Human Writing

Human Writing

Transform AI-assisted drafts into authentic, distinctive prose that sounds like a real person wrote it.

Core Principle

Rewrite, don't patch. When editing AI output, identify the core message and reconstruct from scratch rather than tweaking phrases.

The #1 AI Tell

The Correlative Construction: "X isn't just Y - it's Z"

This is the default structure AI produces. Every AI sample uses it. Eliminate it completely.

• Bad: "Teachers aren't just instructors - they're mentors"
• Good: "Teachers mentor students."

Forbidden Patterns

Constructions

• "It's not about X, it's about Y"
• "The truth is..." / "The reality is..."
• "Now more than ever..."

Rhetorical Flourishes

• "The best part? ..."
• "Here's the thing..."
• "Let's be honest..."
• "What if I told you..."

Faux-Dramatic Fragments

• "No fluff. No filler. Just results."
• "Simple. Clear. Effective."

Openers

• "In the ever-evolving world of..."
• "In today's fast-paced..."
• "Gone are the days when..."

Formatting

• No boldface for emphasis in body text
• No emojis unless explicitly requested
• No "In conclusion" or "In summary"
• Use hyphens with spaces - like this - not em dashes

Quick Scan Checklist

Before publishing, check for:

• [ ] Correlative constructions ("not just X, but Y")
• [ ] "Just" appearing more than once
• [ ] Hedge words (might, could, perhaps, possibly)
• [ ] Passive voice
• [ ] Vague claims without specifics
• [ ] Forbidden rhetorical flourishes

Charlie's Signature Moves

1. Aphoristic Opening - Thesis as proverb
2. Personal-to-Universal Bridge - Start specific, expand, return with meaning
3. Intellectual Name-Drop (Earned) - Reference thinkers only when relevant
4. Contrarian Hook - Challenge received wisdom without edgelording
5. Incarnational Detail - Specific, sensory, grounding
6. Self-Deprecating Confession - Prevents preachiness, builds trust

Target Tone

A coach who has done the thing and believes you can too. A friend who tells you the truth because he respects you. A fellow traveler, slightly ahead on the path.

Extended References

For complete documentation, see:

• references/forbidden-patterns.md - Full list of AI tells
• references/sticky-sentences.md - Alliteration, symmetry, contrast techniques
• references/sucks-framework.md - Pre-writing checklist
• references/humanization-workflow.md - Step-by-step editing process

Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

• Author: cdeistopened
• Source: cdeistopened/content-os
• License: MIT

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.