stop-slop_skill

Overview

This skill helps writers and editors eliminate predictable AI writing patterns to make prose more direct, authentic, and human. It provides simple rules, a quick audit checklist, and a compact assessment framework to evaluate and revise text before finalizing. Use it during drafting, editing, or final polish to remove mechanical, formulaic phrasing.

How this skill works

The skill inspects prose for common AI‑like traits: filler openings, formulaic contrasts, repetitive sentence lengths, and quotable pull‑quotes. It guides targeted edits—removing filler words, varying sentence rhythm, shortening over‑explained passages, and stripping dramatic structures—so the result feels natural and reader‑respecting. A short scoring framework rates key dimensions to prioritize revisions.

When to use it

• Final pass before publishing blog posts or essays
• Editing marketing copy to sound less canned
• Polishing documentation or help text for clarity
• Rewriting social posts that feel formulaic
• Improving thought pieces to preserve author voice

Best practices

• Remove predictable openers (e.g., "In this article" or "It is important")
• Vary sentence length and paragraph endings deliberately
• Trust the reader—cut unnecessary explanations and metaphors
• Avoid binary contrasts and dramatized structures that signal formula
• Replace quotable-sounding lines with straightforward variants
• Use the 5-metric assessment to guide revision priorities

Example use cases

• Transforming a corporate blog post from promotional to conversational
• Editing a how-to guide to remove padded introductions and needless emphasis
• Streamlining academic summaries to be more concise and direct
• Tightening product copy that currently relies on clichés and hype
• Converting AI-generated drafts into a consistent human voice