AI Tells

Patterns to avoid in all written content. Read the examples in references/ for voice – don’t follow rules mechanically.

The One Rule

Never use the correlative construction. This is the #1 AI tell:

• “X isn’t just Y – it’s Z”
• “It’s not about X, it’s about Y”
• “Schools aren’t just buildings – they’re communities”

Find another way. State the thing directly.

Other Patterns to Avoid

1. Setup phrases: “The best part? …” / “The secret? …” / “Here’s the thing…”
2. Staccato fragments: “No fluff. No filler. Just results.”
3. Triple adjectives: “Fast, efficient, reliable” (grouping in threes)
4. Cliché openers: “In today’s fast-paced…” / “In the ever-evolving…”
5. Dramatic punctuation: “Let that sink in” / “Now more than ever”
6. Thesaurus abuse: utilize, implement, facilitate, leverage, comprehensive, crucial
7. Fake questions: “Sound familiar?” / “Ready to level up?”
8. Transition tells: “And here’s the kicker” / “Enter: [thing]”

Format Constraints

• Dashes: hyphens with spaces – like this – not em dashes (—)
• No emojis in body content
• No bold for emphasis within paragraphs

Voice References

Read these for the vibe, not as rules:

• references/pirate-wires-examples.md – 11 annotated examples showing voice in action
• references/pirate-wires-style.md – Voice breakdown

The test: Does this sound like a person talking, or a person performing “good writing”?