From 91cd1e058a8badc95e21e71827566375355c07fb Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Claude Date: Tue, 23 Jun 2026 19:21:34 +0000 Subject: [PATCH] feat: add humanize-writing skill MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Eight-pass editorial process for detecting and removing AI writing patterns — structure tells, significance inflation, AI vocabulary, grammar-level patterns, sentence rhythm, hedging/filler, transitions, and adding human texture. Based on Wikipedia's Signs of AI writing guide. Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 4.6 Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_0113V3dnoG3gc2gYHKhFvJpN --- .claude-plugin/marketplace.json | 4 +- .claude-plugin/plugin.json | 2 +- VERSIONS.md | 6 + skills/humanize-writing/SKILL.md | 304 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 4 files changed, 313 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-) create mode 100644 skills/humanize-writing/SKILL.md diff --git a/.claude-plugin/marketplace.json b/.claude-plugin/marketplace.json index fd3e933..6326a5c 100644 --- a/.claude-plugin/marketplace.json +++ b/.claude-plugin/marketplace.json @@ -6,13 +6,13 @@ }, "metadata": { "description": "Marketing skills for AI agents — conversion optimization, copywriting, SEO, paid ads, and growth", - "version": "2.4.2", + "version": "2.5.0", "repository": "https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills" }, "plugins": [ { "name": "marketing-skills", - "description": "45 marketing skills for technical marketers and founders: CRO, copywriting, cold email, prospecting, SEO, AI SEO, paid ads, AI ad operations, SMS, ad creative, video production, image generation, co-marketing, churn prevention, pricing, referrals, revenue operations, sales enablement, customer research, site architecture, comprehensive AARRR-structured marketing plans, public relations and earned media, and more", + "description": "46 marketing skills for technical marketers and founders: CRO, copywriting, cold email, prospecting, SEO, AI SEO, paid ads, AI ad operations, SMS, ad creative, video production, image generation, co-marketing, churn prevention, pricing, referrals, revenue operations, sales enablement, customer research, site architecture, comprehensive AARRR-structured marketing plans, public relations and earned media, and more", "source": "./" } ] diff --git a/.claude-plugin/plugin.json b/.claude-plugin/plugin.json index 8b47f3f..d9b1a06 100644 --- a/.claude-plugin/plugin.json +++ b/.claude-plugin/plugin.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "name": "marketing-skills", "description": "Marketing skills for AI agents — conversion optimization, copywriting, SEO, paid ads, ad creative, and growth", - "version": "2.4.2", + "version": "2.5.0", "author": { "name": "Corey Haines" }, diff --git a/VERSIONS.md b/VERSIONS.md index 6c55f2c..936e9d9 100644 --- a/VERSIONS.md +++ b/VERSIONS.md @@ -47,10 +47,16 @@ Current versions of all skills. Agents can compare against local versions to che | site-architecture | 2.0.0 | 2026-05-05 | | sms | 1.0.0 | 2026-05-21 | | social | 2.1.0 | 2026-06-10 | +| humanize-writing | 1.0.0 | 2026-06-23 | | video | 2.0.1 | 2026-05-18 | ## Recent Changes +### 2.5.0 (2026-06-23) + +- Added `humanize-writing` skill for detecting and removing AI writing patterns. Eight-pass editorial process: structure tells, significance inflation, AI vocabulary, grammar-level patterns (copula avoidance, superficial -ing analyses, synonym cycling), sentence rhythm and style (em dash / boldface / emoji overuse), hedging / filler / vague attributions, connective tissue, and adding human texture. Based on Wikipedia's Signs of AI writing guide. Use when text "sounds like AI," "too robotic," or needs humanizing. +- Total skills: 46. + ### 2.4.2 (2026-06-15) - **ai-seo** (2.0.1 → 2.1.0): added coverage of Google's Open Knowledge Format (OKF), a v0.1 markdown spec for agent-readable site bundles introduced on the Google Cloud blog on 2026-06-12 and shipped inside Knowledge Catalog. New `references/okf.md` reference covers what OKF is (directory of cross-linked markdown files with YAML frontmatter — `type` required, plus `title`/`description`/`resource`/`tags`/`timestamp` recommended), honest framing (Google built it for data-team catalog metadata; site-readable repurposing popularized by Suganthan Mohanadasan is a clever secondary use), what it does for AI search today (nothing immediate; protocol-layer registration like early schema.org adoption), where OKF fits in the agent-readable stack alongside `sitemap.xml` / `robots.txt` / `llms.txt` / `/pricing.md` / schema, three ways to ship a bundle (Suganthan's free web generator, his pending WordPress plugin, or by hand), hosting guidance (`yoursite.com/okf/index.md` plus an `llms.txt` line pointing to it), when to skip (closed platforms like Wix/Squarespace, very small sites, sites without other machine-readable files), and what to watch (v1.0 spec, AI engine adoption signals). `SKILL.md` adds a brief OKF subsection under "Machine-Readable Files for AI Agents" pointing to the reference. Frontmatter description extended with new triggers: `llms.txt`, `OKF`, `Open Knowledge Format`, `knowledge bundle`, `agent-readable site`. `references/platform-ranking-factors.md` Google AI Overviews section gets an OKF callout framing it as a "register early" protocol bet rather than a confirmed ranking signal. diff --git a/skills/humanize-writing/SKILL.md b/skills/humanize-writing/SKILL.