# Editorial Writing Guide

> Use when revising articles, posts, reviews, newsletters, marketing copy, or other publication prose for voice, rhythm, register, readability, or a natural human style. Triggers on editorial rewrite, copy editing, humanizing AI-generated prose, removing AI writing tells, audience tone, CEFR readability, bilingual editorial consistency, or making prose sound natural, even when the user doesn't say 'editorial'.

- Skill: `xonovex/editorial-writing-guide` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 5 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add xonovex/editorial-writing-guide`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/xonovex/editorial-writing-guide/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Marketing & Growth
- Author: xonovex (https://skillmd.com/u/xonovex)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/xonovex/editorial-writing-guide

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# Editorial Writing Guidelines

Shape publication prose for its medium, audience, and intended voice without changing unsupported facts.

Plain prose mechanics are owned by **writing-guide**. Load it with this skill and apply its clarity, terminology, evidence, and concision rules throughout the edit.

## Core Principles

- **Preserve the message**: Keep supplied facts, qualifications, and intent unless the user asks to change them
- **Fit the publication**: Match the audience, medium, register, and requested readability level
- **Use a natural voice**: Prefer concrete observations and varied rhythm over generic polish
- **Remove patterns, not punctuation**: Fix repeated AI writing moves without banning useful words or marks
- **Keep translations aligned**: Establish one factual source version before adapting another language

## Operations

- **Humanize**: Remove AI writing patterns and restore an appropriate voice, see [references/humanize.md](references/humanize.md)

## Gotchas

- Human voice does not permit invented experience, opinions, quotes, errors, slang, or uncertainty.
- Neutral genres such as news and documentation do not need a personal voice.
- CEFR targets control readability. They do not authorize the removal of required facts or technical names.
- A publication-specific skill owns its research method, structure, frontmatter, and file contract.

## Progressive Disclosure

- Read [references/humanize.md](references/humanize.md) - Load when removing AI writing patterns, adjusting editorial voice, or auditing prose for repeated stylistic moves