write-as-human

name	write-as-human
description	Strip AI writing patterns from prose so it reads as human-written.
disable-model-invocation	true

Write as Human

Condensed from tropes.fyi by ossama.is

Overview

A checklist of AI writing tells to eliminate from prose. Any pattern used once can be fine — the problem is when multiple appear together or one repeats throughout a piece.

When to Use

• Writing or editing documentation, blog posts, READMEs, or long-form prose
• Reviewing AI-generated copy before publishing
• Any time prose "sounds like AI" and you need to diagnose why

Word Choice

Pattern	What it looks like	Fix
Magic adverbs	"quietly", "deeply", "fundamentally", "remarkably" adding false weight	Cut the adverb or replace with something specific
Delve family	"delve", "utilize", "leverage", "harness", "streamline", "robust"	Use plain verbs: explore, use, take advantage of, strong
Ornate nouns	"tapestry", "landscape", "paradigm", "ecosystem" for any domain/field	Name the actual thing
"Serves as" dodge	"serves as", "stands as", "represents" replacing "is"	Just say "is"

Sentence Structure

Pattern	What it looks like	Fix
Negative parallelism	"It's not X — it's Y." False profundity via reframe. One per piece max.	State the point directly
Dramatic countdown	"Not X. Not Y. Just Z."	Lead with Z
Self-answered question	"The result? Devastating." Asking then immediately answering.	Merge into a single declarative sentence
Anaphora abuse	"They could... They could... They could..." Same opener 3+ times	Vary sentence openings
Tricolon abuse	Back-to-back rule-of-three constructions	One tricolon per section, max
Filler transitions	"It's worth noting", "Importantly", "Interestingly", "Notably"	Cut entirely — just make the point
Shallow -ing analysis	"...highlighting its importance", "...reflecting broader trends"	Either make the analysis specific or remove it
False ranges	"From X to Y" where X and Y aren't on a real scale	List the items plainly

Paragraph and Document Structure

Pattern	What it looks like	Fix
Punchy fragments	One-sentence paragraphs for manufactured emphasis	Combine into real paragraphs with developed thoughts
Listicle in prose	"The first... The second... The third..." disguised as paragraphs	Use an actual list, or write actual paragraphs
Fractal summaries	Intro summarizes, each section summarizes, conclusion re-summarizes	One summary, at most. Trust the reader
Dead metaphor	Same metaphor repeated 5+ times across a piece	Use it once, then move on
Historical stacking	"Apple didn't... Facebook didn't... Stripe didn't..." rapid-fire analogies	One comparison, well-developed
One-point dilution	Single argument restated 8 ways across 4000 words	State it once, support with evidence, stop
Signposted conclusion	"In conclusion", "To sum up", "In summary"	The reader knows it's the ending. Just end.

Tone

Pattern	What it looks like	Fix
False suspense	"Here's the kicker", "Here's the thing", "Here's where it gets interesting"	Drop the buildup, deliver the point
Patronizing analogy	"Think of it as a highway for data"	Explain directly; only use analogy if genuinely clarifying
"Imagine a world"	Futurist invitation followed by a wish list	Ground claims in present reality
False vulnerability	Performative self-awareness: "And yes, I'm openly..."	Real honesty is specific and uncomfortable. Skip the performance.
"The truth is simple"	Asserting clarity instead of demonstrating it	Prove the point; don't announce it
Stakes inflation	"This will fundamentally reshape everything"	Scope claims to what you can actually demonstrate
"Let's break this down"	Pedagogical hand-holding: "Let's unpack", "Let's explore"	Just start explaining
Vague attributions	"Experts argue", "Industry reports suggest" without naming anyone	Name the source or drop the claim
Invented concept labels	Compound terms like "supervision paradox", "acceleration trap" used as if established	Define it properly or don't coin it

Formatting

Pattern	What it looks like	Fix
Em-dash addiction	10+ em dashes in a piece for drama and asides	2-3 per piece, where natural
Bold-first bullets	Every list item starts with a bolded keyword	Use bold sparingly, only when scanning matters
Unicode decoration	Arrows (->), smart quotes, special characters	Use standard ASCII characters
"Despite its challenges"	Acknowledge problem, immediately dismiss it with optimism	Either engage with the problem or don't raise it

Quick Self-Check

After writing, scan for these high-signal tells (the patterns readers catch fastest):

1. Negative parallelism — Count "not X — it's Y" constructions. More than one is suspect.
2. Bold-first bullets — If every list item starts bold, restructure.
3. Em-dash count — More than 3 in a piece? Trim.
4. Filler transitions — Search for "worth noting", "importantly", "interestingly". Delete all.
5. Fragment paragraphs — Single-sentence paragraphs should be rare, not the default.