5 Different English Writing Personalities Explained (And How to Choose the Right One)

Have you ever noticed how some people write like they’re delivering a lecture to an auditorium full of graduate students, while others have a “writing voice” that sounds like they’re chatting with friends over coffee? Like your way of speaking, your writing style is a reflection of your personality and mood. Your tone, your word choice, and the way you form sentences often reflect how you really think, and this sends a message to your readers.

Below are five common English writing “personalities.” Each of these has its own strengths, plus a few pitfalls to watch out for. Do any of these personalities sound like you?

1. The Professor

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You don’t have to be an actual professor to write like one. You can be a CEO, a store manager, a stockbroker, a graphic designer, a nurse, the owner of an ice cream stand, or even a middle school student.

A Professor is someone whose writing is detailed, well-organized, and analytical. If you are a Professor, you write to inform, explain, or persuade, especially in formal or professional settings (like our dental care example above). But even your Facebook posts from your vacation in New York City might include some obscure facts about the history of Ellis Island.

Strengths:

• Your spelling, grammar, and vocabulary are impeccable (and if they’re not, you turn to a service like TextRanch to make sure everything is perfect).
• There isn’t a lot of “fluff”. Every sentence has a purpose, making your writing easy to follow.

Watch out for:

• Overly complex sentences
• Too much use of the passive voice
• Sounding too stiff or pedantic in casual contexts
• Too much field-specific jargon, especially when communicating with people outside your specific field

Try this:

• Break up long sentences into two, or even three.
• Remember who your audience is and how much previous knowledge they have (or don’t have) about what you are explaining to them.
• Use the active voice, if possible.
• Use plain English whenever jargon is not necessary.

2. The Storyteller

Keep your ears tuned to the noises coming from the Lab C freezer. If it’s purring like a kitten, it’s fine. But if it starts sounding like the Daytona 500, call me immediately (even if it’s 3AM) and move the samples upstairs to Dr. Peterson’s freezer. Be sure they are sealed inside biohazard bags and placed on a separate shelf. Any cross-contamination with Dr. Peterson’s specimens could result in a zombie apocalypse.

Are you creative and expressive, with a wild imagination? Then you might be a Storyteller!

From the beginning of civilization—before written language even existed—humans have been sharing stories, songs, myths, fables, folk tales, fairy tales, legends, parables, and more.

A Storyteller loves bringing language to life. Even when you’re writing business emails or academic essays, you often include imagery, anecdotes, vivid descriptions, metaphors—and perhaps a warning about a possible zombie apocalypse.

Strengths:

• Your readers are more likely to remember what you have written.
• You can form a strong connection with your audience.
• It can be fun to add a creative touch to a routine piece of writing.

Watch out for:

• Contexts where storytelling is inappropriate
• Going off on tangents instead of getting to the point
• Rambling, disorganized writing

Try this:

• Use clear transitions and signposts to guide your reader.
• Be sure that your underlying purpose doesn’t get lost in your narrative.
• Make an outline to help you organize your thoughts.

 

3. The Salesperson

This conference is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for you to network with green technology professionals from Japan, South Korea, and Singapore. You will learn about the latest developments in a relaxing resort environment. You definitely don’t want to miss this experience!

Just as a Professor doesn’t have to actually be a professor, a Salesperson doesn’t necessarily have to work in sales. If Salesperson is your writing personality, it means your emails, reports, social media posts, and other writing often include calls to action, attention-grabbing phrases, or emotional appeals.

Strengths:

• Your writing style is perfect for sales pitches, ad copy, and “clickbait” articles.
• You write with a clear sense of purpose.
• Your positive energy can be contagious.

Watch out for:

• Too much hype or exaggeration
• Buzzwords like “amazing” and “fantastic” that lose their impact when they are overused

Try this:

• Balance your enthusiasm with honesty.
• Add facts and specific, real-world examples to build trust with your readers.
• Know when you need to tone it down a little.

4. The Straight-Shooter

The sales figures for the second quarter are below expectations due to tariffs, concerns about inflation, and supply chain issues.

Direct. Clear. To-the-point. No nonsense.

Being a Straight-Shooter means you say (and write) exactly what you mean—nothing more, nothing less. You prefer short sentences, simple words, and clear directions. If there’s bad news, you deliver the blow without dancing around the subject. If there’s good news, you don’t get too caught up in the excitement. You just tell it like it is.

Strengths:

• Your meaning is clear.
• Readers with short attention spans are more likely to read the whole piece.
• This style works great for business writing.

Watch out for:

• Coming off as cold, blunt, or even rude
• Sounding like a drill sergeant when you’re giving instructions
• Lack of nuance or tone

Try this:

• Soften your message with polite phrases like “Just checking in” or “Would you mind…”
• Show some emotion when you are delivering bad news or discussing sensitive topics.

5. The Collaborator

Hey! I just wanted to follow up and see how things are going with the new ad campaign. There’s no rush. We don’t meet with the guys from ABC Firm until the end of June. But I still thought I should check in and make sure your team needs anything from my end. Let me know if I can help in any way.

If you’re a Collaborator, you write the same way you talk. Whether you’re writing to your team members at work or an audience of thousands, you always try to understand how they feel and ask what you can do to help.

Strengths:

• Your writing sounds natural and friendly.
• It’s easy for you to emotionally connect with your readers.
• This style is ideal for customer support, blog posts, “business casual” emails, and social media.

Watch out for:

• Overuse of fillers (like “just,” “really,” or “actually”)
• Typos, spelling errors, and other sloppy mistakes
• Sounding too casual for formal situations

Try this:

• Keep your natural tone, but make sure your spelling, grammar, etc. are correct.
• If formal writing is necessary, find ways to “put on a suit and tie” while retaining your friendly, empathetic personality.

Bonus Personality: The Chameleon

A Chameleon is someone who knows how and when to “change colors” and adapt their writing to fit a variety of situations. It takes practice, especially if English is not your native language or if you need to adopt a writing style that doesn’t come naturally to you.

The key is being aware of your natural style, understanding how others might perceive your writing, and learning how to make adjustments to a text when needed.

Want help fine-tuning your style for different situations? Our team of TextRanch editors can review your text and make changes to fit specific contexts.

Whether you’re a Professor, a Storyteller, a Salesperson, a Straight-Shooter, a Collaborator, or a Chameleon, we’ve got your back.