tropes

AI Writing Tropes Detection

Scan generated text for common AI writing patterns that make content sound artificial or formulaic. This skill provides a systematic workflow for identifying and eliminating tropes.

Source: tropes.fyi by ossama.is

Core Principle

Write like a human expert: varied, precise, and professional.

The goal is to find the "middle ground" between overly colloquial or casual writing and the obscure, formulaic style typical of AI generation. A single pattern used once is usually fine; the problem occurs when multiple tropes cluster together or when the same trope repeats throughout the text.

When to Check

Scan for tropes when:

• Generating any text content (documentation, comments, messages)
• Reviewing writing before committing or publishing
• Editing AI-generated drafts
• Responding to user questions or creating explanations

Detection Workflow

0. Load User Preferences

Check for preference files in order (project overrides global):

1. .claude/office.local.md (project-level, in the current working directory)
2. ~/.claude/office.local.md (user-level, global)

If either exists:

• Parse YAML frontmatter for structured settings (sensitivity, tone, banned words, skip categories)
• Read markdown body for freeform rules
• Merge: project-level settings override global settings field-by-field
• Apply merged preferences as overrides to the default detection behavior below

If neither exists, offer to create the global file with default values after the detection run completes.

See references/preferences-schema.md for the full field reference and precedence rules.

1. Pattern Scan

Read through the text and identify:

• Repeated sentence structures or openings
• Formulaic transitions ("It's worth noting", "Here's the thing")
• Ornate vocabulary where simple words work better
• Rhetorical patterns that feel artificial
• Overly colloquial or "chatty" fragments that lack professional weight

2. Cluster Check

Look for multiple tropes appearing together:

• 3+ patterns in a single paragraph = high risk
• Same pattern used 2+ times in a piece = needs revision
• Em-dashes appearing 5+ times = formatting issue

3. Revision Strategy

For each identified trope:

• Word choice: Replace with simpler, more direct language, or precise technical terms (avoid "magic adverbs").
• Sentence structure: Vary openings and lengths naturally, grouping related thoughts into coherent paragraphs.
• Transitions: Use logic-driven connectors (e.g., "Consequently," "Conversely") instead of filler phrases.
• Formatting: Reduce em-dashes, remove bold-first bullets.

4. Verification

After revision:

• Re-scan for remaining patterns
• Check that text sounds natural when read aloud
• Ensure specificity (concrete details vs vague attributions)
• Confirm the tone is professional yet accessible ("Expert Clarity")

5. Preference Sync (Optional)

After the detection run, offer to save preferences to either ~/.claude/office.local.md (global) or .claude/office.local.md (project):

• Newly flagged words the user wants to permanently ban → add to banned_words
• Repeated correction patterns → add to preferred_terms
• Sensitivity adjustments based on false positives → update sensitivity

Default target is the global file unless the user specifies project-level. Do not auto-write preferences. Present the proposed changes and let the user confirm.

Pattern Categories

The complete trope catalog is organized into seven categories. Load specific references as needed:

1. Word Choice - references/word-choice.md Ornate vocabulary, magic adverbs, pompous constructions

2. Sentence Structure - references/sentence-structure.md Negative parallelism, rhetorical questions, formulaic patterns

3. Paragraph Structure - references/paragraph-structure.md Short fragments, listicle disguises

4. Tone - references/tone.md False suspense, pedagogical voice, vague attributions

5. Formatting - references/formatting.md Em-dash overuse, bold-first bullets, unicode decoration

6. Composition - references/composition.md Fractal summaries, dead metaphors, content duplication

7. Professional Balance - references/professional-balance.md Avoiding both overly colloquial "humanisms" and obscure AI-isms.

8. User Preferences - references/preferences-schema.md Two-tier overrides: global ~/.claude/office.local.md + project .claude/office.local.md. Custom banned words, sensitivity, tone, skip categories.