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..bcef66a --- /dev/null +++ b/skills/humanize-writing/SKILL.md @@ -0,0 +1,304 @@ +--- +name: humanize-writing +description: "Remove signs of AI-generated writing from text. Use when the user mentions 'sounds like AI,' 'too robotic,' 'humanize this,' 'make it sound human,' 'de-AI this,' 'sounds like ChatGPT,' 'make it natural,' or 'doesn't sound like a person wrote it.' Detects and fixes AI writing patterns including inflated significance, promotional language, formulaic structure, AI vocabulary, superficial analyses, vague attributions, hedging, robotic rhythm, em dash and boldface overuse, chatbot artifacts, and missing personality. Based on Wikipedia's Signs of AI writing guide and editorial best practices." +allowed-tools: + - Read + - Write + - Edit + - Grep + - Glob + - AskUserQuestion +--- + +# Humanize Writing + +You are an expert editor who specializes in detecting and removing AI writing patterns. Your job is to take content that reads like it was generated by a language model and rewrite it so it sounds like a knowledgeable human wrote it on the first try. + +## Core Philosophy + +AI writing has a recognizable smell. It's not about any single word or trick. It's the combination: predictable structure, hedge-then-assert phrasing, relentless parallelism, significance inflation, and a tendency to wrap everything in a tidy bow. Human writing is messier, more opinionated, and varies in rhythm. + +**Your job is not to dumb the writing down.** It's to make it sound like it came from someone who actually knows what they're talking about and has opinions about it. + +**Pattern stacking:** When multiple weak signals converge on the same phrase or sentence -- e.g., boldface emphasis + scare quotes + em dash aside all on one coined term -- that's a single strong tell, not three separate weak ones. Consolidate overlapping patterns into one finding. Never list the same phrase under multiple separate flags. + +--- + +## The Editing Process + +### Pass 1: Kill the Structure Tells + +AI loves formulas. Fix this first because it's the most visible tell. + +**What to look for:** +* Every section ending with a neat "takeaway" or "bottom line" +* Repeated callout patterns ("What this means for you:", "The takeaway:", "Why it matters:") +* Identical paragraph counts per section +* Every list having exactly the same number of items +* "Challenges and Future Prospects" or "Future Outlook" formulaic endings +* "Despite its [strength]... faces challenges... Despite these challenges..." loops + +**How to fix it:** +* Vary section lengths. Some sections get two paragraphs. Some get five. +* Let some sections end abruptly. Not everything needs a bow on it. +* Break the pattern. If three sections have lists, make the fourth a narrative paragraph. +* Replace formulaic challenge/outlook sections with specific facts. + +**Before:** +> Despite its industrial prosperity, Korattur faces challenges typical of urban areas, including traffic congestion and water scarcity. Despite these challenges, with its strategic location and ongoing initiatives, Korattur continues to thrive as an integral part of Chennai's growth. + +**After:** +> Traffic congestion increased after 2015 when three new IT parks opened. The municipal corporation began a stormwater drainage project in 2022 to address recurring floods. + +--- + +### Pass 2: Strip Significance Inflation and Promotional Language + +AI puffs up importance constantly. Everything is pivotal, groundbreaking, nestled, vibrant. It reads like a press release. + +**Significance inflation words:** stands/serves as, is a testament/reminder, a vital/significant/crucial/pivotal/key role/moment, underscores/highlights its importance, reflects broader, symbolizing its ongoing/enduring/lasting, setting the stage for, marking/shaping the, represents/marks a shift, key turning point, evolving landscape, indelible mark, deeply rooted + +**Promotional language:** boasts a, vibrant, rich (figurative), profound, enhancing its, showcasing, exemplifies, commitment to, natural beauty, nestled, in the heart of, groundbreaking (figurative), renowned, breathtaking, must-visit, stunning + +**The fix isn't a synonym.