--- title: "DNA Document Examples" description: "Annotated examples showing what good Voice DNA Documents look like at different development levels." type: skill canonical_url: https://claudary.paisolsolutions.com/skills/dna-document-examples source: "Claudary" difficulty: intermediate author: "Claude Code Knowledge Pack" date: 2026-07-10T11:19:57.519Z license: CC-BY-4.0 attribution: "DNA Document Examples — Claudary (https://claudary.paisolsolutions.com/skills/dna-document-examples)" --- # DNA Document Examples Annotated examples showing what good Voice DNA Documents look like at different development levels. ## Overview # DNA Document Examples Annotated examples showing what good Voice DNA Documents look like at different development levels. --- ## What Makes a Good DNA Document Before the examples, here's what to aim for: ### Specificity Over Generality **Bad:** "Uses conversational tone" **Good:** "Direct address of reader ('you') at least once per paragraph. Never uses 'one' as formal substitute. Questions directed at reader for engagement, not rhetoric." ### Examples Over Descriptions **Bad:** "Favors short sentences" **Good:** "Short sentences (8-15 words typical), often ending paragraphs with punchy 4-7 word statements. Example: 'That changes everything.' 'Here's the thing.' 'It doesn't work.'" ### Anti-Patterns Are Essential A profile without anti-patterns is only half complete. What they DON'T do is as distinctive as what they do. ### Ghost Writer Briefing Is Actionable The briefing should be specific enough that the ghost writer can follow it without having read the full profile. --- ## Example 1: Minimum Viable Profile (Blog Writer) _This represents the minimum acceptable profile for basic ghost writing. Good enough to produce recognizable output, but would benefit from deeper development._ --- ### Voice DNA: Alex Chen **Mode:** Blog / Newsletter **Version:** 1 | Created: 2024-01-15 | Last Updated: 2024-01-15 --- #### Quick Reference **Core Temperature:** Warm but direct—friendly authority **Sentence Signature:** Short punchy sentences. Rarely more than 15 words. Paragraphs often end with 4-7 word statements. **Distinctive Moves:** - Opens sections with one-word or two-word sentences - Uses "Look," to begin paragraphs when getting serious - Ends paragraphs with concrete statements, not abstractions **Never Does:** - Long sentences with multiple clauses - Formal transitions ("Moreover," "Furthermore") - Hedging phrases ("It might be argued that...") --- #### Voice Profile **Sentence Level** _Status: Developed_ Short and direct. Average sentence length is 10-12 words. Rarely exceeds 20 words. Often uses sentence fragments for emphasis ("Wrong." "Exactly." "Here's why."). Patterns: - Punchy closers at paragraph ends - One-word sentences for emphasis - Avoids compound sentences with multiple "and" conjunctions **Punctuation Personality** _Status: Emerging_ Uses em-dashes sparingly—for single dramatic pivots, not pairs. No semicolons. Light on commas. **Word Choice & Vocabulary** _Status: Developed_ Anglo-Saxon preference: "start" not "commence," "help" not "facilitate," "end" not "terminate." Favorite words: "actually," "look," "here's the thing" Avoided words: "utilize," "leverage," "impactful," "learnings" Contractions: Always. Never "do not" when "don't" works. **Tone & Attitude** _Status: Developed_ Confident and direct. States opinions without "I think" qualifiers. Doesn't hedge. Warmth comes through in direct address and occasional self-deprecation, not through emotional language. **Reader Relationship** _Status: Emerging_ Heavy "you" usage. Speaks directly to reader. Assumes reader is smart but not expert. Never talks down. --- #### Anti-Patterns | Pattern to Avoid | Why It's Wrong for Them | | ------------------------------- | ------------------------------ | | Long complex sentences | They never write past 20 words | | "However," "Moreover" | Too formal—always uses "But" | | Hedging ("perhaps," "arguably") | They assert directly | | Passive voice | Active voice only | **AI Patterns to Suppress:** - [x] "It's important to note" - [x] "In conclusion" - [x] Significance puffery - [x] "Delve into" - [x] Rule of three constructions --- #### Ghost Writer Briefing **Voice Essence:** Direct, punchy, and warm. Like a smart friend explaining something over coffee—no BS, no jargon, just clear thinking. Gets to the point fast. **Do This:** - Keep sentences under 15 words - End paragraphs with punchy 4-7 word statements - Use "you" frequently—talk TO the reader - Use contractions always - State opinions directly without hedging **Don't Do This:** - No sentences over 20 words - No "However," "Moreover," "Furthermore" - No "I think" before opinions - No passive voice - No "utilize," "leverage," "facilitate" **When Uncertain:** - Shorter is better - When in doubt, cut the adjective - If a sentence feels too long, split it --- #### Profile Metadata **Readiness Level:** Minimum Viable **Sample Base:** - 3 newsletter posts (~2500 words total) **Dimensions