| name | ai-tells |
| description | Patterns that make writing sound AI-generated. Invoke this skill for ANY writing task - newsletters, social media, blog posts, emails. Apply these constraints automatically. |
AI Tells
Patterns to avoid in all written content. Read the examples in references/ for voice - don't follow rules mechanically.
The One Rule
Never use the correlative construction. This is the #1 AI tell:
- "X isn't just Y - it's Z"
- "It's not about X, it's about Y"
- "Schools aren't just buildings - they're communities"
Find another way. State the thing directly.
Other Patterns to Avoid
- Setup phrases: "The best part? ..." / "The secret? ..." / "Here's the thing..."
- Staccato fragments: "No fluff. No filler. Just results."
- Triple adjectives: "Fast, efficient, reliable" (grouping in threes)
- Cliché openers: "In today's fast-paced..." / "In the ever-evolving..."
- Dramatic punctuation: "Let that sink in" / "Now more than ever"
- Thesaurus abuse: utilize, implement, facilitate, leverage, comprehensive, crucial
- Fake questions: "Sound familiar?" / "Ready to level up?"
- Transition tells: "And here's the kicker" / "Enter: [thing]"
Format Constraints
- Dashes: hyphens with spaces - like this - not em dashes (—)
- No emojis in body content
- No bold for emphasis within paragraphs
Voice References
Read these for the vibe, not as rules:
references/pirate-wires-examples.md - 11 annotated examples showing voice in actionreferences/pirate-wires-style.md - Voice breakdown
The test: Does this sound like a person talking, or a person performing "good writing"?
