# Voice Documentation Framework

Full templates for documenting, testing, and maintaining a creator's brand voice.

---

## Complete Voice Documentation Template

Use this structure for `creator-memory/voice.md`. Fill every section — partial documentation
produces inconsistent output.

```markdown
# Voice Documentation

## Creator: [Name / Brand]
Last updated: [date]

---

## Core Voice Attributes

### Attribute 1: [Name]
- **We are**: [What this means in practice — behavior, not adjective]
- **We are not**: [The misinterpretation to prevent]
- **Sounds like**: "[Example sentence that demonstrates this attribute]"
- **Never sounds like**: "[Counter-example sentence to avoid]"

### Attribute 2: [Name]
- **We are**:
- **We are not**:
- **Sounds like**:
- **Never sounds like**:

### Attribute 3: [Name]
[... repeat for 3-5 attributes total. More than 5 is too many to hold consistently.]

---

## Audience

**Primary**: [1-sentence description — who they are, what they do]

**What they already know**: [Don't over-explain these topics to them]

**What they want from this creator**: [The specific value they're here for]

**How to address them**: [Peer / student / collaborator / customer — pick one primary]

**What they don't want**: [Avoid these tones or types of content]

---

## Content Pillars

### Pillar 1: [Name]
- **Topic focus**: [What topics this covers]
- **Core argument**: [The consistent POV or thesis]
- **Target reader**: [Specific segment of audience]
- **Example piece**: [Title or description of ideal content in this pillar]

### Pillar 2: [Name]
[...]

### Pillar 3: [Name]
[... 3-5 pillars total]

---

## Tone by Channel

| Channel | Tone | What changes | What stays the same |
|---------|------|--------------|---------------------|
| Blog | | | |
| LinkedIn | | | |
| X / Twitter | | | |
| Email newsletter | | | |
| Video / podcast | | | |
| [Other channel] | | | |

---

## Terminology

### Use
- "[preferred term]" not "[avoided term]" — [reason]
- "[preferred term]" not "[avoided term]" — [reason]

### Never use
- [Term] — [why: too generic / wrong connotation / competitor brand / etc.]
- [Term] —
- [Term] —

### Signature phrases (use sparingly)
- "[Phrase this creator uses]"
- "[Recurring construction or opener they're known for]"

---

## Anti-Patterns

Things this creator would never write:

1. **[Anti-pattern name]**: [Description + example]
2. **[Anti-pattern name]**: [Description + example]
3. **[Anti-pattern name]**: [Description + example]

---

## Voice Samples

3 examples of content that nails the voice. Reference these when drifting.

### Sample 1: [Type — e.g., "LinkedIn post"]
```
[Paste actual content here]
```
**Why this works**: [Brief analysis of what voice elements are demonstrated]

### Sample 2: [Type]
```
[...]
```
**Why this works**:

### Sample 3: [Type]
```
[...]
```
**Why this works**:
```

---

## How to Derive Voice Attributes from Samples

When a creator can provide writing samples, derive voice from observation rather than asking
them to self-describe. Self-description produces generic ("authentic", "conversational")
while analysis produces specific ("punchy 8-12 word sentences", "leads with a data point").

### Analysis Method

Read 5-10 samples and answer:

**Sentence structure**
- Average sentence length? (count words per sentence across 3 paragraphs)
- Mix of short/long? (rhythm varies, or consistent?)
- Fragment usage? (intentional, frequent, rare, never)
- Question usage? (rhetorical, real questions to reader, none)

**Opening patterns**
- How do pieces start? (statement, question, data point, scene-setting, personal story)
- What's the hook strategy? (contradiction, surprising claim, specific result)
- Does "I" appear in the first sentence? (strong indicator of style)

**Vocabulary and formality**
- Technical jargon level? (high / medium / low)
- Contractions? (frequent = casual, rare = formal)
- Slang or internet language? (never, occasional, frequent)
- Hedge words? ("maybe", "I think", "possibly" — present or avoided)

**Structural patterns**
- How do they organize information? (linear argument, lists, narrative, Q&A)
- Do they use headers in long-form? (analytical) or flow through sections? (narrative)
- How do they close? (CTA, question back to reader, summary, forward-looking statement)

**Perspective**
- First person ("I") vs second person ("you") vs third vs no person?
- Does the creator position as peer, teacher, practitioner, or observer?
- Do they share personal context/experience or stay abstract?

### Synthesizing into Attributes

After analysis, name 3-5 attributes using **verbs and specifics**, not adjectives:

❌ Weak: "Conversational and authentic"
✅ Strong: "Writes like a peer debrief, not a lecture — uses 'you' 3x more than 'I'"

❌ Weak: "Direct and confident"
✅ Strong: "Opens with the conclusion, explains after — never buries the lead"

❌ Weak: "Educational"
✅ Strong: "Teaches through specific examples, never through abstraction alone"

---

## Voice Drift Detection

Signals that content has drifted from the defined voice:

| Drift signal | What it usually means |
|-------------|----------------------|
| Opener starts with "In today's world..." | Generic, no voice loaded |
| Multiple exclamation points | Enthusiasm override, lost precision |
| "Amazing", "incredible", "awesome" | Fell back to generic superlatives |
| Passive voice throughout | Hedging, not taking a stance |
| Every sentence starts with "I" | Self-focused, not audience-focused |
| Paragraph-length sentences | Lost the rhythm, revise for pace |
| Ends with "What do you think?" | Lazy engagement, not on-brand for most creators |
| Spiritual/motivational language | Guru tone creeping in |

---

## CREATOR.md Voice Section Template

Condensed voice for the hot cache (keeps CREATOR.md lean):

```markdown
## Voice

**3 attributes**: [Attribute 1] / [Attribute 2] / [Attribute 3]

**Sounds like**: "[Short example sentence]"
**Never sounds like**: "[Counter-example]"

**Anti-patterns**: [Term to avoid], [phrase to avoid], [opener to avoid]

**Audience**: [One sentence — who they are + what they want]

**Terminology**: [preferred term] not [avoided]; [preferred term] not [avoided]
```
