Why "Write Like a Human" Doesn't Work (And What Actually Does)

Have you ever said "But make it more human" to your AI 😂😂

I did it for the longest time

And you know what changed? Almost nothing.

Here's what I finally realized: asking an AI to "be human" is like telling someone to "be funny" without explaining what makes you laugh. The model has no idea what that actually means.

The breakthrough came when I stopped describing feelings and started describing patterns.

Think about how you actually write when you're messaging a friend or posting in a community like this:

You use contractions because typing out "do not" feels weirdly formal. Your sentences vary wildly in length. Sometimes short and punchy. Other times you find yourself going down this longer path where you're exploring an idea and taking the reader along with you to see where it leads. like just now! 😲

I really explored what it means to be "human" (or how to write like one) and then applied those tactics to the AI prompt.

So instead of prompting "write like a human," I started prompting the actual mechanics:

"Use contractions throughout. Vary sentence length dramatically. Include a tangent that connects back to the main point. Use simple vocabulary. (try using the hemingway grading system) 👏

Add your experiences! State an opinion that might be slightly controversial.

honestly just feed it yourself!

What patterns have you noticed in writing that feels natural vs. AI generated?

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