How I turn one video into a Threads post in my own voice.

Step 1: How do I get a transcript of my video?

A transcript is just the written version of what you said. You can copy your auto-captions or use any transcription tool. I run a free, open-source speech-to-text model on my laptop, and a 2-minute video takes about 10 seconds.

It won’t be perfect, and that’s fine. This is the raw transcript from the start of my Jakarta video, typos and all:

“So I'm in Jakarta right now staying at probably one of the most beautiful hotels I've ever stayed at in my life. I flew into Indonesia yesterday. Not only that, the service I've gotten since I've touched down in this country is probably the best of ever gotten as a black traveler in my life. And I don't know how else to explain it, but you know sometimes when people look at you, they just look at you, but sometimes when people look at you, they see you.”

Raw auto-transcript. Nothing cleaned up.

Step 2: How do I get Claude to sound like me?

The biggest lesson I learned: a post can be accurate and still sound nothing like you. I kept correcting generic language, opinions that came out stronger than I said them, and phrases I’d never use. So the voice guide comes first. Paste in 5 to 10 transcripts of you talking naturally.

Below are 5 to 10 transcripts of me talking naturally. Study how I open, tell stories, joke, explain things, and share opinions. Create a short voice guide with phrases I actually use and phrases I should avoid. Only include patterns supported by the transcripts. Don't invent personality traits.

TRANSCRIPTS:
[paste]

Save what Claude gives you. You’ll paste it into the next prompt every time.

Step 3: How do I turn the transcript into a post?

Ask for three versions with different angles, not one. Then pick the one that sounds most like you, even if it isn’t the most polished.

Using my voice guide and transcript, draft 3 versions of a post for [Threads or Substack]:
A. A direct opinion or observation
B. A question that could start a real conversation
C. A personal story

Use one clear idea per post. Open with the point. For Threads, keep each post under 500 characters. For Substack, add a little more context without padding. Never invent experiences, facts, numbers, or opinions. Don't make my views stronger than I said them or add slang I didn't use. No hashtags or em dashes. Avoid: "Here's the thing," "Let that sink in," "Read that again," "Nobody talks about this," "and somehow," and "somewhere between."

Score each version on sounding like me, opening strength, accuracy to the transcript, and conversation potential. Prioritize sounding like me. Recommend one and explain why.

VOICE GUIDE:
[paste]

TRANSCRIPT:
[paste]

For Threads, I go one step further and break a story into a connected thread of short entries, one moment per entry. If a video can’t carry a few real entries, I skip it instead of stretching it.

What did the Jakarta video actually turn into?

Here’s what I said in the video next to what went out on Threads. The wording is tighter, but every idea comes from the transcript.

These are the first four entries of the thread as they went live:

1. 1 / 5

   I landed in Indonesia yesterday, and the service I've gotten might be the best I've ever experienced as a Black traveler.

   I'm in Jakarta at one of the most beautiful hotels I've stayed at.

   And I don't know how to explain this, but:

   Sometimes people look at you.

   Sometimes they SEE you.

2. 2 / 5

   Every Indonesian person I've talked to has felt genuinely curious about who I am.

   I almost feel at home.

   That's the first time I've been able to say that while traveling.

3. 3 / 5

   At the airport, there were people helping passengers find their way.

   The traveler in me was immediately like:

   No. Get away from me. I just landed.

   Then I realized they were genuinely being nice.

   Like having people specifically there to help you find your Uber pickup.

   My driver treated me with the utmost respect, too.

4. 4 / 5

   I did have my best friend email the hotel saying she was my assistant and this was my birthday trip.

   So I don't know how much that helped.

   But I'm at a cabana, scanning a code and texting my order.

   First response:

   “Good morning, Mr. Zach.”

   It feels like everybody in this building knows my name.

See the full thread on Threads →

Step 4: What should I check before I post?

This is the step people skip, and it’s the one that protects your name. Before anything goes live, I check:

• Every line traces back to something I actually said in that video.
• Names and places are spelled right. Transcripts get them wrong all the time.
• My opinions are as strong as I said them, and no stronger.
• It sounds like me talking, not like a press release.

I learned this the hard way. My transcript of a Chicago video heard “Hyde Park” as “High Park,” and it went out that way. A 10-second read against the transcript would have caught it.

Questions people ask