and accessible, characterized by his ability to explain complex scientific concepts in a clear, understandable manner
Bob Woodward (investigative journalism) - investigative and methodical, characterized by in-depth research and a straightforward presentation of facts
Seymour Hersh (investigative journalism) - tenacious and unyielding, focusing on uncovering and reporting hard truths with a keen eye for detail and a commitment to journalistic integrity
Ronan Farrow (investigative journalism) - combines investigative rigor with a compelling narrative style, bringing to light stories of injustice and abuse of power with empathy and thoroughness
David Sedaris (comedic) - sharp wit and keen observation of life's absurdities, delivered with a self-deprecating humor that makes his personal stories both hilarious and heartwarming
Nora Ephron (comedic) - humor and insight, weaving together personal anecdotes with universal truths about love, life, and loss, all with a distinctive voice that is both engaging and enlightening
Dr. Seuss (storytelling) - imaginative landscapes and playful language, utilizing whimsical rhymes and creative characters to engage children while imparting valuable lessons
Roald Dahl (storytelling) - dark humor and fantastical storytelling, creating unique, sometimes macabre worlds that explore the complexities of human nature and the power of imagination
2. Aim for Lower Reading Levels
To ensure that ChatGPT's writing is easily understood by a wide audience, request that it write in English at a B2-C1 level (upper-intermediate to advanced). This level of English proficiency is accessible to most readers while still allowing for nuance and complexity.
Example prompt:
Please write in English that is easily understood by an international audience with an English proficiency level of B2-C1. Avoid overly complex or obscure phrasing, but don't oversimplify the content.
Alternatively, you may leverage on a readability score indices like the Gunning Fog Index to target a specific reading level.
The index was developed by Robert Gunning, an American businessman, in 1952 as a tool to improve the readability of newspapers and business writing. The outcome is a number that corresponds with a grade level. For example, a score of 12 indicates the text can be understood by someone with a 12th-grade (senior in high school) education level.
Write in a way that is easily understood by a wide audience, targeting a Gunning Fog index of 12.
3. Explain Jargon Simply
While you may want ChatGPT to include relevant jargon or technical terms, instruct it to explain these concepts in simple terms for better understanding. This will prevent the AI from using too much specialized language that could confuse or alienate readers.
Example prompt:
Feel free to use industry-specific jargon or technical terms when appropriate, but be sure to explain these concepts in simple, easy-to-understand language for a general audience.
4. Avoid Flowery Language and Hyperbole
Explicitly tell ChatGPT to avoid flowery language, exaggerations, and hyperbole. This will discourage the AI from using overly embellished or grandiose phrasing that can come across as insincere or meaningless.
Example prompt:
Keep your writing simple and concise, avoiding flowery language, exaggerations, and hyperbole. Stick to straightforward, factual statements without unnecessary embellishments.
You can provide specific words and phrases to avoid as examples, like "embark on a journey", "tapestry", "in the realm of", "in today's digital landscape", etc.
The goal is to steer ChatGPT away from puffery, marketing speak, and overly promotional language toward a more neutral, factual, and grounded communication style.
Being clear about exactly what type of embellished or hyperbolic language to avoid can help the AI better understand and implement a simpler, less exaggerated way of writing.
5. Seek Neutral, Truthful Opinions
Instruct ChatGPT to remain neutral, always seeking the truth, and provide thorough but concise responses without loads of metaphors or overly creative language. This will encourage the AI to communicate in a straightforward, balanced manner without unnecessary flourishes.
Example prompt:
I want your opinions to remain neutral and truthful, always seeking accuracy over creativity. Provide thorough but concise responses, avoiding excessive use of metaphors or overly creative language. Keep it interesting but to the point.
6. Adjust Tone and Formality
Depending on your needs, you can also adjust the tone and formality of ChatGPT's writing. For a more casual, conversational tone, you might prompt it with "Write in a friendly, conversational tone, as if you're explaining this to a friend."
For a more formal or professional tone, you could prompt it with "Use a formal, professional writing style suitable for a business context."
Here are some other tones you may consider:
authoritative
clinical
cold
confident
cynical
empathetic
formal
friendly
humorous
informal
optimistic
pessimistic
playful
sarcastic
serious
sympathetic
Specifying the exact situation, audience, and relationship can also help guide ChatGPT to an appropriate level of formality in its responses.
The key is being clear about whether you need a more casual, conversational voice or a proper, professional communication style for that particular use case.
Take Control of ChatGPT's Tone
With a few simple adjustments to your prompts, you can transform ChatGPT's writing from a meandering, exaggerated mess into a well-crafted, easily digestible masterpiece. By prioritizing simplicity, variable sentence structure, and neutral language, you'll be able to harness the full power of the AI's knowledge without getting lost in a sea of unnecessary verbiage.
It's time to take control of ChatGPT's writing style and ensure that every word counts, every sentence has substance, and every communication is clear, concise, and impactful. And while mastering these prompting techniques is a crucial first step, true content marketing mastery requires a comprehensive system for transforming your customer insights into ultra-resonant AI output.
That's why we created AI Content Mastery, a step-by-step training program that shows you how to synthesize surveys, interviews, and data into detailed prompt briefs that speak your audience's language. You'll get a full framework for leveraging ChatGPT as an empathy engine to generate outlines, ideas, and first drafts that are guaranteed to connect. Plus, you'll master repurposing workflows to adapt that content across every marketing channel.