Needing Depth:** - Opening/closing moves - Humor approach - Signature elements --- _Annotation: This profile captures the essentials—sentence patterns, tone, anti-patterns. A ghost writer could produce recognizable output. But it's thin on signature elements, examples, and deeper dimensions. Good for a starting point; should be developed further._ --- ## Example 2: Solid Profile (Non-Fiction Writer) _This represents a well-developed profile suitable for quality first drafts. The ghost writer has enough to work with for consistent, accurate output._ --- ### Voice DNA: Jordan Rivera **Mode:** Essay / Long-form Non-Fiction **Version:** 3 | Created: 2023-09-10 | Last Updated: 2024-02-20 --- #### Quick Reference **Core Temperature:** Cool and measured—intellectually rigorous but not cold. Warmth emerges through precise observation, not emotional language. **Sentence Signature:** Medium sentences (15-25 words) with occasional long complex sentences (30-40 words) for building arguments. Short sentences reserved for emphasis after complex points. **Distinctive Moves:** - Builds arguments through negation: "It's not X. It's not Y. It's Z." - Uses parenthetical asides for secondary observations (often ironic) - Ends sections with questions that open new territory - Opens with concrete scenes or observations, never abstractions **Never Does:** - Starts with "In today's world" or similar throat-clearing - Uses exclamation points (except in quoted dialogue) - Writes in second person (almost never addresses reader as "you") - Summarizes with "In conclusion" or "To sum up" --- #### Voice Profile **Sentence Level** _Status: Strong_ Complex sentence architecture. Comfortable with dependent clauses, embedded qualifications, and parenthetical insertions. Sentences often have multiple parts but remain clear through careful punctuation and parallel structure. Average: 20-22 words. Range: 6-45. Characteristic pattern: Complex sentence (25-35 words) → Short punch (5-10 words) → Medium elaboration (15-20 words). Example: > "The assumption that technology inevitably improves our lives—an assumption so > pervasive we rarely pause to examine it—collapses under even minimal scrutiny. > The evidence is everywhere. We simply choose not to see it." **Punctuation Personality** _Status: Strong_ - Em-dashes: Moderate use, always for parenthetical insertions (pairs), rarely single - Semicolons: Regular use for connecting related independent clauses - Colons: For emphasis before key statements - Parentheses: Frequent, for ironic asides or qualifications - Exclamation points: Never (would feel like shouting) **Paragraph & Structure** _Status: Developed_ Longer paragraphs (5-8 sentences typical). Topic sentence usually first but sometimes delayed for effect. Paragraphs end with implications or questions, not summaries. Transitions through concept-bridging rather than explicit markers. Never uses "However" or "Moreover"—instead, repeats a key word from previous paragraph or uses "But" or "And" to open. **Word Choice & Vocabulary** _Status: Strong_ Precise, somewhat elevated vocabulary. Comfortable with Latinate words when they're more precise ("epistemic" not "knowledge-related"). Avoids jargon but uses technical terms when appropriate, usually with subtle definition. Favorite words/phrases: "precisely," "namely," "the trouble is," "what we miss," "consider" Avoided: "impactful," "journey," "space" (as in "the wellness space"), "navigate" Contractions: Selective. Uses them in casual moments to shift register. Formal arguments typically avoid them. **Tone & Attitude** _Status: Strong_ **Confidence:** High but not arrogant. States positions firmly but acknowledges limits of knowledge. Never hedges with "perhaps" or "arguably"—if uncertain, says so directly: "I don't know." **Formality:** Elevated but accessible. Would not use slang but occasionally uses colloquialisms for contrast. Never stuffy. **Authority stance:** Expert with humility. Teaches but doesn't lecture. Admits being wrong in the past. Positions self as someone who has thought carefully, not someone with final answers. **Opening & Closing Moves** _Status: Developed_ **Openings:** Always concrete—a scene, observation, or example. Never opens with abstraction, thesis statement, or "In today's world." Thesis emerges from opening scene/example. Example opening: > "Last Tuesday, I watched a man cross three lanes of traffic while staring at > his phone. He didn't die. I kept watching him until he disappeared around a > corner, still looking down." **Closings:** Questions that open rather than summarize. Or concrete images that embody the argument. Never "In conclusion." Never restates thesis. Example closing: > "What would it mean to take that seriously? I'm not sure anyone knows. But I'm > increasingly certain we'll have to find out." **Signature Elements** _Status: Developed_ - **Negation builds:** "It's not X. It's not Y either. It's something else entirely." - **Parenthetical irony:** "(though calling it a 'solution' requires a