De-Slopify — Remove AI Writing Artifacts

Purpose: Make your documentation sound like it was written by a human, not an LLM.

Key Insight: You can't do this with regex or a script—it requires manual, systematic review of each line.

What is "AI Slop"?

AI slop refers to writing patterns that LLMs produce disproportionately more commonly than human writers. These patterns make text sound inauthentic and "cringe."

Common Tells

THE EXACT PROMPT — De-Slopify Documentation

I want you to read through the complete text carefully and look for any telltale signs of "AI slop" style writing; one big tell is the use of emdash. You should try to replace this with a semicolon, a comma, or just recast the sentence accordingly so it sounds good while avoiding emdash.

Also, you want to avoid certain telltale writing tropes, like sentences of the form "It's not [just] XYZ, it's ABC" or "Here's why" or "Here's why it matters:".  Basically, anything that sounds like the kind of thing an LLM would write disproportionately more commonly that a human writer and which sounds inauthentic/cringe.

And you can't do this sort of thing using regex or a script, you MUST manually read each line of the text and revise it manually in a systematic, methodical, diligent way. Use ultrathink.

Why Manual Review is Required

The prompt explicitly states:

"And you can't do this sort of thing using regex or a script, you MUST manually read each line of the text and revise it manually in a systematic, methodical, diligent way."

Reasons:

1. Context matters — Sometimes an emdash is actually the right choice
2. Recasting sentences — Often the fix isn't substitution but rewriting
3. Tone consistency — Need to maintain voice throughout
4. Judgment calls — Some patterns are fine in moderation

Emdash Alternatives

When you encounter an emdash (—), consider:

Sometimes the best fix is to split into two sentences or restructure entirely.

Phrases to Eliminate or Rewrite

"Here's why" family

• "Here's why" → Just explain why directly
• "Here's why it matters" → Explain the importance inline
• "Here's the thing" → Usually can be deleted entirely

Contrast formulas

• "It's not X, it's Y" → "This is Y" or explain the distinction differently
• "It's not just X, it's also Y" → "This does X and Y" or similar

Forced enthusiasm

• "Let's dive in!" → Just start
• "Let's get started!" → Just start
• "Excited to share..." → Just share it

Pseudo-profound openers

• "At its core..." → Usually can be deleted
• "Fundamentally..." → Often unnecessary
• "In essence..." → Just say the essence

Unnecessary hedges

• "It's worth noting that..." → Just note it
• "It's important to remember..." → Just state the fact
• "Keep in mind that..." → Often deletable

Before and After Examples

Example 1: Emdash Overuse

Before (sloppy):

This tool—which we built from scratch—handles everything automatically—from parsing to output.

After (clean):

This tool handles everything automatically, from parsing to output. We built it from scratch.

Example 2: "Here's why" Pattern

Before (sloppy):

We chose Rust for this component. Here's why: performance matters, and Rust delivers.

After (clean):

We chose Rust for this component because performance matters.

Example 3: Contrast Formula

Before (sloppy):

It's not just a linter—it's a complete code quality system.

After (clean):

This is a complete code quality system, not just a linter.

Or even better:

This complete code quality system goes beyond basic linting.

Example 4: Forced Enthusiasm

Before (sloppy):

# Getting Started

Let's dive in! We're excited to help you get up and running with our amazing tool.

After (clean):

# Getting Started

Install the tool and run your first command in under a minute.

When to De-Slopify

Best Times

• Before publishing a README
• Before releasing documentation
• After AI-assisted writing sessions
• During documentation reviews

Files to Check

• README.md
• CONTRIBUTING.md
• API documentation
• Blog posts
• Any public-facing text

Integration with Workflow

As Part of Bead Workflow

bd create "De-slopify README.md" -t docs -p 3
bd create "De-slopify API documentation" -t docs -p 3

As Final Pass Before Commit

Now, before we commit, please read through README.md and look for any telltale signs of "AI slop" style writing...

What NOT to Fix

Some things are fine even if they seem "AI-like":

• Technical accuracy — Don't sacrifice correctness for style
• Necessary structure — Headers, lists, etc. are fine
• Clear explanations — Being thorough isn't slop
• Code examples — Focus on prose, not code

Complete Prompt Reference

Main De-Slopify Prompt

I want you to read through the complete text carefully and look for any telltale signs of "AI slop" style writing; one big tell is the use of emdash. You should try to replace this with a semicolon, a comma, or just recast the sentence accordingly so it sounds good while avoiding emdash.

Also, you want to avoid certain telltale writing tropes, like sentences of the form "It's not [just] XYZ, it's ABC" or "Here's why" or "Here's why it matters:".  Basically, anything that sounds like the kind of thing an LLM would write disproportionately more commonly that a human writer and which sounds inauthentic/cringe.

And you can't do this sort of thing using regex or a script, you MUST manually read each line of the text and revise it manually in a systematic, methodical, diligent way. Use ultrathink.

Quick Version (for minor touch-ups)

Review this text and remove any AI slop patterns: excessive emdashes, "Here's why" constructions, "It's not X, it's Y" formulas, and other LLM writing tells. Recast sentences to sound more naturally human. Use ultrathink.