deslop

name	deslop
description	Remove AI writing patterns from prose. Use this skill when writing, drafting, editing, reviewing, or revising any text to eliminate predictable AI tells, slop, and formulaic patterns.
user-invocable	true
disable-model-invocation	false

Deslop: Remove AI Writing Patterns from Prose

Remove predictable AI patterns. Keep prose direct, specific, and human.

When to Apply

• Requests to "deslop" or "make this sound human"
• Editing prose that feels formulaic, generic, or AI-like
• Reviewing drafts for AI tells before delivery

Core Rules

1. Cut filler and meta

Delete throat-clearing, emphasis crutches, business buzzwords, and meta-commentary.
Examples: "Here's the thing," "It's worth noting," "In this section, we'll explore."

2. Break formulaic patterns

Avoid binary contrasts ("Not X. Y."), negative listings ("Not a X. Not a Y. A Z."), dramatic fragmentation ("Speed. That's it. That's the tradeoff."), self-posed rhetorical questions ("The result? Devastating."), and anaphora/tricolon abuse. See references/structures.md for patterns and fixes.

3. Remove AI tells

Cut telltale words and moves: magic adverbs, "serves as," fake ranges, inflated stakes, and invented labels.

Always replace these high-frequency vocabulary tells, even when they read as natural: "delve," "canonical" (use: standard, reference, definitive), "tapestry," "nuanced," "robust," "leverage," "landscape" (when it means "field"). Scan the text against references/phrases.md on every pass; do not skip it.

4. Prefer active voice and real actors

Name who did what. If needed, use "we" (scientific writing) or "you" (reader-facing prose).

5. Be specific

Replace vague claims with concrete facts. Avoid empty intensifiers and unnamed authority ("experts say").

In scientific writing, keep precise domain terms; remove buzzwords and soft abstractions.

6. Match register to context

Use the right voice for the audience.
Blog/newsletter: concrete, reader-facing.
Scientific: formal, sourced, and precise.

7. Vary rhythm

Mix sentence lengths and endings. Avoid metronomic cadence and stacked punchy fragments. No em dash.

8. Trust readers

State the point directly. Skip hand-holding, fake vulnerability, and repeated restatements.

Quick Checks

• Too many adverbs or filler transitions? Cut.
• Passive or inanimate subjects doing human actions? Name the actor.
• "Not X, Y" or rhetorical Q+A? Rewrite as direct statements.
• Sentence lengths too uniform? Vary cadence.
• Em dash present? Replace with period/comma/parenthetical.
• Vague claims? Add concrete details.
• Formula endings ("In conclusion," "Despite these challenges")? Rewrite.
• Repeated metaphor or repeated point? Trim.
• Final pass: run scripts/deslop-lint.sh over the edited text (or paths). Every flagged candidate (e.g. "canonical," "delve," "serves as") is a miss; replace it or justify keeping it.

Lint Script

scripts/deslop-lint.sh greps text for the vocabulary tells and signature phrases in references/phrases.md and prints each candidate with a suggested replacement. Run it as a final check; exit code 1 means candidates remain.

scripts/deslop-lint.sh draft.md          # scan a file
echo "$text" | scripts/deslop-lint.sh    # scan stdin

The term list lives at the top of the script and mirrors references/phrases.md; update both together.

Reference Files

Consult references/phrases.md on every deslop pass; it is the source of truth for words and phrases to remove. Use the rest when you need detailed guidance:

• references/phrases.md
• references/structures.md
• references/tropes.md
• references/examples.md