certain optimism I can no longer muster)" - **Late pivot:** Spends 80% of piece on one direction, then pivots to complicate in final 20% - **Questions that expand:** Ends with questions that make the problem bigger, not smaller --- #### Exemplar Passages > "We tend to imagine attention as a resource we spend—as if each of us wakes > with a fixed amount, depleting it through the day like fuel in a tank. This > metaphor is comforting but wrong. Attention isn't a quantity; it's a > relationship. And like all relationships, it can be damaged in ways that defy > simple accounting." > > — _Demonstrates: Thesis through negation, medium-long sentences, metaphor > examined and discarded, colon before key statement_ > "The trouble is not that we lack information—we are drowning in it—but that we > have forgotten how to want less of it. (Or perhaps we never knew, and the > scarcity that preceded abundance protected us from discovering our own > appetites.)" > > — _Demonstrates: Parenthetical aside with ironic qualification, em-dash pairs, > complex sentence with embedded clauses_ --- #### Anti-Patterns | Pattern to Avoid | Why It's Wrong for Them | | ----------------------------- | --------------------------------------------- | | "In today's fast-paced world" | Never opens with abstraction; always concrete | | Exclamation points | Would feel like shouting; voice is measured | | "You should..." | Rarely addresses reader directly | | Bullet-point lists | Always prose, even for complex ideas | | "In conclusion" | Never summarizes; ends with opening questions | | "Journey" (metaphorical) | Avoided cliché | **AI Patterns to Suppress:** - [x] Significance puffery - [x] "It's important to note" - [x] "Despite challenges..." formula - [x] "Rich tapestry" - [x] Rule of three (unless deliberate) - [x] False ranges ("from X to Y" without real scale) --- #### Ghost Writer Briefing **Voice Essence:** A precise, measured intellectual voice. Cool but not cold. Builds arguments carefully through observation, complication, and occasional pivot. Thinks on the page without rushing to conclusions. Takes ideas seriously but not himself. **Do This:** - Open with concrete scenes or observations - Build arguments through "It's not X, it's Y" structures - Use parenthetical asides for ironic qualifications - End sections with questions that expand, not close - Vary sentence length: complex (25-35) → short punch (6-10) → medium (15-20) - Use semicolons to connect related thoughts - Use colons before important statements **Don't Do This:** - Never open with abstractions or "In today's world" - Never use exclamation points - Avoid "you" and second person - Never use "In conclusion" or summarize at the end - No bullet points—always prose - Avoid "journey," "space," "impactful" - Don't rush to conclusions; complicate instead **When Uncertain:** - Prefer the more precise word even if longer - When making a point, first show what it's NOT - End with questions rather than statements - Complicate rather than simplify - Trust the reader to follow complexity **Structural Guidance:** - Paragraphs: 5-8 sentences, end with implications - Transitions: Through repeated concepts, not "However" - Overall: Open concrete → Build argument → Pivot/complicate → End with question --- #### Profile Metadata **Readiness Level:** Solid **Confidence Assessment:** | Dimension | Confidence | | --------------------- | ----------- | | Sentence Level | High | | Punctuation | High | | Word Choice | High | | Tone | High | | Structure | Medium-High | | Signature Elements | Medium | | Anti-Patterns | High | | Ghost Writer Briefing | High | **Sample Base:** - 5 published essays (15,000 words total) - 2 draft pieces (4,000 words) - Interview confirmation completed **Dimensions Needing Depth:** - Humor (present but not fully mapped) - How voice shifts by topic (politics vs. culture vs. tech) --- #### Session History | Date | Version | Focus | Key Updates | | ---------- | ------- | ----------------- | -------------------------------------------- | | 2023-09-10 | 1 | Initial discovery | Core patterns from 3 essays | | 2023-11-05 | 2 | Deep dive | Sentence architecture, signature elements | | 2024-02-20 | 3 | Refinement | Anti-patterns expanded, ghost writer testing | --- _Annotation: This profile has depth across most dimensions. Sentence patterns are precisely captured with examples. Signature elements identified. Anti-patterns thorough. Ghost Writer Briefing is actionable. A ghost writer could produce accurate first drafts. Remaining gaps (humor, topic variation) could be developed in future sessions._ --- ## Example 3: Strong Profile (Fiction Writer) _This represents a fully developed profile with high confidence across dimensions. Register-specific elements captured. Ready for high-accuracy ghost writing._ --- ### Voice DNA: Casey Morgan **Mode:** Fiction (Literary Short Stories) **Version:** 5 | Creat --- Source: [Claudary](https://claudary.paisolsolutions.com/skills/dna-document-examples) · https://claudary.paisolsolutions.com