# How to set writer personas and style with Creative Director

> Use Creative Director in Swashi to rewrite a YouTube or news link, choose a writer persona like The Professor or The Storyteller, and add a system prompt.

Source: https://swashi.io/docs/content/writer-personas-and-style
Section: Website Content
Last updated: 2026-10-10

Creative Director is the part of **Website Content** where you shape how Swashi writes for you. You can paste a YouTube or news link for Swashi to rewrite into an original article, choose one of four writer personas, and add a system prompt with your own instructions. Click **Save All Changes** and your settings apply to every article from then on.

This guide is for anyone who wants their automated articles to sound a particular way: newsy and quick, deep and authoritative, or warm and story-led. It follows Part 2 of the EP4 video tutorial, "How to Automate Website Content for SEO, AEO, GEO on Swashi."

## Before you start

- **Plan:** Creative Director Mode is included from the Growth plan up. See [plans and billing](https://swashi.io/docs/account/plans-and-billing) for details.
- **Set up content first.** Creative Director shapes the articles you plan in [Website Content](https://swashi.io/docs/content/website-content). Connect a site and add a topic before you fine-tune the style.
- **Teach your Business Brain.** Your [Business Brain](https://swashi.io/docs/getting-started/business-brain) gives the writer your brand voice and facts. The persona and prompt then decide the style.

## Open Creative Director

1. Click **Website Content** in the sidebar.
2. Scroll past the queue and optimization switches to the **Creative Director** panel. Its subtitle is "Shape the soul of your content."

The panel has three parts: **Source Material (Optional)**, **Writer Persona** and **System Prompt**.

![Creative Director panel highlighted with Source Material, four Writer Persona cards and the System Prompt box](https://swashi.io/docs/img/ep4-optimize-director.webp "Creative Director: source, persona and system prompt in one panel.")

## Start from a source (optional)

Do you have a video or a news story you want to write about? Use it as the starting point.

1. Paste the link into the box labeled **Paste YouTube or News URL to rewrite...**

   ![Source Material field highlighted with the placeholder Paste YouTube or News URL to rewrite](https://swashi.io/docs/img/ep4-optimize-source.webp "Paste a YouTube or news link to rewrite.")

2. Go to the top of the page and type your **TOPIC / KEYWORD**, as the hint in the panel says.
3. Add the topic to your queue as usual.

Swashi rewrites the source into an original article built around your keyword. It does not copy the source.

> **Tip:** Source links work well for reacting to news in your industry. For a ready-made feed of current stories, see [Trending Articles and Autodraft](https://swashi.io/docs/social/trending-and-autodraft).

## Choose a writer persona

Pick the style that fits your audience. The persona applies to every article until you change it.

![Writer Persona options highlighted: The Generalist selected, plus The Trend Hunter, The Professor and The Storyteller](https://swashi.io/docs/img/ep4-optimize-persona.webp "Choose one of the four writer personas.")

| Persona | Style | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| **The Generalist** | Balanced, clear, standard tone | Most business blogs |
| **The Trend Hunter** | Punchy, viral, short sentences | News and timely topics |
| **The Professor** | Deep, citation-heavy, authoritative | Education and in-depth guides |
| **The Storyteller** | Narrative-driven, emotional hooks | Engagement and brand stories |

> **Note:** A persona sets the *style* of the writing. Your Business Brain still supplies the *substance*: your products, offers, tone and facts, on every site where Business Brain is switched on.

## Add your own instructions (System Prompt)

The **System Prompt** box lets you tell the writer exactly what to focus on, in your own words. The app suggests an example: "You are a skeptical tech reviewer. Be critical of pricing and focus on specs..."

![System Prompt label highlighted above the instructions box with an example about a skeptical tech reviewer](https://swashi.io/docs/img/ep4-optimize-prompt.webp "Add your own instructions in the System Prompt box.")

Good instructions are short and specific. For example:

- Who the reader is ("owners of small dental practices").
- What to emphasize ("practical steps, not theory").
- What to avoid ("no jargon; never mention competitors by name").
- The call to action you want ("invite readers to book a consultation").

> **Note:** Custom system prompts are part of Creative Director Mode. On a plan without it, the box reads "Upgrade to Pro to unlock custom system prompts..." and an **Unlock Director Mode** button appears.

## Save your settings

Click **Save All Changes**. Your source, persona and instructions now apply to every article Swashi writes from then on. Articles already published are not rewritten.

![Save All Changes button highlighted below the Creative Director panel](https://swashi.io/docs/img/ep4-optimize-save.webp "Save All Changes applies your settings to every article.")

## Prompt Personas and your plan

The **Plan & Usage** panel on the Website Content page shows **Prompt Personas**, the number of custom writing profiles your plan allows.

| Plan | Prompt Personas |
|---|---|
| Free | 1 |
| Starter | 3 |
| Growth | 25 |
| Agency | Unlimited |
| Enterprise | Unlimited |

## Troubleshooting

- **My articles don't sound different:** check that you clicked **Save All Changes** after choosing a persona or editing the prompt.
- **Articles mention the wrong business:** on a website that belongs to another company, switch **Uses your Business Brain** off in **Website Settings**. See [connect your website](https://swashi.io/docs/content/connect-your-website).
- **The System Prompt box is locked:** custom system prompts need Creative Director Mode, included from Growth.

## Next steps

- [Plan and queue your articles](https://swashi.io/docs/content/website-content).
- [Teach your Business Brain your brand voice](https://swashi.io/docs/getting-started/business-brain).
- Explore [content automation](https://swashi.io/automations/content-automation) on the Swashi website.

## Frequently asked questions

**What is Creative Director in Swashi?**

Creative Director is the panel on the Website Content page where you shape the voice of your articles. You can start from a source link, choose a writer persona and give the writer your own instructions.

**Can Swashi turn a YouTube video or news story into an article?**

Yes. Paste the YouTube or news URL into Source Material and Swashi rewrites it into an original article around the topic you enter.

**Which writer persona should I choose?**

The Generalist suits most sites, The Trend Hunter suits news, The Professor suits education and in-depth guides, and The Storyteller suits content built for engagement.

**Which plans include Creative Director Mode and custom system prompts?**

Creative Director Mode is included from the Growth plan up. On lower plans the System Prompt box shows an upgrade message.

**How does the persona work with my Business Brain?**

The persona sets the writing style. Your Business Brain supplies your brand voice, products and facts on sites where it is switched on, so both shape every article.