--- name: de-slopify description: "Remove telltale signs of AI-generated 'slop' writing from README files and documentation. Make your docs sound authentically human." --- # 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 | Pattern | Problem | |---------|---------| | **Emdash overuse** | LLMs love emdashes—they use them constantly—even when other punctuation works better | | **"It's not X, it's Y"** | Formulaic contrast structure | | **"Here's why"** | Clickbait-style lead-in | | **"Here's why it matters:"** | Same energy | | **"Let's dive in"** | Forced enthusiasm | | **"In this guide, we'll..."** | Overly formal setup | | **"It's worth noting that..."** | Unnecessary hedge | | **"At its core..."** | Pseudo-profound opener | --- ## 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: | Original | Alternative | |----------|-------------| | `X—Y—Z` | `X; Y; Z` or `X, Y, Z` | | `The tool—which is powerful—works well` | `The tool, which is powerful, works well` | | `We built this—and it works` | `We built this, and it works` | | `Here's the thing—it matters` | `Here's the thing: it matters` or recast entirely | 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 ```bash 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. ```