Two Ways I Use AI to Create Authentic Content (When I Don’t Have Time to Write)

I am going to be very non-Minnesotan for a minute and make a declaration. I am a good writer. I even have a journalism degree to back up that statement.

But I have a job in which content writing is actually a pretty low priority in comparison to everything else on my plate. That said, it’s still important and can make a difference, so how do I create something if I don’t have time to focus and execute or don’t have the motivation/inspiration to create? AI. After all, I subscribe to the notion we should work smarter, not harder.

When I use AI to create content, I follow one of two methods, either using it primarily for brainstorming or refinement.

Method 1: Structured Brainstorming with AI

A few days ago, I published Why I’m Excited to Market DevTools Again: Ducky’s Launch and the Evolution of Developer Optionality. Spoiler alert, this was written with the help of AI. When I set out to write this, I knew it was going to take me a bit, knew it would use more complex technical concepts than I haven’t written about in a while, and I wanted to get a draft out that I could share with the Ducky team and make sure I had things factually correct. So I chose Method 1: structured brainstorming with AI.

Before you start: The most important step in this method was one I actually did weeks ago — and that was training Claude in my voice. I use multiple AI tools but have found that Claude (by Anthropic) is the best when it comes to writing. I have the paid version (which I hugely endorse) so I have a saved version of my voice titled Startup Storyteller. I used a long document I wrote called the Enterprise Playbook. I also used several of my personal linkedin posts because I tend to inject a little more humor or anecdotes than the Playbook has in it.

So how does one actually do that? As of this writing, open Claude, at the bottom of your input box you should see ”How Should Claude Write Responses?”- click this, scroll down, and at the bottom you’ll see “Create and Edit Styles.” Open this and you’ll be prompted to add writing samples — choose things that you’ve personally written that are great examples of your voice and tone (or your brand’s voice and tone). You can also describe your style but I’ve had more luck using examples.

Once that’s done, you can use it at any time.

Step 1: Brainstorm

Since I had already trained Claude on my voice, my first real step in the creation of my Ducky blog post was brainstorming. I got on a call with James, one of the amazing co-founders of Ducky, to talk about their launch as well as to brainstorm what I should write from the Bread and Butter front. I used to work in devtools and love devtool companies so as a team we’d already decided I would write a post from my personal perspective. I had also come up with an idea, based on something real, that James helped me flesh out — why as a former devtools marketer was I so excited about Ducky and why does it remind me of my early days as a startup marketer?

These are some of my real notes (don’t judge):

—

Don’t waste time

Is it gonna provide value

Enablement

I love things that allow smart people to focus on big problems

What does a dev tool need to have in order to market it?

Prove value as soon as possible

Does it work — does it actually do it?

Does it open up a land of possibilities

Seeing the things that people do with it

Empower the user to do anything

Enables resource-constrained developers — liberates from resource constraint

Enables testing (builds out the infrastructure)

—

By the end of our call I had about 1 ½ pages of notes, some redundant, a few notes about my early time at Particle and personal motivations and enough that I thought something cool could be created. Yeah, this still takes some time but far less than writing with writer’s block, iterating and iterating or just never writing anything when I can’t get a moment to focus; and with this sort of blog even if I wrote it from scratch I still probably would have done a brainstorming sessions with James.

Step 2: Prompt

With my brainstorm complete I opened up Claude, selected “Startup Storyteller” and put in my first prompt:

I was VP of marketing at an IOT company that started in dev tools back in 2012. I got to market to developers and I loved it. Years later I’m on the VC side and one of my portfolio companies has pivoted into dev tools (not an area we usually invest in) but it’s got me extra excited because I can imagine marketing it to developers. Can you help me write a blog post celebrating Ducky’s launch from the eyes of a dev tools marketer who is inspired to market to devs again? I’ve got a bunch of unstructured notes I can share too. Let me know if you’d like those?

I added the official new Ducky description to the top of my notes and pasted them in. Claude immediately gave me a thorough blog post.

Step 3: Editing

Of course I edited. It’s a well accepted fact that AI is not a perfect tool just yet. I spent a few minutes editing a few sentences that didn’t sound like me or just didn’t feel like they captured my opinion or experience. It took me about five minutes.

Done.

Why I think this method worked well for this specific blog post:

I had a clear idea of the storyline I wanted to tell and shared that.

My voice and tone were already stored in Claude so the outcome sounds like me

My notes were super unstructured but provided enough details and content to so that Claude wasn’t forced to make things up for me

I wasn’t trying to create an SEO-filled piece but rather an honest piece that shared my story, emphasized what makes Ducky so amazing, and provided valuable and interesting content to others.

I was pretty thrilled with the outcome of the piece and if you don’t count our brainstorming session (during which we accomplished other things and which I would have needed even if I wrote the post without AI) it probably took me all of 10–12 minutes.

Method 2: AI-Powered Refinement

While I didn’t use it on my Ducky blog post, I use Method 2: AI-Powered Refinement all the time,it’s actually how I’m writing this blog post. I don’t start with unstructured notes but rather a true first draft. This might be a first draft of a paragraph-long LinkedIn post or the first draft of a blog like this one. I tend to use Method 2 when I already have a clear draft in mind but want a smart second pair of eyes or when I’m writing something where getting the first draft out helps me organize my thoughts.

If I’m feeling so inspired, I’ll power through a full first draft, do a first read and edit myself, and then throw it into Claude. Here’s the prompt I used for this post:

Can you read this blog post and see if it flows together well, makes sense and is an interesting read? Can you highlight any errors and if you have suggestions on how to make it better please maintain as much of the original language, tone and voice as possible. It is a blog post that I will share on Medium.

This type of prompt gets me specific feedback, not just a new version, so I go through and edit the post based on Claude’s ideas and suggestions, much the same as I would do with a friend’s suggestions in google docs. In this case, Claude suggested Areas for Enhancement: 1. Structure & Flow, 2. Technical Details and 3. Content Organization. I won’t go through all the suggestions but the headers and this specific paragraph are thanks to using Method 2.

Making it Work: Tips & Takeaways

I wrote this whole blog pretty quickly but then got here, the end. Frankly I wasn’t sure how to wrap this puppy up. Let’s ask Claude — “can you help me write a last couple of paragraphs to finish up this blog? I’m not sure what to say at the end but it is a blog I hope people can use to help them use AI in a smarter way that creates great content. Please match the tone and voice of the original blog as much as possible.”

Here’s what it spit out (unedited to show actual results):

Look, here’s the thing about AI — it’s not about replacing your voice or churning out generic content. It’s about taking what makes you you and helping you get your ideas out there when time isn’t on your side or when writer’s block is kicking your butt.

Both of these methods have become my go-to moves for different situations. Sometimes I’ve got a jumble of passionate thoughts that need organizing (hello, Ducky post), and sometimes I just need to get something started and refined (like this very blog you’re reading). The key is knowing that either way, I’m still the one driving — AI is just my very smart co-pilot who happens to know how I write.

And honestly? The results have been pretty incredible. I’m creating more content, staying authentic, and not losing my mind trying to find perfect words when I’ve got a million other things on my plate. Because at the end of the day, whether you’re marketing dev tools, writing thought leadership pieces, or sharing your startup journey, what matters is getting your valuable insights out there — and if AI helps you do that better and faster, why wouldn’t you use it?

So next time you’re sitting on a great idea but can’t quite get it onto the page, remember — you’ve got options. Train your AI, share your messy thoughts, and let it help you create something awesome. Just don’t forget to bring yourself to the party — that’s where the magic really happens.