How to Write Effective Prompts

Recommended format

Structure your prompt for consistent results:

<Gender>, <Age range>. <Quality/energy description>.
<1–2 sentences about timbre, pacing, delivery>

Example:

Female, mid-thirties. Warm and full, slightly husky. Moderate pace, sounds like someone who smiles while talking.

Dimensions to describe

Age

Descriptor	What it produces
”young adult”, “in their 20s”	Lighter, more energetic
”mid-thirties”, “early forties”	Balanced, mature
”elderly”, “in his 80s”	Deeper, weathered texture

Tone / Timbre

Deep / low-pitched — gravitas, authority
Smooth / rich — polished, professional
Gravelly / raspy — character, authenticity
Airy / breathy — intimate, soft
Warm / mellow — approachable, friendly

Gender

Male, female, or describe the sound directly: “a lower-pitched, husky female voice” or “a neutral, mid-pitched androgynous voice.”

Pacing

Measured / deliberate — careful, authoritative
Rapid-fire / quick — energetic, urgent
Relaxed / conversational — natural, approachable
Rhythmic — storytelling, narration

Emotion / Energy

Calm / serene — support, meditation
Enthusiastic / upbeat — marketing, announcements
Authoritative / matter-of-fact — IVR, instructions
Warm / empathetic — customer service, healthcare

Accent / Regional

Describe the regional quality you want. Be specific:

“Slight British accent” rather than “British”
“Neutral American” rather than just “American”
“Soft Southern drawl” rather than “Southern”

Use case context

Adding context helps the model understand intent:

“Customer service agent for a bank”
“Podcast narrator for true crime”
“Bedtime story reader for children”

Example prompts

Use Case	Prompt	Recommended Engine
Customer service	Female, mid-thirties. Warm and full, slightly husky. Moderate pace, sounds like someone who smiles while talking.	Minimax
IVR system	Male, late thirties. Clean and dry, matter-of-fact. Deliberate pace, pauses before numbers and details.	Telnyx
Voice agent	Female, late twenties. Clear and professional, slightly upbeat. Natural conversational pace with a helpful tone.
Podcast narrator	Male, early forties. Deep and smooth, with a rich baritone. Measured pacing, storytelling cadence.	Minimax
Empathetic support	Male, mid-thirties. Warm, slightly gravelly. Measured and unhurried. You can hear patience in the breathing rhythm.	Telnyx
Notification/alert	Female, mid-twenties. Bright and crisp. Quick pace, clear enunciation. No emotion — just information.	Minimax
Meditation guide	Female, mid-forties. Soft, airy, and serene. Extremely slow and deliberate pace. Soothing and deeply relaxing delivery.	Minimax
Energetic promo	Male, early twenties. Bright and enthusiastic, high energy. Rapid-fire pacing, sounds highly engaged and convincing.	Minimax
Audiobook (Fiction)	Male, in his 60s. Deep, weathered texture. Relaxed, storytelling cadence with a warm, nostalgic feel.	Telnyx

Common pitfalls

Too vague — “nice voice” or “good voice” produces generic output. Be specific about at least 3 dimensions.
Contradictory traits — “whisper” + “booming” confuses the model. Pick a coherent set of characteristics.
Provider differences — the same prompt may produce noticeably different results on Telnyx vs Minimax. Try both.
Ignoring the preview text — the text you provide for synthesis should match the voice’s intended use. Don’t use a cheerful script for a somber voice.

The Enhance button

The portal’s Enhance button uses AI to expand a short description into a detailed prompt.

Before (Short description)	After (Enhanced prompt)
Empathetic tech support agent	Empathetic tech support agent Gender and age: Female, late 20s to early 30s. Where the voice sits: Head and chest, with a balanced resonance. Texture: Silky smooth with a faint warmth, slightly airy. Pace: Moderate, with deliberate pauses for clarity and reassurance. Distinctive quality: A gentle, patient lilt that conveys calm and understanding.
Persuasive outbound sales caller	Persuasive outbound sales caller Gender and age: Female, 28-34. Where the voice sits: Throat with chest undertones. Texture: Smooth and polished, like warm honey over gravel. Pace: Brisk and rhythmic, with confident pauses for emphasis. Distinctive quality: A bright, engaging lilt that conveys enthusiasm without sounding forced.
Professional medical clinic receptionist	Professional medical clinic receptionist Gender and age: Female, 28-34. Where the voice sits: Chest and throat, grounded and clear. Texture: Smooth, slightly warm, with a subtle firmness like pressed cotton. Pace: Measured and steady, with deliberate pauses for clarity. Distinctive quality: A calm, reassuring tone, as if accustomed to offering comfort in stressful moments.
Patient language tutor	Patient language tutor Gender and age: Female, late 20s to early 30s. Where the voice sits: Head and chest, balanced resonance. Texture: Smooth, warm, and gently textured like soft velvet. Pace: Measured and deliberate, with thoughtful pauses and clear enunciation. Distinctive quality: A calm, encouraging lilt that feels reassuring and attentive.

This is a good starting point, but review the expanded prompt before generating — you may want to tweak specific dimensions.

Design a Voice

Clone from Audio

Using Custom Voices

For AI Agents

How to Write Effective Prompts

Recommended format

Dimensions to describe

Age

Tone / Timbre

Gender

Pacing

Emotion / Energy

Accent / Regional

Use case context

Example prompts

Common pitfalls

The Enhance button

​Recommended format

​Dimensions to describe

​Age

​Tone / Timbre

​Gender

​Pacing

​Emotion / Energy

​Accent / Regional

​Use case context

​Example prompts

​Common pitfalls

​The Enhance button

Recommended format

Dimensions to describe

Age

Tone / Timbre

Gender

Pacing

Emotion / Energy

Accent / Regional

Use case context

Example prompts

Common pitfalls

The Enhance button