The ChatGPT Tells Killing Your Credibility
A quick-reference guide to the phrases that make your writing sound robotic, and what to do instead.
Tell #1
"It's not X, it's Y."
Variations: "The problem isn't X, it's Y." / "Not because of X, but because of Y."
What to do instead:
Just say what it IS. Cut the "X" entirely.
Tell #2
"It's more than X. It's Y."
What to do instead:
Skip straight to the Y.
Tell #3
"Whether it's X or Y or Z..."
What to do instead:
Cut this phrasing, and be direct and to the point.
Tell #4
"That's where _____ comes in."
What to do instead:
Connect naturally using the actual context.
Tell #5
"One X at a time."
What to do instead:
Be specific about what you actually mean.
Tell #6
"Here's the thing:"
What to do instead:
Cut it out entirely. Just start. Your reader is already here.
Tell #7
"You're not alone."
What to do instead:
Show understanding through specificity rather than generic reassurance, or skip the reassurance and go straight to the solution.
Your Next Step:
Scan your writing for these phrases. Delete them. Add your voice back in.
If you're not sure how to edit them out, explicitly ask AI to remove them and reword the sentence. Let's collectively force AI to WRITE BETTER!