AI Slop Removal & Clear Writing Kit

An editing kit for teams and their agents to turn AI-assisted drafts into clear, specific, accurate prose: a style guide, a 63-entry phrase lexicon, a claim-check step, a rewrite rubric with original before/after examples, an editor-agent prompt and workflow, and slop_lint.py, which scores text and flags padding, hype, unsourced figures and repetitive structures. Includes a responsible-use note: disclose AI assistance where required; not an AI-detection evasion tool.

Doc / CSV / Python script (ZIP + PDF)An editing kit for teams and their agents to turn AI-assisted drafts into clear, specific, accurate prose: a style guide, a 63-entry phrase lexicon, a claim-check step, a rewrite rubric with original before/after examples, an editor-agent prompt and workflow, and slop_lint.py, which scores text and flags padding, hype, unsourced figures and repetitive structures. Includes a responsible-use note: disclose AI assistance where required; not an AI-detection evasion tool.

What's inside

Verify it works

  1. python3 slop_lint.py --selftest prints selftest ok. It checks that the lexicon (63 entries) has no duplicates. It also checks that a deliberately padded sample scores low with every pattern type flagged, while a specific, sourced sample scores 100 with no findings.
  2. python3 slop_lint.py 03_Rewrite_Rubric_and_Examples.md runs on any Markdown or text file; use - to read from stdin. Add --json for machine output and --min-score 75 for a CI gate (exit code 1 below the threshold).
  3. Edit lexicon.csv to add your own banned phrases (columns: phrase, category, why, suggested_fix), then re-run the selftest.
  4. Paste the agent prompt from 02_Editing_Workflow_and_Agent_Prompt.md into your editing agent along with 01_Style_Guide.md.
  5. Read the responsible-use note in 01_Style_Guide.md. Disclose AI assistance wherever it's required. Python 3.9+, no installs.

Preview

First part of the main document, shown as-is:

Clear Writing Style Guide (for people and agents)

A short house style for turning AI-assisted drafts into prose that is specific, accurate and easy to act on. Keep it next to lexicon.csv. Change the rules to fit your team, but keep the reason next to each rule.

Responsible use

This kit improves the quality of writing. It is not a way to disguise who or what wrote something. - Disclose AI assistance wherever it is required: by your employer, a client, a publisher, a school, a platform or the law. Editing a draft doesn't remove that duty. - Don't use this kit to get around academic-integrity rules or AI-detection policies, or to pass off machine-written work as entirely your own where that matters. - slop_lint.py flags patterns worth a second look. It can't tell who wrote a text and doesn't try to.

The seven rules

  1. Lead with the point. The first sentence says what happened, what you found or what you need. No scene-setting ("In today's…"), no throat-clearing ("Let's explore…").
  2. Be specific. Swap adjectives for facts: "faster" becomes "from 9 to 4 minutes"; "various teams" becomes "support and billing". If you can't be specific, the claim may not be ready.
  3. Source every figure and factual claim, or label it as an estimate. "Studies show" without a citation gets deleted.
  4. Commit, or say exactly what you don't know. One hedge per claim at most, and make it informative: "we haven't tested refunds over $500", not "to some extent".
  5. Cut filler and intensifiers. "It's important to note", "truly", "crucial". If something is important, show the consequence.
  6. Vary the rhythm on purpose. Mix short and long sentences. Watch for stacked lists of three, chains of em dashes, and the "it's not X, it's Y" move. Each is fine once and tiring when repeated.
  7. End with what happens next. A decision, an owner, a date or a question. Skip the summary that repeats the body.

Formatting

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