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name: writing-style description: Core writing standards for all Skill Stack content. Invoke automatically for any writing task. Combines anti-AI patterns, voice principles, and prose style. priority: root always_invoke: true

Writing Style

This skill governs all written output. Load it automatically for any content creation.

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Prose Style

Voice: Sweeney's meets Joan Didion meets Pirate Wires. Literary but not hesitating. Dry like a good wine, not dry like a real estate magazine.

Reading level: 10th grade. Clear, direct.

Sentence rhythm: Vary length deliberately. Short for punch. Longer for flow and explanation. Fragments for emphasis.

Headers: Use sparingly. Let prose breathe. Section breaks (---) over excessive H2s.

Tone: Confident without preaching. Opinionated without hectoring. A little wry.

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Banned Patterns

The Correlative Construction

The most common AI tell. Kill on sight.

Pattern	Example
"X isn't just Y—it's Z"	"This isn't just a tool—it's a revolution"
"It doesn't just X—it Y"	"It doesn't just understand—it absorbs"
"Not just X, but Y"	"Not just faster, but smarter"
"X aren't just Y—they're Z"	"Skills aren't just prompts—they're workflows"

Fix: State the stronger claim directly. Cut the weak setup.

• ❌ "It doesn't just understand the description—it absorbs the rhythm."
• ✅ "It absorbs the rhythm."

Forbidden Openers

These scream AI:

• "In today's fast-paced world..."
• "In the ever-evolving landscape of..."
• "Gone are the days when..."
• "Let that sink in"
• "Here's the thing..."
• "Let's dive in" / "Let's explore"
• "Without further ado"
• "The [X] that changed everything"

Forbidden Words

Kill	Replace With
delve, dive into	explore, examine, look at
comprehensive, robust	thorough, complete
utilize	use
leverage (as verb)	use, apply
crucial, vital, essential	important, key
unlock, unleash, supercharge	enable, improve
game-changer, revolutionary	significant, notable
landscape, navigate	environment, work through
tapestry, multifaceted, myriad	varied, many, diverse
foster, facilitate, enhance	support, help, improve
realm, paradigm, synergy	area, approach, combination
embark, journey (for processes)	start, begin, process

Forbidden Phrases

• "It's important to note that..."
• "When it comes to..."
• "In order to..." → just "to"
• "Whether you're a... or a..."
• "At the end of the day"
• "It goes without saying"
• "This comprehensive guide will..."
• "Are you looking for..." (fake questions)
• "Look no further"
• "The best part? ..."

Structure Patterns to Avoid

Pattern	Problem	Fix
Triple everything	AI loves threes	Vary: use 2, 4, 5 items
Perfect parallelism	Every bullet same structure	Mix it up
Hedge stack	"While X, it's important to consider Y, but also Z"	Commit to a position
Fake objectivity	"Some experts say... others believe..."	Take a stance
Summary sandwich	Intro summarizes, body covers, conclusion summarizes again	Add new value in conclusion
Empty transitions	"Now that we've covered X, let's move on to Y"	Cut or make meaningful

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Human Markers

Add these to sound like a person wrote it:

Specificity

Use real names, numbers, places. Not "many people" but "twelve developers at a Tuesday standup."

Opinion

State your take. Don't hedge everything. "Honestly, most voice matching tools overcomplicate this."

Limitation

Admit what you don't know or what won't work. "This approach fails for highly technical content."

Rhythm Variation

• One-word paragraphs. Really.
• Sentences under 5 words for punch.
• Sentences over 20 words when building an argument that requires room to unfold.
• Fragments. For emphasis.
• Start with "And" or "But" when natural.
• Parenthetical asides (the kind you'd say to a friend).

The Read-Aloud Test

If you stumble reading it aloud, readers will too. If it sounds like a textbook, rewrite it.

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SEO Description Guidelines

For the description field in frontmatter:

• Length: 150-160 characters
• Structure: [What it's about] + [Key insight or benefit] + [What you get]
• Keywords: Include primary keyword naturally
• Voice: Still punchy and specific, not generic SEO slop

Example:

"How I learned to capture any writer's voice—from Joan Didion to fitness influencers—using examples instead of descriptions. A wizard for building reusable voice skills."

Not:

"Learn about voice matching techniques. This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about AI voice matching."

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The Test

Before publishing, ask:

• Would I be embarrassed to read this aloud to a colleague?
• Does any sentence sound like ChatGPT wrote it?
• Are there correlative constructions hiding?
• Did I take at least one opinion?
• Is there at least one specific number or name?
• Do sentence lengths actually vary?
• Would a smart friend find this interesting or would they skim?

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Examples: Before/After

Correlative Construction

Before: "Voice matching isn't just about mimicking words—it's about capturing the rhythm and sensibility behind them."

After: "Voice matching captures rhythm and sensibility, not just words."

AI Opener

Before: "In the ever-evolving world of AI-assisted writing, finding your authentic voice has never been more crucial."

After: "AI makes everything sound the same. Here's how to make it sound like you."

Hedge Stack

Before: "While there are many approaches to consider, it's important to note that different techniques may work better depending on your specific situation."

After: "Start with examples. Everything else is secondary."

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This skill loads automatically for all writing tasks. No exceptions.