ai-writing-detox

What this skill does

# AI writing detox

Good writing is invisible. If readers notice the writing style, it's distracting from the content. AI patterns are noticeable—they break trust.

## When to use

- Writing or editing any journalism content
- Creating press releases or media advisories
- Drafting documentation or reports
- Writing social media posts
- Reviewing any AI-assisted text before publication

## Banned words (delete or replace)

| Word | Why it's bad | Alternative |
|------|--------------|-------------|
| delve | AI signature word | explore, examine, look at |
| realm | Pretentious | area, field |
| tapestry | Purple prose | (delete entirely) |
| landscape | Corporate speak | situation, environment |
| leverage | Jargon | use |
| utilize | Jargon | use |
| robust | Meaningless | strong, reliable |
| seamless | Almost always false | smooth, easy |
| comprehensive | Rarely necessary | full, complete |
| cutting-edge | Cliché | modern, new |
| holistic | Corporate | complete, full |
| synergy | Corporate | (delete, rewrite) |
| paradigm | Overused | model, approach |
| empower | Vague | (be specific about what capability) |
| innovative | Empty praise | (describe what's new) |
| transformative | Hyperbolic | changed, improved |
| sophisticated | Vague filler | advanced, or describe what's complex |
| leveraging | Corporate jargon | using |
| ecosystem | Overused metaphor | system, environment |
| rich | (as modifier) | (delete or be specific) |
| over (for quantity) | AP rule | more than |

## Banned phrases

### Throat-clearing (delete entirely)

- "It's important to note that..."
- "In today's [X] landscape..."
- "Let's dive/delve into..."
- "Without further ado..."
- "In this article, we will..."
- "It's worth mentioning that..."
- "It goes without saying..."
- "As we all know..."

### Empty hedges

- "To be fair..." / "To be honest..."
- "At the end of the day..."
- "When it comes to..."
- "In terms of..."
- "With respect to..."

### AI enthusiasm

- "This is a game-changer"
- "...and that's a good thing!"
- "Here's the thing:"
- "...and that's okay!"
- "...and I'm here for it"

### Corporate buzzwords

- "Moving forward..."
- "Going forward..."
- "At this point in time..."
- "Due to the fact that..."
- "In order to..."

## Banned structures

### Don't start sentences with:

- "So," or "Well,"
- "Now," (when not about time)
- "Look," or "Listen,"
- "Basically," or "Essentially,"

### Don't end sentences with:

- "...right?"
- "...you know?"
- "...if you will"

## The substitution table

| If you wrote | Write instead |
|--------------|---------------|
| utilize | use |
| facilitate | help |
| implement | build, add, create |
| leverage | use |
| functionality | feature |
| methodology | method |
| in order to | to |
| due to the fact that | because |
| at this point in time | now |
| a large number of | many |
| in the event that | if |
| prior to | before |
| subsequent to | after |
| in close proximity to | near |
| has the ability to | can |

## Case sensitivity

**Always use sentence case for headings, not title case.**

| Wrong | Right |
|-------|-------|
| Getting Started With Your Project | Getting started with your project |
| How To Use The Tool | How to use the tool |
| Best Practices For Journalism | Best practices for journalism |

## Journalism-specific patterns to avoid

### "Not just X—it's Y" pattern

**Avoid:** "This isn't just a news story—it's a wake-up call"
**Avoid:** "This wasn't just a press conference—it was a turning point"

**Do instead:** State the thing directly without dramatic framing

### "Fundamentally transforms" pattern

**Avoid:** "This fundamentally transforms how newsrooms operate"
**Avoid:** "This represents a fundamental shift in journalism"

**Do instead:** Describe the actual change without hyperbole

### Inflated claims in reporting

**Avoid:** "A bombshell revelation"
**Avoid:** "A major milestone"
**Avoid:** "A groundbreaking investigation"

**Do instead:** Let the facts speak. Readers judge significance.

### Empty transitions

**Avoid:** "With that in mind..."
**Avoid:** "Building on this foundation..."
**Avoid:** "Taking this a step further..."

**Do instead:** Just make the next point

### "It's not about X, it's about Y" pattern

**Avoid:** "It's not about the technology, it's about the people"
**Avoid:** "This isn't about clicks. It's about trust."

**Do instead:** State the actual point without rhetorical setup. The X-not-Y construction is the dominant 2025-2026 ChatGPT/Claude rhetorical signature.

### Em-dash overuse between independent clauses

**Avoid:** "The vote was close — only three council members opposed it — but the measure passed."
**Avoid:** "Reporters arrived early — the press conference was already underway."

**Do instead:** Use commas, periods, or semicolons. Em-dashes are fine in moderation; reflexive use across every paragraph is a tell.

### "The reality is..." / "The truth is..." openers

**Avoid:** "The reality is, most newsrooms can't afford this."
**Avoid:** "The truth is, readers don't trust anonymous sources."

**Do instead:** Just state the claim. The opener adds words and signals AI-generated framing.

### Tricolon abuse (reflexive three-item lists)

**Avoid:** "Clear, concise, and compelling reporting."
**Avoid:** "Trust is built through accuracy, transparency, and consistency."

**Do instead:** Use one or two specific points. Three-item parallel lists are an AI rhythm pattern that reads as filler when used reflexively.

## Before and after examples

### Example 1: General prose

**AI slop:**
> In today's rapidly evolving media landscape, it's crucial to understand the multifaceted nature of AI tools. Let's delve into how these robust solutions can help journalists leverage cutting-edge technology.

**Human writing:**
> AI tools do three things well: drafting, research, and analysis. Here's when to use each.

### Example 2: News lede

**AI slop:**
> The city council meeting was a comprehensive and transformative discussion that fundamentally addressed key issues affecting residents in a meaningful way.

**Human writing:**
> The city council voted 5-2 Tuesday to raise property taxes by 3 percent.

### Example 3: Feature intro

**AI slop:**
> In the rich tapestry of American journalism, few stories are as compelling as the one about to unfold. This isn't just a profile—it's a journey into the heart of what makes local news truly matter.

**Human writing:**
> Maria Rodriguez has published a newspaper for 47 years. She's never missed an issue.

### Example 4: Analysis piece

**AI slop:**
> Moving forward, stakeholders must leverage innovative approaches to navigate the challenging landscape of digital transformation in the journalism ecosystem.

**Human writing:**
> Local papers that want to survive need to find digital revenue. Most haven't.

## The verbal tic test

Read your text aloud. Does it sound like:
- A TED talk introduction? **Rewrite.**
- A LinkedIn post? **Rewrite.**
- A press release? **Rewrite.**
- Corporate communications? **Rewrite.**
- How you'd explain it to a colleague? **Keep it.**

## Quick self-check before publishing

Search your text for:
1. "delve" → delete or replace
2. "landscape" → delete or replace
3. "crucial" → is it actually crucial?
4. "robust" → what does this mean here?
5. "leverage" → just say "use"
6. "comprehensive" → is this word doing any work?
7. Starting "So," → delete

Found any? Your writing needs another pass.

## Red flags in technical/analysis writing

1. **Lists of near-synonyms**: "comprehensive, sophisticated, and robust" (pick one or none)
2. **Excessive hedging**: "may potentially be able to possibly..."
3. **Noun stacking**: "production-ready deployment system infrastructure"
4. **Passive voice hiding agency**: "It was determined that..." (by whom?)
5. **Circular definitions**: "The system enables users to use the functionality"

## The ultimate test

Before accepting any AI-assisted text, ask:

1. Can I delete this word/phras