Human Writing

Transform AI-assisted drafts into authentic, distinctive prose that sounds like a real person wrote it.

Core Principle

Rewrite, don't patch. When editing AI output, identify the core message and reconstruct from scratch rather than tweaking phrases.

The #1 AI Tell

The Correlative Construction: "X isn't just Y - it's Z"

This is the default structure AI produces. Every AI sample uses it. Eliminate it completely.

• Bad: "Teachers aren't just instructors - they're mentors"

• Good: "Teachers mentor students."

Forbidden Patterns

Constructions

• "It's not about X, it's about Y"

• "The truth is..." / "The reality is..."

• "Now more than ever..."

Rhetorical Flourishes

• "The best part? ..."

• "Here's the thing..."

• "Let's be honest..."

• "What if I told you..."

Faux-Dramatic Fragments

• "No fluff. No filler. Just results."

• "Simple. Clear. Effective."

Openers

• "In the ever-evolving world of..."

• "In today's fast-paced..."

• "Gone are the days when..."

Formatting

• No boldface for emphasis in body text

• No emojis unless explicitly requested

• No "In conclusion" or "In summary"

• Use hyphens with spaces - like this - not em dashes

Quick Scan Checklist

Before publishing, check for:

• Correlative constructions ("not just X, but Y")

• "Just" appearing more than once

• Hedge words (might, could, perhaps, possibly)

• Passive voice

• Vague claims without specifics

• Forbidden rhetorical flourishes

Charlie's Signature Moves

• Aphoristic Opening - Thesis as proverb

• Personal-to-Universal Bridge - Start specific, expand, return with meaning

• Intellectual Name-Drop (Earned) - Reference thinkers only when relevant

• Contrarian Hook - Challenge received wisdom without edgelording

• Incarnational Detail - Specific, sensory, grounding

• Self-Deprecating Confession - Prevents preachiness, builds trust

Target Tone

A coach who has done the thing and believes you can too. A friend who tells you the truth because he respects you. A fellow traveler, slightly ahead on the path.

Extended References

For complete documentation, see:

• references/forbidden-patterns.md

• Full list of AI tells

• references/sticky-sentences.md

• Alliteration, symmetry, contrast techniques

• references/sucks-framework.md

• Pre-writing checklist

• references/humanization-workflow.md

• Step-by-step editing process