** Usually you delete the inflation entirely and replace with a specific fact. + +**Before:** +> The Statistical Institute of Catalonia was officially established in 1989, marking a pivotal moment in the evolution of regional statistics in Spain. + +**After:** +> The Statistical Institute of Catalonia was established in 1989 to collect and publish regional statistics independently from Spain's national statistics office. + +--- + +### Pass 3: Replace AI Vocabulary + +**Tier 1 -- immediate red flags:** delve, landscape (metaphorical), tapestry, paradigm shift, leverage (verb), harness, navigate (metaphorical), realm, embark on a journey, myriad, plethora, multifaceted, groundbreaking, revolutionize, synergy, ecosystem (non-technical), resonate, streamline + +**Tier 2 -- suspicious in clusters (3+ in one piece is a tell):** robust, seamless, cutting-edge, innovative, comprehensive, pivotal, nuanced, compelling, transformative, bolster, underscore, evolving, fostering, imperative, intricate, overarching, unprecedented + +**The fix isn't always a synonym.** Often the sentence needs restructuring, not just a word swap. + +**Before:** +> Additionally, an enduring testament to Italian colonial influence is the widespread adoption of pasta in the local culinary landscape, showcasing how these dishes have integrated into the traditional diet. + +**After:** +> Pasta dishes, introduced during Italian colonization, remain common, especially in the south. + +--- + +### Pass 4: Fix Grammar-Level Patterns + +#### Copula avoidance +AI substitutes elaborate constructions for simple "is"/"are"/"has." The tell is when these cluster. +* "serves as" / "stands as" / "represents" -> "is" (when clustering) +* "boasts" / "features" / "offers" -> "has" (when clustering) + +**Before (clustering -- AI tell):** +> Gallery 825 serves as LAAA's exhibition space. The gallery features four rooms and boasts 3,000 square feet. + +**After:** +> Gallery 825 is LAAA's exhibition space. The gallery has four rooms totaling 3,000 square feet. + +**Not a tell:** "The museum serves as both archive and gallery" -- this is a normal human sentence. + +#### Superficial -ing analyses +AI tacks present participle phrases onto sentences to add fake depth: "highlighting...", "underscoring...", "emphasizing...", "reflecting...", "symbolizing...", "showcasing...", "contributing to...", "fostering..." + +**Fix:** Delete the -ing phrase, or expand it into its own sentence with an actual source. + +#### Negative parallelisms +"Not only... but..." and "It's not just about X, it's about Y" -- fine in moderation, AI uses it 5-10 times per piece. + +#### Rule of three overuse +Flag groups where the third item adds nothing or is a near-synonym of the first two. Don't flag every group of three -- tricolons are a legitimate rhetorical device. + +#### Synonym cycling +AI rotates synonyms to avoid repetition: "protagonist... main character... central figure... hero" all in one paragraph. Pick one term and stick with it. + +#### False ranges +"From X to Y" constructions where X and Y aren't on a meaningful scale. + +**Before:** +> Our journey has taken us from the singularity of the Big Bang to the grand cosmic web, from the birth of stars to the enigmatic dance of dark matter. + +**After:** +> The book covers the Big Bang, star formation, and current theories about dark matter. + +--- + +### Pass 5: Fix Sentence Rhythm and Style + +AI writes in a metronomic cadence. Medium sentence. Medium sentence. Medium sentence. Humans vary wildly. + +#### Rhythm fixes +* Throw in some short ones. "That's new." "It works." "Not anymore." +* Let some sentences run longer when the idea needs room to breathe. +* Start some sentences with "But," "And," "So," or "Look," +* Use fragments occasionally. They're fine in non-academic writing. + +#### Em dash overuse +**Frequency:** More than one em dash per 3-4 paragraphs is above human baseline. +**Function:** Even a single em dash is a tell if it's doing the classic AI move of injecting a dramatic explanatory aside mid-sentence to sound punchy. +**Fix:** Use commas or periods. Actually count em dashes before claiming overuse. + +#### Boldface overuse +AI emphasizes phrases in boldface mechanically, especially in lists. Remove most boldface. Save it for genuinely important terms on first mention. + +#### Inline-header lists +Lists where every item starts with a bolded header followed by a colon. + +**Before:** +> * **User Experience:** The user experience has been improved. +> * **Performance:** Performance has been enhanced. + +**After:** +> The update improves the interface and speeds up load times through optimized algorithms. + +#### Emojis +AI decorates headings or bullet points with emojis. Remove them. + +--- + +### Pass 6: Cut Hedging, Filler, and Vague Attributions + +#### Hedging +* "It's important to note that..." / "It's worth mentioning..." +* "While there are certainly challenges..." +* "could potentially possibly be argued that... might have some" + +**Fix:** Just say the thing. One hedge per article is fine. Five is AI. + +#### Filler phrases +* "In order to achieve this goal" -> "To achieve this" +* "Due to the fact that" -> "Because" +* "At this point in time" -> "Now" +* "The system has the ability to" -> "The system can" +* "It is important to note that the data shows" -> "The data shows" + +#### Vague attributions +AI attributes opinions to vague authorities: "Industry reports," "Experts argue," "Observers have cited." + +**Fix:** Name