Building an AI Writing System

A practical framework for using AI in your writing without losing your authentic voice. This isn't about having AI write for you—it's about building a system that amplifies your thinking.

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The Core Principle

AI is best used as a thinking partner, not a ghostwriter.

What works:

• AI expanding your bullet points into drafts
• AI finding holes in your arguments
• AI suggesting structure improvements
• AI handling tedious formatting

What doesn't:

• AI generating ideas from scratch
• AI writing without your input
• AI replacing your editorial judgment

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Part 1: The Voice Document

Before any AI writing, capture your voice.

Create a Voice Profile

Document these elements:

1. Vocabulary preferences

   • Words you use often
   • Words you avoid
   • Industry-specific terms

2. Sentence patterns

   • Average sentence length
   • Use of fragments
   • Rhythm and flow

3. Structural tendencies

   • How you open pieces
   • How you transition
   • How you conclude

Example Voice Document

# My Writing Voice

## Tone
- Direct and practical
- Occasional dry humor
- Technical when necessary, plain when possible

## Preferences
- Active voice over passive
- Short paragraphs (2-3 sentences)
- Concrete examples over abstractions

## Avoid
- Buzzwords (leverage, synergy, ecosystem)
- Excessive hedging (I think, perhaps, maybe)
- Filler phrases (in order to, the fact that)

## Signature phrases
- "Here's what actually works"
- "Let's be specific"
- "The key insight is..."

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Part 2: The Expansion Method

Turn bullets into drafts without losing control.

Step 1: Brain Dump

Write your core ideas as bullets. Don't worry about prose:

- AI writing tools are multipliers, not replacements
- Most people use them backwards (generate then edit)
- Better approach: outline first, expand with AI
- Voice preservation requires explicit documentation
- The editing phase is where quality lives

Step 2: Structured Expansion

Give AI your bullets with clear instructions:

Expand these bullet points into a draft section.

Rules:
- One paragraph per bullet
- Maintain my voice (see attached profile)
- Don't add new ideas, only expand existing ones
- Keep paragraphs under 4 sentences

Bullets:
[paste your bullets]

Step 3: Voice Editing

Read the draft aloud. Mark anything that doesn't sound like you. Then either:

• Rewrite those sections yourself
• Give AI specific corrections with examples

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Part 3: The Research Assistant

Use AI to accelerate research without compromising accuracy.

Finding Sources

I'm writing about [topic]. Find:
1. Three recent studies or reports on this
2. Two contrarian perspectives
3. One surprising statistic

For each, give me the claim and a search query to verify it.

Synthesizing Information

I've gathered these sources on [topic]:
[paste summaries]

Create an outline showing:
1. Points of agreement
2. Points of disagreement
3. Gaps in the research
4. Questions worth exploring

Fact-Checking Drafts

Review this draft for claims that need verification:
[paste draft]

Flag any:
- Statistics without sources
- Generalizations that need evidence
- Technical claims to verify

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Part 4: Structure Templates

Pre-built frameworks for common content types.

Blog Post Template

## [Working Title]

### The Hook
- Opening that creates tension or curiosity
- 1-2 sentences max

### The Context
- Why this matters now
- What's at stake
- Who this is for

### The Insight
- Your main argument
- Supporting evidence
- Concrete examples

### The How
- Practical steps
- Common mistakes
- What success looks like

### The Call
- Clear next action
- What to do with this information

Thread/Post Template

## Core Message
One sentence: what's the single idea?

## Hook Options
- Contrarian statement
- Surprising statistic
- Personal story opening
- Bold prediction

## Supporting Points (3-5)
1. First point + evidence
2. Second point + evidence
3. Third point + evidence

## Closing
- Callback to hook
- Clear takeaway
- Call to action

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Part 5: The Editing Protocol

A systematic approach to improving AI-assisted drafts.

Pass 1: Voice Check

Read aloud. Mark every sentence that doesn't sound like you.

• Too formal?
• Wrong word choice?
• Missing your rhythm?

Pass 2: Value Check

For each paragraph ask:

• Does this add something new?
• Is this specific enough?
• Would my reader care?

Delete anything that fails these tests.

Pass 3: Flow Check

• Do paragraphs connect logically?
• Are transitions smooth?
• Does it build momentum?

Pass 4: Polish

• Cut unnecessary words
• Strengthen verbs
• Check consistency

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Part 6: The Feedback Loop

Using AI for iterative improvement.

Get Critique

Review this draft as a skeptical reader:
[paste draft]

Point out:
1. Where I lost your attention
2. Arguments that feel weak
3. Sections that drag
4. Missing perspectives

Be specific about locations.

Targeted Revision

The feedback says [specific issue] in this section:
[paste section]

Give me three alternatives that address this while maintaining my voice.

A/B Options

Here's my opening:
[paste opening]

Write two alternatives:
1. More provocative version
2. More accessible version

I'll choose which direction to develop.

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Part 7: The Weekly System

A sustainable rhythm for AI-assisted writing.

Monday: Idea Mining

• Review your notes, conversations, observations
• Brain dump 5-10 potential topics
• Use AI to expand each into a one-paragraph pitch
• Select 1-2 to develop this week

Tuesday-Wednesday: Drafting

• Morning: Create bullet outline
• Use expansion method to generate draft
• Afternoon: First editing pass

Thursday: Research & Refine

• Fact-check claims
• Add sources and examples
• Second editing pass

Friday: Polish & Schedule

• Final voice check
• Format for publication
• Schedule or publish

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Part 8: Common Mistakes

What to avoid in AI-assisted writing.

Mistake: Generate-then-edit

Starting with "write me an article about X" produces generic content that's hard to fix.

Fix: Always start with your own outline.

Mistake: No Voice Document

Without explicit voice guidance, AI defaults to generic professional tone.

Fix: Create and reference your voice profile.

Mistake: Skipping Verification

AI makes confident-sounding claims that may be wrong.

Fix: Verify statistics and facts before publishing.

Mistake: Over-prompting

Long, complex prompts often produce worse results than simple, clear ones.

Fix: One task per prompt, clear constraints.

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Quick Reference

Prompts That Work

Time Estimates

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Next Steps

1. Create your voice document (30 min)
2. Try the expansion method on one piece this week
3. Develop your weekly rhythm
4. Build your template library

The goal isn't to write faster—it's to write more, with less friction, while staying authentically you.

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This system evolved from writing 100+ articles with AI assistance. The methods here represent what actually works for maintaining quality at scale.