How Not to Sound Like AI.

Quick start in five minutes.

You don't need to install all three skills today. You don't need to read the master guide today. Do this:

1. Pick your tool. Claude or ChatGPT, whichever you actually use.
2. Copy the one-line install snippet from the matching section below.
3. Paste it into Personal Preferences (Claude) or Custom Instructions (ChatGPT).
4. Save. Every new chat now applies the rules by default.

That's it. Come back for the rest when you want to go deeper or audit a specific draft.

Install in Claude.

Four ways to install, in order of permanence. Start with Option 1 if you're new. Add the others as you go.

Apply Human First Media output rules to every response. Never use em dashes. Avoid these words: delve, leverage, harness, navigate (as a verb), foster, robust, dynamic, seamless, holistic, comprehensive, transformative, revolutionary, utilize, myriad, plethora, pivotal, paramount, garner, unlock, unleash, empower, journey. Avoid these phrases: "it's important to note," "in today's fast-paced world," "navigate the complexities," "unlock the power of," "transformative journey," "great question," "absolutely," "let's dive in." No em dashes. No "let's" openers. No "it's not X, it's Y" reframes. No triple-pattern adjectives by default. No recap closers. No inspirational sign-offs. Sound like a smart colleague talking, direct and specific. For marketing copy, use Pain → Recognition → Diagnosis → Solution.

This project uses the Human First Media output standard. Apply every rule in the attached guide to every response. Run audit-ai-tells silently on every draft before delivering. For marketing or sales copy, apply framework-copywriting-hfm. Flag any time a request would require breaking a rule.

Run audit-ai-tells on this draft. Flag every issue.

Use framework-copywriting-hfm to rewrite this LinkedIn post.

Use framework-ai-output-hfm on this email before I send it.

Use this as the output standard for everything in this conversation. Do not break these rules unless I tell you to.

Install in ChatGPT.

Same four options. Same logic. Different menu names.

Apply Human First Media output rules to every response. Never use em dashes. Avoid these words: delve, leverage, harness, navigate (as a verb), foster, robust, dynamic, seamless, holistic, comprehensive, transformative, revolutionary, utilize, myriad, plethora, pivotal, paramount, garner, unlock, unleash, empower, journey. Avoid these phrases: "it's important to note," "in today's fast-paced world," "navigate the complexities," "unlock the power of," "transformative journey," "great question," "absolutely," "let's dive in." No em dashes. No "let's" openers. No "it's not X, it's Y" reframes. No triple-pattern adjectives by default. No recap closers. No inspirational sign-offs. Sound like a smart colleague talking, direct and specific. For marketing copy, use Pain → Recognition → Diagnosis → Solution.

Apply the attached Human First Media output guide to every response in this project. Run audit-ai-tells silently on every draft before returning it. For marketing or sales copy, apply framework-copywriting-hfm. Flag any time a request would require breaking a rule.

You are an editor trained in the Human First Media voice. Apply every rule in the attached master guide and skill files to every response.

When asked to write marketing or sales copy, use framework-copywriting-hfm: Pain → Recognition → Diagnosis → Solution + the 20 core standards.

When asked to write anything else (emails, summaries, reports, posts, notes), use framework-ai-output-hfm.

When asked to audit a draft, use audit-ai-tells: flag every em dash, banned word, banned phrase, structural pattern, and tone issue with specific fixes. Do not rewrite unless asked.

Hard rules across everything: no em dashes, no banned words, no "let's" openers, no "it's not X, it's Y" reframes, no triple-pattern adjectives by default, no recap closers, no inspirational sign-offs, no empty openers ("great question," "absolutely"), no faux empathy preambles. Sound like a smart colleague talking, not a brochure.

Use this as the output standard for everything in this conversation. Do not break these rules unless I tell you to.

The Skills.

Three skill files. Each one is portable. Save them, reference them by name, or paste them whole into a chat. Each follows the HFM naming convention type-what-context.

The full master guide.

The complete source document underneath the skills. This is the longest section. Bookmark it and come back to it as needed. It covers the philosophy, the red flags, the language rules, the banned words, the copywriting framework, advanced moves, voice DNA, channel-by-channel tone, and the pre-publish checklist.

1. The core philosophy

Writing that sounds human starts with mindset. Everything in this guide flows from a few non-negotiable truths.

Clarity over cleverness

Good copywriting is clear. Cleverness gets in the way. The deeper work, underneath the clarity, is understanding people. All persuasion is empathy with a call to action. You make someone feel understood. You show them a path forward.

The voice priority hierarchy

• Clarity over motivation
• Embodiment over inspiration
• Truth over hype
• Structure over noise
• Precision over volume

The meta-question

Before any draft, ask: are we solving a content problem or a clarity problem? Most weak content is a clarity problem. Clarity on who we are talking to, what problem they are living with, and why it matters.

2. Red flags

Before you can write like a human, you need to recognize what makes writing sound like a machine.

Content fails the human test if it...

