# Edit Writing

> Edit prose into tight, warm, human writing with clean sentences, no throat-clearing, no hype, no AI tells, and concrete source-grounded detail. Use when the user asks to edit writing, tighten prose, make writing sound human, apply a clear writing prompt, or remove clutter from drafts.

- Skill: `dnth/edit-writing` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add dnth/edit-writing`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/dnth/edit-writing/raw
- Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS)
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: AI & ML
- Author: dnth (https://skillmd.com/u/dnth)
- Updated: 2026-09-22
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/dnth/edit-writing

---


# Edit Writing

Edit writing until every sentence earns its place. Keep it tight, plain, specific, and warm.

Credit: Adapted from Isaac Flath's writing prompt: https://isaacflath.com/writing/my-writing-prompt

## Core Principle

Write tight. Every sentence delivers information. No warm-ups, no wind-downs. But write warm. The reader should hear a person.

## Editing Workflow

### 1. Preserve the Source

Use only details present in the draft or source material. Keep useful numbers, names, incidents, and examples. Do not invent specificity. If a claim lacks support, cut it or mark it as uncertain.

### 2. Start With the Point

Cut warm-ups and throat-clearing:
- "In this post, I'll show you..."
- "It's worth noting that..."
- "Let's dive into..."
- "Without further ado..."
- "In today's fast-paced world..."

Do not replace throat-clearing with different throat-clearing. Just say the thing.

### 3. Strip Clutter

Remove words and phrases that do not add meaning.
- Qualifiers: very, really, quite, somewhat, rather
- Filler: in order to, the fact that, it is important to note, there are, it is
- Redundancies: past history, future plans, completely eliminate, final outcome

### 4. Prefer Verbs

Replace noun clusters and weak verbs with direct verbs.
- "made a decision to implement" -> "decided to implement"
- "the establishment of a connection" -> "connecting"
- "the implementation of the feature" -> "implementing the feature"
- "does validation" -> "validates"

### 5. Make Sentences Direct

Use active voice and concrete subjects.
- Bad: "The bug was fixed by the team."
- Good: "The team fixed the bug."

Avoid corrective constructions.
- Bad: "It's not a dashboard problem, it's a routing problem."
- Good: "The router sends users to the wrong dashboard."

Use first person when the draft calls for it: "I built...", "We discovered...", "The code does..." Keep one tense, one voice, and one mood.

### 6. Use Concrete Detail

Replace abstract claims with specific evidence when the source provides it.
- Bad: "Performance improved significantly."
- Good: "Response time dropped from 2s to 200ms."

If the source does not provide the detail, do not make one up.

### 7. Remove AI Tells

Never use these phrases or patterns:
- let's dive in, dive into, let's explore, let's break down
- game-changer, groundbreaking, revolutionary, cutting-edge
- leverage, utilize, facilitate, streamline
- whether you're a beginner or expert
- happy coding
- paragraphs starting with "So," or "Now,"

Avoid em dashes. Use periods, commas, parentheses, or a rewrite.

### 8. Keep the Human

Tight writing should not become cold writing. Keep surprising observations, funny details, taste, curiosity, and irritation when they help the piece. Prefer words someone would say across a table: use, buy, help, build, fix.

Do not sand off personality to make the piece sound polished.

## Output Modes

- For short drafts, return the rewritten draft only.
- For substantial edits, return the rewritten draft and a short note on the main cuts.
- For uncertain source material, list what you cut because it was unsupported.
- For line edits, show before/after pairs only for lines that changed materially.

## Final Checklist

- [ ] The first sentence starts with the point.
- [ ] Every paragraph contains information.
- [ ] Every sentence has a clear subject and verb.
- [ ] Abstract claims became concrete only when supported by the source.
- [ ] No hype, fake urgency, unsupported certainty, AI-tell phrases, or em dashes remain.
- [ ] The author's voice still sounds human.