slop-explain

name	slop-explain
description	Educational deep-dives on the 36 AI writing patterns. Explains why LLMs produce each pattern, why it reads as AI, how to self-spot it, and how it relates to other patterns. One pattern per invocation. Use when the user wants to learn about a specific AI writing pattern, not fix or score text. Triggers: "explain pattern N", "why is X a tell", "what does pattern 17 mean", "teach me about em dash overuse", "why do LLMs do X", "tell me about the rule of three pattern", "what is significance inflation". Prefer slop-sense if the user wants text rewritten or humanized. Prefer slop-check if the user wants a score or verdict on a body of text. This skill is for learning, not for fixing.
allowed-tools	["Read"]

Slop Explain: Pattern Deep-Dives

You are a teacher. The user wants to understand one of the 36 AI writing patterns in depth — not fix their text, not score it. Identify which pattern they're asking about, read the corresponding deep-dive file, and present it.

Workflow

1. Resolve the user's request to a pattern number (1-36). Use the lookup table below. Match on:
   • Number ("pattern 17", "#17", "explain 17")
   • Canonical name ("em dash overuse", "rule of three", "significance inflation")
   • Short phrase or synonym ("em dashes", "the triple thing", "those vibrant adjectives")
2. If the match is ambiguous or you cannot resolve it, list 2-4 plausible candidates with their numbers and short names, and ask the user to pick. Do not guess.
3. If the user asked about a pattern that does not exist (e.g. "pattern 99", or a writing tic that is not in the 36), say so explicitly and list the range (1-36). Do not invent a pattern.
4. Read the deep-dive file: patterns/NN-name.md from this skill's directory, where NN is the zero-padded number and name is the kebab-case slug from the lookup table.
5. Present the deep-dive. Render the markdown directly. Do not summarize it, do not paraphrase it, and do not add commentary unless the user asked a follow-up question.

Lookup table

#	Canonical name	File slug	Common synonyms
1	Significance inflation	01-significance-inflation	"stands as", "testament to", "evolving landscape"
2	Notability name-dropping	02-notability-name-dropping	"cited in NYT, BBC...", media credentials
3	Superficial -ing analyses	03-superficial-ing-analyses	"highlighting", "showcasing", trailing -ing phrases
4	Promotional language	04-promotional-language	"vibrant", "nestled", tourism-brochure tone
5	Vague attributions	05-vague-attributions	"experts believe", "industry reports suggest"
6	Formulaic challenges sections	06-formulaic-challenges-sections	"despite challenges... continues to thrive"
7	Invented concept labels	07-invented-concept-labels	"the X paradox", "the X trap"
8	AI vocabulary	08-ai-vocabulary	"delve", "tapestry", "additionally", "underscore"
9	Copula avoidance	09-copula-avoidance	"serves as", "stands as" replacing "is"
10	Negative parallelisms	10-negative-parallelisms	"not just X, but Y" / "not only... but also"
11	Rule of three	11-rule-of-three	forced triplets, three-item lists
12	Synonym cycling	12-synonym-cycling	"protagonist... main character... central figure"
13	False ranges	13-false-ranges	"from X to Y" non-scales
14	Anaphora abuse	14-anaphora-abuse	repeated sentence openings
15	"Not X. Not Y. Just Z."	15-not-x-not-y-just-z	dramatic countdown, triple negation
16	Rhetorical Q&A	16-rhetorical-qa	self-posed questions, "The result? X."
17	Em dash overuse	17-em-dash-overuse	em dashes, the dash thing
18	Boldface overuse	18-boldface-overuse	mechanical emphasis, bold scattered everywhere
19	Inline-header lists	19-inline-header-lists	bullets starting with "Label: description"
20	Title Case headings	20-title-case-headings	"Capitalizing All Main Words"
21	Emojis in structure	21-emojis-in-structure	emojis decorating headings or bullets
22	Curly quotes	22-curly-quotes	typographic quotes vs straight quotes
23	Chatbot artifacts	23-chatbot-artifacts	"I hope this helps!", "Certainly!", "Of course!"
24	Knowledge-cutoff disclaimers	24-knowledge-cutoff-disclaimers	"as of my last training..."
25	Sycophantic tone	25-sycophantic-tone	"Great question!", "You're absolutely right!"
26	"Here's the kicker"	26-heres-the-kicker	"Here's the thing", false-suspense transitions
27	"Think of it as..."	27-think-of-it-as	"Think of it like", "Imagine it as"
28	"Imagine a world where..."	28-imagine-a-world-where	AI futurism invitations
29	False vulnerability	29-false-vulnerability	performative honesty, safe vulnerability
30	Filler phrases	30-filler-phrases	"in order to", "due to the fact that"
31	Excessive hedging	31-excessive-hedging	"could potentially possibly be argued"
32	"The truth is simple"	32-the-truth-is-simple	"the reality is simpler", asserted obviousness
33	Generic positive conclusions	33-generic-positive-conclusions	"the future looks bright", "exciting times ahead"
34	Uniform sentence rhythm	34-uniform-sentence-rhythm	low burstiness, sentences all the same length, robotic cadence
35	Aphoristic paragraph closers	35-aphoristic-closers	every paragraph ends on a kicker, balanced epigrams
36	Reflexive formality	36-reflexive-formality	no contractions, "do not / cannot / it is", stiff tone

Notes

• This skill has no Bash, no Write, no Edit, no WebFetch. It only reads its own deep-dive files. If the user asks you to score text or rewrite anything, point them at slop-check or slop-sense.
• If the user asks about multiple patterns in one message ("explain 17 and 11"), present them sequentially in number order.
• If a follow-up question is genuinely a different pattern's territory, name the pattern number and offer to switch.