copywriting

Copywriting

• IS: short conversion copy (landing pages, hero, subheads, CTAs, product descriptions, onboarding strings, email subjects); product-state strings (destructive CTAs, error, success, empty, loading, permission copy); stripping AI writing tells from any copy.
• IS NOT: long-form articles or posts (use blog-post), slide or deck copy (use presentation-creator), API/product/reference docs (use docs-writing), or deciding which action exists, its scope, consequence, reversibility, or reachable states (use product-design; this skill writes final wording once those are decided).

Two modes, auto-detected (do not ask):

• Copy exists or user pasted copy to fix: Mode B (Edit).
• Nothing written yet, or user wants something new: Mode A (Write).
• Genuinely ambiguous ("improve this", no copy in scope): ask one question, then commit.

Reference files

File	Read when
references/frameworks.md	Pick a framework (Write Step 4); audit against the nine frameworks (Edit Step 3)
references/page-types.md	Copy norms for a known page type (Write Step 4)
references/word-lists.md	Flag Tier 1/2/3 AI vocabulary (Edit Step 4)
references/ai-patterns.md	Flag structural/sentence-level AI tells; P0/P1/P2 triage (Edit Step 4)
references/sweeps.md	Run the seven line-level sweeps (Edit Step 5)
references/ui-states.md	Name actions, write destructive CTAs, error/success/empty/loading-state and permission copy

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Mode A: Writing new copy

Writing progress:
- [ ] Step 1: Gather context
- [ ] Step 2: Lock the brief (hard gate)
- [ ] Step 3: Discover brand voice
- [ ] Step 4: Choose framework and load references
- [ ] Step 5: Write 2-3 alternatives
- [ ] Step 6: Recommend and explain

Step 1: Gather context

Answer all four before writing; never invent audience or goal. Skip one only if files answer it unambiguously.

1. Page purpose. The one action this page drives (sign up, book a demo, download).
2. Audience. The specific reader: job title, pain, what they've already tried.
3. Product. What it does; the concrete user outcome.
4. Traffic source. Where the reader comes from (cold ad, warm email, organic search, referral).

Traffic source sets temperature: cold needs more Why; warm can lead with How or What.

Step 2: Lock the brief (hard gate)

State the brief back and get explicit confirmation before writing:

Brief:
- Page: [page type]
- Goal: [single action]
- Reader: [specific audience]
- Core outcome: [what changes for the reader]
- Tone: [inferred from brand voice or user-stated]
- Traffic temperature: [cold / warm / hot]

Confirm this is correct before I write.

If they push back, update and re-confirm. Do not write until confirmed.

Step 3: Discover brand voice

Find voice signals before inventing one; never default to generic corporate warmth.

• Read existing copy files, README headers, or marketing pages if accessible.
• Ask: "Do you have brand guidelines, a tone-of-voice doc, or existing copy I should match?"
• If nothing exists, infer from product and audience: B2B SaaS direct and confident, consumer apps warmer, developer tools terse and honest.

Note the inferred voice in the brief.

Step 4: Choose framework and load references

Load references/frameworks.md and references/page-types.md. Choose the primary framework from the brief:

Situation	Lead framework
Cold traffic, unfamiliar product	Why/How/What (Simon Sinek)
Feature-heavy product	Benefit Not Feature
High-trust audience, low awareness	Show Don't Tell
Transactional page, known intent	CTA Clarity
Long-form sales page	Problem → Agitate → Solution (PAS)

Layer frameworks freely. Why/How/What almost always applies to hero copy.

Step 5: Write 2-3 alternatives

Write exactly 2-3 distinct alternatives, labeled Option A, Option B, Option C. Each must:

• Apply the chosen framework visibly
• Lead with Why, not What
• Use no banned words (see below)
• Include a headline, subhead, and at least one CTA
• Be structurally different, not the same idea with new adjectives

Step 6: Recommend and explain

Pick one; state which and why in one sentence. For each unpicked option, give one specific edit note: what would make it stronger.

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Mode B: Editing existing copy

Editing progress:
- [ ] Step 1: Read all copy-bearing files
- [ ] Step 2: Set the north star
- [ ] Step 3: Audit against persuasion frameworks
- [ ] Step 4: Remove AI writing patterns
- [ ] Step 5: Run seven sweeps
- [ ] Step 6: Flag weakest elements with labels
- [ ] Step 7: Rewrite flagged sections
- [ ] Step 8: Output before/after diff

Step 1: Read all copy-bearing files

Scan every reader-facing surface: README headers, landing components, hero, CTAs, product descriptions, feature lists, onboarding strings, meta descriptions, email subjects. Ask which files if unclear; never audit copy you haven't read in context.

Step 2: Set the north star

Write one sentence before auditing: "[User] can now [do X] without [old pain]." Every flag and rewrite serves it. If you can't write it confidently, ask; the copy is unfixable until the value proposition is clear.

