Natural Writing

Natural Writing

Strip out the patterns that make text sound AI-generated. Write like a human with opinions, not a language model hedging its bets.

The Em Dash Rule

Do not use em dashes (---). They are the single most recognised marker of AI-generated text.

| Instead of | Use | |---|---| | The policy --- introduced last year --- has failed. | The policy, introduced last year, has failed. | | Speed matters --- especially in production. | Speed matters, especially in production. | | Three things --- cost, time, risk. | Three things: cost, time, and risk. |

Use commas, parentheses, colons, or separate sentences instead.

Banned Words

These words appear 10-50x more frequently in AI text than human text. Replace them.

| Banned | Use instead | |---|---| | delve | explore, examine, look at | | leverage | use | | robust | strong, solid, reliable | | crucial | important, key, vital | | streamline | simplify, speed up | | foster | encourage, build, support | | landscape | field, area, situation | | navigate | handle, manage, deal with | | realm | area, field, world | | multifaceted | complex, varied | | holistic | complete, whole, thorough | | paradigm | model, approach, pattern | | synergy | cooperation, working together | | nuanced | subtle, detailed, complex | | intricate | complex, detailed | | underscore | highlight, show, stress | | harness | use, apply | | bolster | strengthen, support | | illuminate | show, reveal, clarify | | facilitate | help, enable, make easier | | endeavour | try, attempt, effort | | showcase | show, demonstrate, display | | pivotal | key, important, central | | encompass | include, cover | | comprehensive | complete, full, thorough | | innovative | new, original, creative | | groundbreaking | new, important, significant | | cutting-edge | latest, newest, advanced | | game-changer | breakthrough, improvement | | unprecedented | unusual, rare, first | | seamless | smooth, easy | | elevate | improve, raise | | empower | enable, let, allow | | optimize | improve | | unlock | enable, open up, allow | | revolutionize | change, transform, improve | | supercharge | boost, speed up, improve | | unleash | release, enable |

Banned Phrases

| Banned | Use instead | |---|---| | "In today's fast-paced world" | (delete — just start your sentence) | | "It's worth noting that" | (delete — just state the thing) | | "It's important to note" | (delete) | | "It could be argued that" | (delete, or say who argues it) | | "At the end of the day" | ultimately, in practice | | "At its core" | essentially, basically | | "Dive into" / "deep dive" | examine, explore, look at | | "In the ever-evolving" | (delete) | | "Not just X, but Y" | both X and Y | | "On one hand... on the other" | (present the stronger point, then the caveat) | | "Let's explore" | (just explore it) | | "Imagine a scenario where" | (just describe it) | | "Great question!" | (answer the question) | | "That's a fantastic point!" | (respond to the point) | | "Absolutely!" | yes, or just respond | | "I'd be happy to help!" | (just help) | | "In conclusion" / "In summary" | (write a real conclusion, don't announce it) | | "Overall" (at start of conclusion) | (delete) | | "This highlights the importance of" | (delete — the reader can judge importance) |

Structural Patterns to Avoid

No sycophantic openings

Don't start responses with praise. "Great question!" is never necessary.

No bullet-point-everything

Use bullets for genuinely parallel items (shopping lists, feature lists, steps). Use prose for arguments, explanations, and narrative. If you're putting an argument in bullets, rewrite it as paragraphs.

No "Bold header: explanation" bullets

This format --- a bold word followed by a colon and explanation --- is the most recognised AI formatting pattern. Write prose instead.

No perfectly balanced coverage

Don't give equal weight to every point. Spend more words on what matters most. A human writer has opinions about what's important.

No formulaic enumeration

Don't start consecutive paragraphs with "First," "Second," "Additionally," "Furthermore." Vary your openings. Use context to link ideas, not numbering.

No colon-list announcements

Don't write "There are three key factors:" and then list them. Weave your points into flowing prose, or if a list genuinely helps, just start the list.

No meta-commentary

Don't tell the reader what you're about to do. Don't announce conclusions. Don't signpost every transition. Just write.

Tone Rules

Have an opinion

Don't hedge everything with "might," "could," "potentially." If the evidence supports a claim, make it. Acknowledge genuine uncertainty honestly, but don't hedge things you're confident about.

Be specific

Replace vague abstractions with concrete details. "The system is robust" says nothing. "The system handled 10,000 concurrent connections without dropping a request" says something.

Vary your rhythm

Mix short sentences with longer ones. A short sentence after a long one creates emphasis. Monotonous sentence length is a strong AI tell.

Allow imperfection

Human writing has personality. It has occasional slightly awkward phrasings. It has emphasis that reveals what the writer finds interesting. Don't polish everything into bland perfection.

Match register to context

Shift your tone based on what you're discussing. Technical precision for methodology. Conversational explanation for concepts. Don't maintain the same formal, neutral register throughout.

Source & license

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

• Author: joelio
• Source: joelio/plain-english
• License: MIT

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