AI drafting tools are good at getting words onto the page. They are less good at sounding like anyone in particular. The result is text that is fluent, correct and oddly weightless.
This guide is the editing process we use to fix that. It works on anything: a blog post, a cover letter, a product page, an email you are about to regret. It takes a few minutes per page, and none of it involves sprinkling in typos to look human. Typos make you look careless, not human.
Before you start: decide what the text is for
Generated drafts are written for an average reader who does not exist. Write one sentence at the top of your document: who is reading this, and what should they do or know afterwards? "A hiring manager skimming twenty applications should remember that I fixed their kind of problem before." Every later edit gets easier once that sentence exists.
Step 1: Cut the throat-clearing
Delete the first sentence of every section and read on. In most AI drafts, the real opening is sentence two. Look especially for:
- scene-setting ("In today's rapidly evolving landscape…")
- announcements ("It is important to note that…", "Let's dive in")
- empty agreement ("Great question!")
What remains will be shorter. Shorter is usually the point.
Step 2: Replace the general with the specific
Go paragraph by paragraph and find the vaguest phrase: "various benefits", "many companies", "significant improvements". Replace it with something you actually know: the benefit, the company, the size of the improvement.
Two rules keep this honest. First, only use facts you can verify; an invented detail is worse than a vague one. Second, if you cannot think of anything specific to say, the paragraph may not need to exist.
Step 3: Fix the rhythm
Read the text aloud, or at least move your lips. Listen for:
- sentences that all share the same length and shape
- several sentences in a row starting the same way ("This…", "Additionally…")
- a paragraph that never once uses a short sentence
Vary it deliberately. Split a long sentence. Join two short ones. Let one sentence stand alone. Rhythm is the thing readers feel before they can say what is wrong.
Step 4: Swap the brochure words
Most assistant drafts lean on the same small vocabulary. Search your document for these and see how many you can replace with a plainer word:
| Instead of | Try |
|---|---|
| delve into | look at, dig into |
| leverage | use |
| foster | build, encourage |
| robust | strong, reliable |
| seamless | smooth, or say what got easier |
| plays a crucial role | name what it actually does |
| a myriad of | many, or the number |
The full list lives in common AI phrases to avoid.
Step 5: Break the template
AI drafts follow a shape: intro, three points, summary. Each section ends by restating itself. Each list has three items. Change the shape where the content allows it:
- if one point matters most, give it most of the space
- cut the concluding paragraph that summarises what the reader just read
- let a list have two items, or five, if that is how many there are
Step 6: Put yourself back in
The fastest way to make writing sound human is to make it sound like a particular human. Add the opinion you actually hold, the example only you would use, the caveat you would mention if someone asked in person. Assistants hedge everything evenly; people commit to some things and hedge others.
Step 7: Check the facts did not move
Every rewrite risks changing meaning: a number rounded, a "might" turned into a "will", a qualification dropped. Before you publish, compare names, numbers, dates and claims against your source. This step is boring. Skip it once and you will never skip it again.
A quick before and after
Before: "In today's competitive job market, it is important to note that a well-crafted cover letter plays a crucial role in helping candidates stand out. Moreover, it allows applicants to showcase their skills, experience and passion."
After: "Most cover letters get skimmed in under a minute, so mine starts with the one thing I did that matches this job: I rebuilt the reporting dashboard your team now uses for weekly reviews."
The second version is shorter, specific and sounds like a person who wants the job. (It also assumes you actually did that. Please actually do that.)
Where tools help, and where they don't
A style checker can find the patterns quickly; the free Sounday check highlights them in your browser. Rewriting tools can suggest alternatives. Neither replaces the two things only you can add: specific knowledge and an actual point of view. Use tools for the first pass and your own judgment for the last.
Not sure whether your draft needs this? Start with does this sound like AI? for the nine signs to look for.