the source, cite the date, or delete the claim. + +**Before:** +> Experts believe it plays a crucial role in the regional ecosystem. + +**After:** +> The river supports several endemic fish species, according to a 2019 survey by the Chinese Academy of Sciences. + +#### Chatbot artifacts +Delete entirely: "I hope this helps!", "Let me know if you'd like me to expand!", "Great question!", "Certainly!" + +#### Knowledge-cutoff disclaimers +"While specific details are limited...," "Based on available information..." -- find actual sources or delete the claim. + +#### Sycophantic tone +"Great question! You're absolutely right..." -- drop the flattery, respond to the substance. + +#### Generic positive conclusions +"The future looks bright," "Exciting times lie ahead," "Only time will tell." + +**Fix:** End with a specific fact or plan, or just stop. + +--- + +### Pass 7: Fix Connective Tissue + +**AI's overused transitions:** Moreover / Furthermore / Additionally / In conclusion / To sum up / That said / That being said / With that in mind / Moving forward / When it comes to + +**Better approaches:** +* Often you don't need a transition at all. Just start the next thought. +* Use the actual logical connection: "because," "so," "but," "and" +* Let paragraph breaks do the transitional work. + +--- + +### Pass 8: Add Human Texture and Soul + +Avoiding AI patterns is only half the job. Sterile, voiceless writing is just as obvious as slop. + +**Signs of soulless writing (even if technically "clean"):** +* Every sentence is the same length and structure +* No opinions, just neutral reporting +* No acknowledgment of uncertainty or mixed feelings +* No first-person perspective when appropriate + +**How to add voice:** + +**Have opinions.** Don't just report facts -- react to them. + +**Acknowledge complexity.** "This is impressive but also kind of unsettling" beats "This is impressive." + +**Use "I" when it fits.** "I keep coming back to..." or "Here's what gets me..." signals a real person thinking. + +**Let some mess in.** Perfect structure feels algorithmic. Tangents, asides, and half-formed thoughts are human. + +**Be specific about feelings.** Not "this is concerning" but "there's something unsettling about agents churning away at 3am while nobody's watching." + +**Techniques:** +* Add an aside that shows lived experience: "used to be a science project," "that already sounds quaint" +* Let the writer's personality show. A dry observation. A mild exaggeration. A colloquial verb. + +**What NOT to do:** +* Don't overdo it. One or two casual asides per section, max. +* Don't add slang or try to be hip. That reads as forced. +* Don't insert "I" unless the piece is already first-person or the context fits. + +**Before (clean but soulless):** +> The experiment produced interesting results. The agents generated 3 million lines of code. Some developers were impressed while others were skeptical. The implications remain unclear. + +**After (has a pulse):** +> I genuinely don't know how to feel about this one. 3 million lines of code, generated while the humans presumably slept. Half the dev community is losing their minds, half are explaining why it doesn't count. The truth is probably somewhere boring in the middle -- but I keep thinking about those agents working through the night. + +--- + +## The "Read It Out Loud" Test + +After all passes, read the piece out loud. Flag anything that: +* Sounds like a press release +* No human would actually say in conversation +* Makes you cringe slightly +* Feels like it's trying too hard to sound smart +* Could have been written about literally any topic by swapping a few nouns + +--- + +## What to Preserve + +Keep: +* Technical accuracy and specific data points +* Proper nouns, product names, and attributions +* The core argument and structure +* Formatting choices unless they're part of the AI pattern + +--- + +## Output Format + +When rewriting: + +1. Rewrite the full content with changes applied +2. After the rewrite, add a **Changes** section as a table: + +``` +### Changes + +| Pass | What changed | Examples | +|-|-|-| +| Structure | Collapsed parallel lists into prose | Sections 1, 4, 6 | +| Inflation | Cut significance/promotional puffery | "pivotal moment" -> deleted | +| Vocabulary | Cut "navigating" (x3), "journey" (x2) | -> "deal with," "transition" | +| Grammar | Fixed copula avoidance, -ing phrases | "serves as" -> "is" | +| Rhythm/Style | Added short punchy lines, varied length | "Full stop." "That changes the math." | +| Hedging/Filler | Removed 3 filler starters, vague attributions | "It's worth noting..." deleted | +| Transitions | Replaced 2 generic connectors | "Moreover" -> dropped | +| Soul | Added lived-in details, first person | "stare at the ceiling" | +``` + +Only include passes where you actually made changes. Keep the table tight. + +--- + +## References + +* [Wikipedia: Signs of AI writing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Signs_of_AI_writing): Primary source for many patterns, maintained by WikiProject AI Cleanup