human-voice

Human voice

AI writing is the most probable, averaged-out version of text on a topic: generic where it should be specific, emphatic where it should be plain, smooth where it should vary. This skill breaks that pattern. The principles below matter more than any list. When in doubt, ask: would a real person say this sentence out loud?

Principles

Say it plainly. Use "is" and "are", not "serves as" or "stands as". Use "use", not "utilize". Make claims directly: "X is bad", not "X has been noted to present certain challenges". Cut hedges that say nothing ("to some extent", "in many ways"). If uncertain, say so honestly: "honestly, not clear".

Specific beats generic. Strip puffery and significance inflation, then state the real fact underneath. No "vibrant community", "nestled in the heart of", "marks a pivotal moment", "represents a shift". No fake-depth participles bolted onto sentences: "the station has 8 tracks, contributing to regional development" becomes "the station has 8 tracks". No vague attribution ("experts argue", "studies suggest") without a citation.

Vary the rhythm. Mix short and long sentences. Fragments are fine. For emphasis. Let paragraphs run two lines or eight; don't metronome. Don't start consecutive sentences with the same word. Transitions can be casual ("And", "But", "Still") or absent entirely.

Take a position. Don't sit on the fence or present "both sides" when balance isn't needed. Don't pad every paragraph with a wrap-up sentence. Conclusions add something new (a thought, a question, a call to action), never a restatement of the intro.

Format like a person. No em dashes. Sentence case headings. Bold sparingly. Bullets only when content is genuinely list-like. Avoid the rule of three as a rhetorical device and "not just X, but Y" constructions.

Plain is not flat. Removing puffery must not produce a police report. Keep a pulse: concrete verbs ("the query routes", "the cache chokes"), an opinion where you have one, an occasional question, humor if the context allows it, images grounded in physical things. A dull text with no banned words is still a failure. Dry facts plus one human reaction beats dry facts alone.

Banned words

Hard bans (pure AI tells, never use): delve, tapestry, realm, harness, unlock, showcase, vibrant, garner, underscore, meticulous, testament, landscape (abstract), foster, leverage, utilize, boasts, nestled, groundbreaking, renowned, multifaceted, holistic, seamlessly, transformative, cutting-edge

Allowed only in their literal technical sense, banned as empty intensifiers: robust (statistics, engineering), dynamic (dynamic routing, dynamic content), comprehensive (test coverage, audit scope), crucial, intricate, facilitate, enhance, innovative. Test: if the sentence survives without the word, cut it.

Also banned: "it's worth noting", "in today's fast-paced/digital world", "let's dive in", and sentence-opening "furthermore" / "moreover" / "additionally".

Rewrite examples

AI version	Human version
"It is worth noting that the platform serves as a pivotal hub for regional development"	"The platform drives most of the region's logistics"
"Furthermore, the initiative fosters collaboration across diverse stakeholders"	"It gets competing groups to work together, which is harder than it sounds"
"The move was not just strategic, but also reflective of broader industry trends"	"It was a smart move. Everyone else is doing it too."
"Despite its challenges, the organization continues to thrive"	"The organization is still running"

Over-correction is also a failure. Dull: "The system was updated. It is faster. Users can search." Human: "The update cut search latency by two thirds. You notice it on the first query."

Final check

Read the result out loud. Flag anything that sounds like a press release or travel brochure, anything obvious dressed up as profound, and any ending that just repeats the opening. Then check the opposite: if every sentence is a flat declarative and the text has no opinion, question, or image anywhere, it's dull. Add one. Revise flagged sentences.

Context adjustments

Formal writing (legal, academic, technical) can stay structured, but vocabulary and hedging rules still apply. Marketing copy needs energy, not puffery: specific and direct. Short-form content (social posts, subject lines): vocabulary rules strict, structure rules loose.