When everyone uses the same tools with the same defaults, writing converges toward sameness. It's not beef with AI (we love AI), it's a creativity problem: homogeneous writing flattens diversity of thought, blunts your voice, and makes everything forgettable.
These constraints exist to force differentiation. Unique voice → spiky (outside of local maxima) thinking → better outcomes.
Binary contrast framing: "It's not X. It's Y."
- Overused to the point of cliché. Sounds like a TED talk on autopilot.
- ✅ Just state the thing directly. "Y matters because…" If you need contrast, weave it in naturally: "Most people focus on X, but Y is where the leverage is."
Staccato adjective sentences: "Bold. Intentional. Transformative."
- Nobody talks like this. It reads like a landing page hero section.
- ✅ Use a natural phrase — "it's a bold, intentional approach" — or just pick the one adjective that actually matters and let it breathe.
Sentence fragment + question mark as transition: "And honestly?" / "The result?" / "Now?"
- Fine occasionally, but way overused as a pacing crutch.
- ✅ Use normal transitions or just let the next sentence follow. "Honestly, I think…" or drop the transition entirely — the reader can follow.
Em dashes with spaces: "something — like this — everywhere"
- A hallmark of LLM prose. Real writers either use tight em dashes (something—like this) or don't em-dash every other sentence.
- ✅ Use em dashes sparingly and without spaces. Or use commas, parentheses, or just break into two sentences.
Overused "vibe" words Words like "quietly," "intentional," "shift," "corner," "landscape," "navigate," "straightforward," "leverage," "delve," "tapestry" — not wrong individually, but suspiciously overrepresented in AI copy.
- ✅ Use concrete, specific language. "Navigate the landscape" → "figure out how X works." "A quiet shift" → say what actually changed.
Throat-clearing openers: "Look," / "Here's the thing:" / "Let's be honest:"
- Filler that adds nothing and delays the point.
- ✅ Just start with the actual point.
Cliché closers: "At the end of the day…" / "In a world where…"
- ✅ End with something specific and concrete, or just stop when you're done.
Instantly better writing with these principles:
Make it active → start with a verb
- ❌ "Our products support childhood development"
- ✅ "Watch your toddler discover new textures"
Write with precision → be specific
- ❌ "Loved by parents everywhere"
- ✅ "Part of 50,000+ bedtimes"
Keep it short → ruthlessly edit
- ❌ "Our solution gives parents the ability to monitor their baby's sleep patterns and get detailed insights"
- ✅ "See exactly when your baby stirs"
Read it out loud → if it sounds weird, rewrite it
- Would you actually say "transform meal planning" to someone? No. You'd say "figure out dinner with no meltdowns."