Warmth and Humanity
Words that let a biography sound human without slipping into sentimentality.
When to use this bank
Use these in the second half of any biography that has otherwise been credential-heavy. A single human sentence at the end of a fact-dense bio is often the difference between a CV and a portrait.
When not to use it
Avoid these in the first sentence of a credential-heavy bio, where they will undercut authority. Avoid stacking — one human sentence per bio.
The vocabulary
Organized into 5 groups. Each group has its own guidance.
Verbs of personal life
18 wordsVerbs that signal what the person does outside of work.
Honest detail
10 wordsConcrete details that humanize without performing humility.
Current-curiosity phrases
10 wordsPhrases that show what the subject is currently interested in.
Generosity phrases
8 wordsPhrases that signal availability to others without performing.
Avoid
7 wordsPhrases that signal performative warmth.
Where these words pair well
Use one 'Verbs of personal life' + one 'Honest detail' in the second-to-last sentence. Use a 'Generosity phrase' as the close.
Before and after
What this bank looks like applied to a single sentence.
Outside of work, she is passionate about her family, loves to travel, and lives and breathes her many hobbies and interests.
Maya lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two children, is currently writing a short book on durable network effects, and answers email from founders at maya@openloops.io.