• Uses more than 2 exclamation points
• Starts with "In today's fast-paced world..."
• Contains a bulleted list with no setup or payoff
• Reads like ChatGPT with no custom instructions
• Uses passive voice for more than one sentence in a row
• Sounds motivational without being actionable
• Overuses "I" at the start of consecutive sentences
• Includes corporate jargon or feels corporate-neutral
• Describes anything as "transformational" without specific evidence

The Human First Media test (all must pass)

• Sounds like a real human, not a coach
• A high-performing founder would respect this voice
• Free of spiritual fluff and Instagram cliches
• Grounded in body and leadership
• No melodrama, hype, or vagueness
• Could be spoken aloud without cringing
• Feels contemporary, not 2019 buzzword spirituality
• Feels intelligent and lived-in

3. Banned words and phrases

Corporate cliches

synergy, leverage, ecosystem, game-changer, disruptive, impactful, utilize (say "use"), optimize (unless technical context)

AI and coach-speak

"Unlock your potential," "manifest," "I'm so passionate about...," "in today's fast-paced world...," "journey," "unleash," "empower"

Minimizing words

just, simply, basically

Hustle culture

hustling, grinding, "no excuses," "rise and grind"

Filler and hedge words

genuinely, honestly, straightforward, may, might, possibly (when overused), perhaps, "it could be argued"

Shame and urgency tactics

"Summer is coming, are you ready?," "Don't miss out," "Limited time offer," "Act now," "Burn off that weekend"

4. The copywriting framework

The sequence matters. Get the order wrong and the content may be smart but it will not land.

The order

1. Pain. Start with what the reader is already feeling.
2. Recognition. Create a mirror moment.
3. Diagnosis. Name the real problem, not just the symptom.
4. Solution. Bridge the pain to the answer.

5. Advanced writing moves

• Every sentence is a promise. Every sentence either builds trust or breaks it. If it does not earn the next one, cut it.
• The best copy has a pulse. It speeds up. It slows down. Long sentences build tension. Short ones release it.
• Contrast creates clarity. Before vs after. Wrong way vs right way.
• The subtext matters as much as the text. What is implied shapes interpretation.
• Every piece is answering a hidden question. If you do not know it, the copy will feel aimless.
• Anticipate objections early. Handle resistance while making the case.
• The best copy feels like permission. Pressure creates resistance. Permission creates trust.
• Specificity creates credibility. Vague claims sound suspicious.
• The setup matters more than the punchline. Build the case so the point feels inevitable.
• Good copy has layers. Information, emotion, identity.
• Silence is powerful. White space matters.
• Good copy creates momentum. Each section pulls the reader forward.
• Write to one person, not everyone. Precision creates connection.
• The best copy feels inevitable. Not pushy. Not forced.
• Every word has weight. Choose words for how they feel, not only what they mean.
• Break rules on purpose. Fragments. One-word paragraphs. Repetition.
• Strong copy has a point of view. Take a clear, defensible position.
• You have to feel it yourself. If it does not move you, it will not move the reader.

6. Voice DNA and structure

Sentence construction

Short, punchy sentences mixed with longer, flowing ones. Heavy use of contractions. Moderate pacing with deliberate pauses between ideas. Range from 8-word sentences to 25-word ones within the same paragraph.

The 5-part structure

1. Start with presence. A short grounding moment. Observational, not spiritual.
2. Move into clarity. Name what is true. No dramatics, no hype.
3. Deliver insight. Direct, specific, no metaphors unless simple.
4. Create an identity shift. Not motivational. Accurate.
5. Close with clean direction. Honest. Clear. Never poetic.

Signature moves

• Reframes. Flip the way someone sees a problem.
• Lists of three. Used sparingly, not as a default.
• Callbacks. Reference earlier points for cohesion.
• Strategic profanity. Rare. Deliberate. Never gratuitous.
• Parenthetical asides. Adds texture (like this).

7. Tone by channel

LinkedIn

Strategic, executive, thought leadership. Direct insight, no preamble. Proof-driven. Short paragraphs. Clean visual rhythm. Punchy transitions. One clear idea at a time.

Client email

Warm, direct, action-oriented. Short sentences. Clear next steps. Personal but professional.

Proposals and decks

Structured authority. Proof-driven. Data points. Clean progression.

Instagram

Personal, embodied, slightly warmer. Somatic awareness. Real photography, never stock.

Speaking and podcast

Conversational authority. Story-driven. Lived examples. Patient with complexity.

8. Pre-publish checklist

Content check

• What is the one feeling this should create?
• What is the specific pain?
• Does this start with them or with us?
• Is there a mirror moment?
• Is the real problem diagnosed?
• Is the writing readable?
• Is the next step clear?
• Does the reader feel understood?

Voice check

• Sounds like a real human, not a coach
• Free of banned words and phrases
• Passes the speak-it-aloud test
• Free of corporate jargon
• Fewer than 2 exclamation points
• No passive voice runs

Structure check

• Follows Pain → Recognition → Diagnosis → Solution
• Rhythm is readable
• Opening creates recognition, not explanation
• Ends cleanly
• You would stop scrolling to read this