de-slopify

name	de-slopify
description	Remove telltale signs of AI-generated "slop" writing from documentation. Use when polishing README files, API docs, or any public-facing text to sound authentically human.

De-Slopify — Remove AI Writing Artifacts

Core Insight: You can't do this with regex or a script. It requires manual, systematic review of each line.

THE EXACT PROMPT — Full De-Slopify

I want you to read through the complete text carefully and look for any telltale
signs of "AI slop" style writing; one big tell is the use of emdash. You should
try to replace this with a semicolon, a comma, or just recast the sentence
accordingly so it sounds good while avoiding emdash.

Also, you want to avoid certain telltale writing tropes, like sentences of the
form "It's not [just] XYZ, it's ABC" or "Here's why" or "Here's why it matters:".
Basically, anything that sounds like the kind of thing an LLM would write
disproportionately more commonly than a human writer and which sounds
inauthentic/cringe.

And you can't do this sort of thing using regex or a script, you MUST manually
read each line of the text and revise it manually in a systematic, methodical,
diligent way. Use ultrathink.

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THE EXACT PROMPT — Quick Version

Review this text and remove any AI slop patterns: excessive emdashes, "Here's why"
constructions, "It's not X, it's Y" formulas, and other LLM writing tells. Recast
sentences to sound more naturally human. Use ultrathink.

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Patterns to Eliminate

Pattern	Problem
Emdash overuse	LLMs love emdashes—they use them constantly—even when other punctuation works better
"It's not X, it's Y"	Formulaic contrast structure
"Here's why"	Clickbait-style lead-in
"Let's dive in"	Forced enthusiasm
"At its core..."	Pseudo-profound opener
"It's worth noting..."	Unnecessary hedge

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Emdash Alternatives

Original	Alternative
X—Y—Z	X; Y; Z or X, Y, Z
The tool—which is powerful—works	The tool, which is powerful, works
We built this—and it works	We built this, and it works

Sometimes the best fix is to split into two sentences.

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Before/After Examples

Emdash Overuse

Before:

This tool—which we built from scratch—handles everything automatically—from parsing to output.

After:

This tool handles everything automatically, from parsing to output. We built it from scratch.

"Here's why" Pattern

Before:

We chose Rust for this component. Here's why: performance matters.

After:

We chose Rust for this component because performance matters.

Contrast Formula

Before:

It's not just a linter—it's a complete code quality system.

After:

This complete code quality system goes beyond basic linting.

Forced Enthusiasm

Before:

# Getting Started

Let's dive in! We're excited to help you get up and running.

After:

# Getting Started

Install the tool and run your first command in under a minute.

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Why Manual Review is Required

1. Context matters — Sometimes an emdash is actually the right choice
2. Recasting sentences — Often the fix isn't substitution but rewriting
3. Tone consistency — Need to maintain voice throughout
4. Judgment calls — Some patterns are fine in moderation

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When to De-Slopify

• Before publishing a README
• Before releasing documentation
• After AI-assisted writing sessions
• During documentation reviews

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What NOT to Fix

• Technical accuracy — Don't sacrifice correctness for style
• Necessary structure — Headers, lists are fine
• Clear explanations — Being thorough isn't slop
• Code examples — Focus on prose, not code

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References

Topic	Reference
Complete phrase list	PATTERNS.md