Humanize Copy

Human copy sounds meant for this reader, now. Keep facts; replace formula with consequence, stance, and cadence the speaker can sustain aloud.

Establish the speaking situation before editing

Do not synonym-swap detached text. Build a voice brief from source, reader job, protected language, defensible claim, and register. For a real author, use supplied/approved samples; never infer private identity from stereotypes.

Without facts/voice authority, change only clarity, order, and cadence; never invent claims, metrics, anecdotes, testimony, or personal voice.

Edit in three passes

1. Source: mark protected meaning and authority behind every claim.
2. Stance: decide what the speaker can say plainly; lead with reader consequence, decision, or next action.
3. Shape: cut wrapper, restore causal order, tune sentence length/register.

Compare revision to source; apply references/writing-constitution.md, then use kill-list and rhythm references as detectors after meaning is settled.

Detect formula before replacing words

The kill list is a detector, not a ban. Inspect buzzwords, ceremonial hooks, manufactured contrast, repeated rule-of-three/em-dash cadence, hedges, and generic metaphor. Preserve technical, legal, and brand terms. When it fires, name the subject, state the consequence, or remove the sentence; a fancier synonym is not repair.

Worked transformation

Source facts: appointments are booked online; technicians give a two-hour arrival window; customers receive a text before arrival.

Before: “Experience seamless repair solutions designed to get your day back on track.”

After: “Book online. We’ll give you a two-hour window and text before the technician arrives.”

The revision earns confidence from source: it replaces unsupported emotional promise with decision, timing, and useful reassurance. Target specificity and rhythm that fit authority, not universally casual copy.

Decision order and evidence

Build the brief/fact ledger; revise stance, order, precision, and cadence without changing facts or safety meaning. Record source authority for new specificity.

Self-check

1. Read-aloud test, direct opening, and no formulaic cadence, hedge, or thesaurus-salad?
2. Source-backed specifics and bounded claims—not competitor-generic copy or invented texture?
3. Register fits this reader, task, and consequence?
4. Writing rules applied and their IDs recorded in the evidence?

Reference files

• references/kill-list.md — detector list and examples.
• references/rhythm-and-voice.md — structure, stance, cadence.
• references/decision-records.md — novel-case ADR rules.
• references/writing-constitution.md — portable IA floor.

How to deliver

Deliver revised copy first when requested. Follow with voice brief and 2–5 high-leverage mechanism changes when useful. Preserve facts/register; pair non-English work with i18n-ready.

Information-architecture gate

Apply the bundled Writing Constitution floor (references/writing-constitution.md): old-before-new, stress position, anchor/linking/umbrella/preview, and exact key-term repetition. Run the three-pass audit and record rule IDs. This reference is portable; do not use a workstation-local copy. Echo argument terms; remove formulaic repetition.

Contract (generated)

Canonical detail: contract.json.

• Route: UI or product copy is factually correct but generic, hedged, clichéd, or unlike the intended author voice.; avoid: The request requires changing product facts, legal meaning, or interaction behavior.
• Exclude: Do not invent claims, testimonials, or product facts. (+2 in contract.json)
• Stop / handoff: Stop when source facts or approval constraints are missing. (+1 in contract.json); receives [cognitive-a11y, design-system-interview, deslop-ui, empty-states, improve-existing-website, tasteroll] -> sends [form-ux, i18n-ready, tastecheck-pass]
• Output: fact-preserving copy revision with voice rationale
• Evidence: table_with_evidence with status, reason, remediation, evidence, provenance.