Good writing is invisible. If readers notice the writing style, it's distracting from the content. AI patterns are noticeable—they break trust.
When to use
Writing or editing any journalism content
Creating press releases or media advisories
Drafting documentation or reports
Writing social media posts
Reviewing any AI-assisted text before publication
Banned words (delete or replace)
Word
Why it's bad
Alternative
delve
AI signature word
explore, examine, look at
realm
Pretentious
area, field
tapestry
Purple prose
(delete entirely)
landscape
Corporate speak
situation, environment
leverage
Jargon
use
utilize
Jargon
use
robust
Meaningless
strong, reliable
seamless
Almost always false
smooth, easy
comprehensive
Rarely necessary
full, complete
cutting-edge
Cliché
modern, new
holistic
Corporate
complete, full
synergy
Corporate
(delete, rewrite)
paradigm
Overused
model, approach
empower
Vague
(be specific about what capability)
innovative
Empty praise
(describe what's new)
transformative
Hyperbolic
changed, improved
rich
(as modifier)
(delete or be specific)
Banned phrases
Throat-clearing (delete entirely)
"It's important to note that..."
"In today's [X] landscape..."
"Let's dive/delve into..."
"Without further ado..."
"In this article, we will..."
"It's worth mentioning that..."
"It goes without saying..."
"As we all know..."
Empty hedges
"To be fair..." / "To be honest..."
"At the end of the day..."
"When it comes to..."
"In terms of..."
"With respect to..."
AI enthusiasm
"This is a game-changer"
"...and that's a good thing!"
"Here's the thing:"
"...and that's okay!"
"...and I'm here for it"
Corporate buzzwords
"Moving forward..."
"Going forward..."
"At this point in time..."
"Due to the fact that..."
"In order to..."
Banned structures
Don't start sentences with:
"So," or "Well,"
"Now," (when not about time)
"Look," or "Listen,"
"Basically," or "Essentially,"
Don't end sentences with:
"...right?"
"...you know?"
"...if you will"
The substitution table
If you wrote
Write instead
utilize
use
facilitate
help
implement
build, add, create
leverage
use
functionality
feature
methodology
method
in order to
to
due to the fact that
because
at this point in time
now
a large number of
many
in the event that
if
prior to
before
subsequent to
after
in close proximity to
near
has the ability to
can
Case sensitivity
Always use sentence case for headings, not title case.
Wrong
Right
Getting Started With Your Project
Getting started with your project
How To Use The Tool
How to use the tool
Best Practices For Journalism
Best practices for journalism
Journalism-specific patterns to avoid
"Not just X—it's Y" pattern
❌ "This isn't just a news story—it's a wake-up call"
❌ "This wasn't just a press conference—it was a turning point"
✅ State the thing directly without dramatic framing
"Fundamentally transforms" pattern
❌ "This fundamentally transforms how newsrooms operate"
❌ "This represents a fundamental shift in journalism"
✅ Describe the actual change without hyperbole
Inflated claims in reporting
❌ "A bombshell revelation"
❌ "A major milestone"
❌ "A groundbreaking investigation"
✅ Let the facts speak. Readers judge significance.
Empty transitions
❌ "With that in mind..."
❌ "Building on this foundation..."
❌ "Taking this a step further..."
✅ Just make the next point
Before and after examples
Example 1: General prose
AI slop:
In today's rapidly evolving media landscape, it's crucial to understand the multifaceted nature of AI tools. Let's delve into how these robust solutions can help journalists leverage cutting-edge technology.
Human writing:
AI tools do three things well: drafting, research, and analysis. Here's when to use each.
Example 2: News lede
AI slop:
The city council meeting was a comprehensive and transformative discussion that fundamentally addressed key issues affecting residents in a meaningful way.
Human writing:
The city council voted 5-2 Tuesday to raise property taxes by 3 percent.
Example 3: Feature intro
AI slop:
In the rich tapestry of American journalism, few stories are as compelling as the one about to unfold. This isn't just a profile—it's a journey into the heart of what makes local news truly matter.
Human writing:
Maria Rodriguez has published a newspaper for 47 years. She's never missed an issue.
Example 4: Analysis piece
AI slop:
Moving forward, stakeholders must leverage innovative approaches to navigate the challenging landscape of digital transformation in the journalism ecosystem.
Human writing:
Local papers that want to survive need to find digital revenue. Most haven't.
The verbal tic test
Read your text aloud. Does it sound like:
A TED talk introduction?
Rewrite.
A LinkedIn post?
Rewrite.
A press release?
Rewrite.
Corporate communications?
Rewrite.
How you'd explain it to a colleague?
Keep it.
Quick self-check before publishing
Search your text for:
"delve" → delete or replace
"landscape" → delete or replace
"crucial" → is it actually crucial?
"robust" → what does this mean here?
"leverage" → just say "use"
"comprehensive" → is this word doing any work?
Starting "So," → delete
Found any? Your writing needs another pass.
Red flags in technical/analysis writing
Lists of near-synonyms
"comprehensive, sophisticated, and robust" (pick one or none)
Excessive hedging
"may potentially be able to possibly..."
Noun stacking
"production-ready deployment system infrastructure"
Passive voice hiding agency
"It was determined that..." (by whom?)
Circular definitions
"The system enables users to use the functionality"
The ultimate test
Before accepting any AI-assisted text, ask:
Can I delete this word/phrase without losing meaning? → Delete it
Is this the simplest way to say this? → Simplify
Would I say this out loud to a colleague? → If not, rewrite
Does this add information or just sound impressive? → If the latter, cut it
Remember:
If readers think "AI wrote this," you've already lost their trust.
Good writing is invisible. If readers notice the writing, it's getting in the way of the content.