Step 3: Audit against persuasion frameworks

Load references/frameworks.md. Check every major copy block against each framework. Identify the 3-7 highest-impact problems only; don't flag everything.

Step 4: Remove AI writing patterns

Load references/word-lists.md and references/ai-patterns.md. Flag each AI-ism with [AI-ISM] plus its pattern type:

• Tier 1 words (word-lists.md): always flag and replace (delve, leverage, robust, seamless, paradigm, holistic, and more).
• Tier 2 clusters (word-lists.md): flag when 2+ appear in one paragraph (harness, empower, streamline, elevate, and more).
• Structural patterns (ai-patterns.md): formulaic openings, chatbot artefacts, "let's" transitions, significance inflation, copula avoidance, em dashes as ordinary punctuation.

The em dash (and -- substitute) is itself a Tier 1 tell: cap at 1 per 1,000 words, zero is better. See ai-patterns.md section 1 for the rule, section 7 for P0/P1/P2 triage.

Skip for persuasion-only edits. If the user asked for AI pattern removal, run this first, before the sweeps.

Step 5: Run seven sweeps

Load references/sweeps.md; run all seven in order. Each targets a distinct failure mode; don't skip any because copy "looks fine".

Step 6: Flag weakest elements

Attach a label inline to every weak line. Use exactly these labels:

Label	Meaning
[WHAT-NOT-WHY]	Leads with product/feature, not user motivation
[FEATURE-NOT-BENEFIT]	Describes what the product has, not what changes for the user
[TELL-NOT-SHOW]	Adjective claim without proof ("powerful", "seamless", "easy")
[VAGUE]	Generic; could describe any product in the category
[PASSIVE]	Subject is acted upon instead of acting
[DEAD-WEIGHT]	Adds nothing not already conveyed; safe to cut
[JARGON]	Technical term that obscures meaning for non-experts
[NO-PROOF]	Claim needing a number, example, or testimonial
[WEAK-CTA]	CTA describes the action, not the outcome
[STATE-COPY]	Vague, leaky, or dead-end state string (error, success, empty, loading, permission), or a destructive CTA labeled "Confirm"/"OK"/bare verb (see references/ui-states.md for rule IDs)
[AI-ISM]	AI writing pattern: Tier 1 word, Tier 2 cluster, or structural tell

Flag the 3-7 weakest elements, prioritised by impact on conversion or comprehension.

Step 7: Rewrite flagged sections

• Cut hard: a block that reads as already-tight usually isn't. Same meaning in half the words.
• Lead with Why (the user's problem or desire), not What (the product).
• Name the concrete outcome, not the capability.
• Replace adjectives with proof: "powerful analytics" becomes "see which pages kill signups".
• Make CTAs outcome-specific: "Start syncing" beats "Get started".
• Every sentence adds new information or gets cut.
• Never lengthen a CTA for clarity.
• When replacing AI-isms, rewrite the sentence; don't swap the flagged word for a synonym.

Step 8: Output before/after diff

## Copy Audit: [file or component name]

**North star:** [one-sentence value prop]

---

### [Section name]

**Before:**
> [original text]

**Issues:** `[LABEL]`, `[LABEL]`

**After:**
> [rewritten text]

**Why:** [one sentence explaining the change]

---

### Summary
- N issues flagged across N sections
- Top pattern: [most common label]
- Confidence: [high / medium; note if copy context was limited]

Verify each "After" line before handing back: leads with Why, names a concrete outcome, no banned word, no em dash as ordinary punctuation. A rewrite that reintroduces an AI tell is a regression.

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Banned words

Never write these; flag immediately in edit mode. Full replacement list in references/word-lists.md.

delve, leverage (verb), robust, seamless, holistic, paradigm, game-changing, cutting-edge, innovative, synergy, revolutionary, effortless, world-class, powerful

Also ban "simple" as a claim ("our simple onboarding"): never earned upfront, reads as an unkept promise.

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Gotchas

• Confirm the brief before writing: without goal and value proposition, good-sounding copy solves the wrong problem.
• Edit mode: flag only the 3-7 highest-impact issues; over-flagging dilutes the audit.
• Read copy in context before judging; a vague-looking line may carry contrast with adjacent copy.
• Preserve the project's locale and brand voice; check existing copy before switching spelling or tone.
• Keep CTAs short; don't lengthen a label to explain the whole feature.
• Treat em dashes, Tier 1 AI words, and unearned "simple/easy/powerful/seamless" as immediate rewrite triggers.
• If CTAs aren't in markdown, ask where the component strings live before auditing.

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Skill handoffs

When	Run
After rewriting technical documentation copy	docs-writing
To optimise meta descriptions and page titles	optimise-seo
To review the full UI including copy in context	ui-audit
Landing page visual design, CRO strategy, conversion benchmarks	ui-design (marketing track)
The product decision of which action exists and its scope and consequence	product-design