- I'm a professional writer, but I still struggle with sending emails sometimes.
- I've started using a free AI app that helps me tweak the tone of my emails.
I'm a professional journalist. But no matter how many writing courses or public speaking workshops I've taken, I always run into the same problem: I clam up when I have to go off-script.
I'm great at churning out certain emails when I'm able to follow the same concise format.
But if I have to deliver bad news or push back in the slightest? I chronically reread those sentences back to myself, simultaneously trying to sound direct and empowered but also empathic and casual. I end up overthinking my words and pruning my punctuation for twice as long as I should.
A while back, I stumbled upon goblin.tools, a free AI-powered app designed to help neurodivergent people with different tasks like breaking down daunting projects or correctly interpreting the tone of an email.
Playing around on the app, I tried out the "Formalizer," which takes your text and tweaks the message to sound however you want it to.
You can be more professional, sociable, sarcastic, polite, or passionate. Or, if you tend to over-explain like I do, it can help you get to the point and cut out unnecessary filler.
I forgot about it for a few weeks, until I actually felt stumped on a professional email. I quickly typed in what I wanted to say, tried out a few settings, and felt happier with the final product.
Since then, I've used it on several occasions, both in my professional and personal life. While it's AI-generated, it ironically makes me sound less stiff.
I use it to sound more personable in professional emails
Sometimes, I don't know what tone I want to go for, especially if I'm reaching out to someone for the very first time.
Recently, I've been eyeing a professional opportunity I really want to go to. The 2024 dates hadn't been set yet, but I've wanted to get a head start on planning my year so I don't accidentally plan a vacation at that time.
I didn't want to bother the organizers, but I also didn't want to let the fear of pestering them stop me from asking if they've set the time of the event. I could feel my self-consciousness in my writing, which sounded awkward and clunky when I read it back.
While I didn't keep the entire suggested email ("awesome organization" isn't really my voice), one of my biggest takeaways was to be more open about why I cared about going. Adding "really eager" or "super excited" helped bring out my genuine interest in the event, so I kept those suggestions.
It also helps me figure out which tone fits different situations
Sometimes, I don't know which tone I want to strike. If I have to deliver disappointing news, do I want to sound more professional or more passionate?
Based on the setting I pick, the tool translates "I know this is disappointing to hear" into:
"I understand that this news may be disheartening" (professional)
"I'm really sorry to share this news" (sociable)
"I can't even begin to express the deep disappointment that fills my heart as I deliver these words" (passionate)
"I'm sorry you're disappointed" (to the point)
Reading all those options back, I can figure out which one best conveys what I feel (definitely not the last two!).
It gives me confidence and saves me time
While I usually end up tweaking the final result, using this tool gives me the confidence that my message comes across how I want it to, whether it's more laid-back or unabashedly direct.
With the advancement of AI technology, many people (myself included!) have concerns about how it will change how we communicate.
But this tool might be one of the good ones. Without it, I'd probably bug my editor, partner, or friends more often, asking them for quick feedback on what to fix. While I appreciate everyone's input, it always leaves me feeling a little disempowered (and extremely annoying).
Instead, using this AI tool lets me quickly try on different phrases as much as I want — until I end up with something that sounds just like me.