Writing with AI is kind of like baking with a robot chef. It’s fast, it follows the recipe, but sometimes it adds raisins where you wanted chocolate chips. That’s where editorial style guides come in. They’re the rulebooks that help rein in your AI helper and make sure the final product is something you want to serve.
But hold on—what exactly is an editorial style guide? Think of it as your personal or company’s “voice manual.” It tells humans (and now machines) how everything should sound, look, and feel when published. And in the world of AI-assisted writing, it’s not just useful—it’s essential.
Why AI Needs Style Guides Too
AI is great at generating text. But writing style? Voice? Tone? Not so much—unless you tell it how. That’s where editorial style guides save the day.
Without a guide, AI can go off in a hundred different directions.
- One paragraph can sound formal, the next super casual.
- It might switch between British and American spellings.
- Or go from Oxford commas to no commas at all!
With an editorial style guide, you give your AI assistant a GPS. It knows exactly how to get where it’s going—and it gets there faster, sounding consistent the whole way.
What’s in a Good Editorial Style Guide?
Your style guide doesn’t need to be fancy. It just needs to be clear. Here’s what most include:
- Voice and Tone: Should the content sound fun and friendly? Or formal and smart? Include examples so the AI knows what “friendly” actually looks like.
- Grammar Rules: Prefer active voice? Banished the passive voice forever? Make that clear.
- Spelling and Punctuation: Are you team “organization” or “organisation”? Love the Oxford comma? Write it down.
- Formatting: Headings, bullet points, bold text—oh my! Tell the AI your preferred structure so it doesn’t throw in five fonts and emojis.
- Words to Use/Words to Avoid: Maybe your company says “customers” not “users.” Or only uses “free trial,” not “demo.” Your guide should list these like a cheat sheet.
How AI Uses These Guides
Believe it or not, AI can follow rules pretty well—with a little help from you. You’ll need to prompt it correctly.
Try something like:
“Write a product description in a fun, energetic tone. Use American spelling and active voice. Avoid technical jargon. Follow our brand style guide.”
Even better: Paste part of your style guide into the prompt. Yup! AI tools like ChatGPT eat that stuff up. The more specific, the better the output.
Templates + Style Guides = Magic
If you want to level up your AI writing game, mix templates with your editorial guide. A template gives the structure. The guide gives the flavor.
Here’s an example for a blog post:
- Heading: Catchy and short (around 8 words)
- Intro: Grab attention in a fun and conversational way
- Body: Break into 3 sections with subheadings
- Tone: Friendly, casual, and clear
- CTA: End with a helpful tip or question
Now combine that with your guide’s rules and boom—your robot writer will sound just like you.
Big Brands Have Big Style Guides
Ever wonder how brands like Mailchimp or Google keep their content so consistent? They don’t rely on memory—they use detailed style guides.
Mailchimp’s Voice and Tone guide is legendary. It tells writers when to be playful or serious, depending on the content. And yes, it’s publicly available. Talk about sharing the love!
So whether you’re a solopreneur or building a huge content team, having a style guide is like giving every writer (human or AI) a secret decoder ring.
Helpful Tips for Creating Your AI-Ready Style Guide
Don’t worry—you don’t need to create a 50-page document. Start small. Focus on key things. Here’s how you can get going fast:
- 1. Capture Your Brand Voice: Use three adjectives to describe your tone. Examples: Bold, helpful, and quirky.
- 2. Make a Do/Don’t List: Include sample phrases to use and avoid.
- 3. Choose a Dictionary: American English with Merriam-Webster? British English with Oxford?
- 4. Say Yes (or No) to the Oxford Comma: Pick a side. Stay loyal.
- 5. Keep It Editable: Style evolves! Make a living Google Doc or Notion page you can update anytime.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Avoid these oopsies when building your style guide:
- Being too vague: “Use a friendly tone.” What’s friendly? Give examples.
- Forgetting about formatting: Tell the AI how to handle headings and lists.
- Not testing with actual AI prompts: Try using parts of the guide right away. See how it works.
When AI Breaks the Rules
Even with a great guide, AI can sometimes slip up. Maybe it over-explains. Or it repeats things. Or adds emojis even when you said “no extras.”
That’s why human oversight still matters. A quick edit can clean things up. Or you can re-prompt the AI and say, “Try again, but tighter and less repetitive.”
Team Collaboration & Consistency
Are you working in a team? Share the guide! Give everyone the same playbook. Then your blog, emails, landing pages, and social posts will all sound like they’re coming from one voice.
You can even set up AI prompt templates for your team that include style rules. That way, even non-writers can create great content in minutes.
Final Thought: Your Guide Is a Superpower
AI is the fastest intern you’ll ever hire. But without clear direction, it’ll write Shakespeare when you really wanted BuzzFeed.
Your editorial style guide is the secret sauce. It teaches AI (and people) how to write like your brand—even when they’re writing something new.
So invest a little time. Build your guide. Share it. Use it. And watch your content shine.
Happy writing, human + robot friends!