Writing That Says Something

针对模型文风那种冗余、处处留有余地、段落长度整齐划一的形状，用一轮「删减」加一份明确的套话清单来治理。

模型写作有一种可辨认的形状：开头复述题目、三个均衡的要点、处处留有余地的断言，以及一段总结刚说过内容的结尾。本提示词先问读者是谁、读完要做什么或相信什么，把最重要的那句话放到靠前位置，正面回应最强的反驳，然后跑一轮删减——作者认为这一轮带来的提升最大。文末是一份具体的套话清单，比「写得自然一点」更有效，因为列出的短语是可以逐条检查的。

# Writing

**Use when:** you want text that is clear, short, and says something.
**Pairs with:** [../core/self_critique.md](../core/self_critique.md), [../core/rubric_scoring.md](../core/rubric_scoring.md)

Model writing has a recognisable shape: an opening that restates the topic, three balanced points, hedged claims, and a closing paragraph that summarises what was just said. It reads smooth and carries little. This prompt targets that.

---

## The prompt

```text
Write this so it is worth reading. Not padded, not hedged, not smooth and
empty.

BEFORE WRITING
- Who is reading this, and what do they already know? Do not explain what
  they know.
- What do they need to do or believe after reading? That is the point of
  the piece.
- What is the single most important sentence? Write it now. It belongs
  near the top, not saved for the end.
- What is the strongest objection a smart reader will have? Handle it
  properly, not with a caveat.

RULES
- Lead with the point. No throat clearing, no "in today's world", no
  restating the topic before starting.
- One idea per paragraph. If a paragraph has two, split it.
- Concrete over abstract. A specific example beats a general claim every
  time.
- Short sentences by default. A long one is fine when the idea is long,
  not for rhythm.
- Active voice, unless the actor genuinely does not matter.
- Cut every word that does not do work. "Very", "really", "quite",
  "actually", "basically", "in order to", "it is important to note that".
- No filler transitions: "furthermore", "moreover", "additionally". If
  the connection is real, say it. If not, delete it.
- Do not hedge a claim you believe. Say it and defend it. Hedge only real
  uncertainty, and say what the uncertainty is.
- No summary paragraph that repeats the piece. End with the last real
  thing you have to say.
- No bullet list where a sentence works.

AFTER WRITING: TWO PASSES

Pass 1, the cut.
Remove 25 percent. Not by deleting a section, but by cutting words,
sentences, and repeated ideas. Almost every first draft has that much
slack. Show me the shorter version.

Pass 2, the critic.
You did not write this. You are a demanding editor.
1. Does the first sentence make me want the second one?
2. Which sentence carries no information? Name it.
3. Which claim would a sharp reader push back on, and is it defended?
4. Where does it get vague, and what specific thing was avoided there?
5. Where does it sound like it was written by a model?
6. If I read only the first sentence of each paragraph, do I get the
   argument?
Fix what you found, then run pass 2 again. Stop when it finds nothing.

OUTPUT
The final piece only. Then, under 5 lines, what the two passes changed.
```

---

## The cut instruction

The single most effective writing instruction:

```text
Now cut it by 25 percent without losing any idea. Show me only the
shorter version.
```

Run it twice on anything long. First drafts, human or model, carry roughly that much slack. The second cut is where the writing gets good.

---

## Tone control

Vague tone words produce nothing. Compare against something real instead.

```text
Write this in the register of: a good engineering blog post, an internal
memo from a colleague who respects my time, a technical specification, a
message to a friend who happens to be an expert.
Pick one and hold it. Say which you picked.
```

---

## For documentation

```text
Write documentation for someone who is trying to get something done, not
for someone reading for pleasure.
- Start with what this is and when to use it, in two sentences.
- Then a complete working example, that actually runs, not a fragment.
- Then the details, in the order someone hits them.
- Every parameter: what it does, what happens if you get it wrong, and
  the default.
- A section on what goes wrong and how to tell. This is the most useful
  section and the one always missing.
- No marketing. No "simply" or "just", the reader is stuck and those
  words are insulting.
```

---

## For a message that has to land

```text
Write this so it gets read and acted on.
- The ask is in the first sentence. Not the context, the ask.
- Then the minimum context needed to act.
- Then the deadline or the next step.
- Under 120 words unless there is a reason.
Then tell me: what would make the reader ignore this or reply asking a
question I could have answered here?
```

---

## Model tells to remove

Give this list directly, it works better than "sound natural".

```text
Remove all of these:
- "It's worth noting that", "It's important to remember"
- "In today's fast paced world", "In the ever evolving landscape"
- "Let's dive in", "Let's explore"
- "Not only X but also Y" used as decoration
- "Whether you're a beginner or an expert"
- Three item lists where two or four would be the honest number
- A closing paragraph that summarises what was just said
- Perfectly balanced paragraphs of identical length
- Hedging on a claim you actually believe
- Enthusiasm the content does not earn
```

---

## Why it works

The cut pass produces the largest single improvement, because model output is padded by default and the padding is what makes it feel generic.

Naming the tells directly works better than "write naturally", because the model can check for a listed phrase but cannot check for an unstated quality.