How to write like a human.

Step 1

Have an idea. Capture in a text editor. Old mate, Claude, is practically begging you to share. But you’re not ready for that kind of commitment yet.

Step 2

Keep writing. Be detailed. Notice how therapeutic it is to get your thoughts out. Your concept becomes concise. Your head clears. That idea you had at work could apply to your exercise routine. Dots are connecting. The writing is solid. It feels so good that you are tempted to share your idea right away. It’s ready, surely?

Step 3

Cool your jets. Tomorrow’s fresh eyes will see things that today’s tired eyes can not. Take a long pause. Read about writing instead. Stephen King’s “On Writing” makes you gasp in that final chapter. It’s arresting. Writers who write about writing are a joy to read.

Step 4

Read what you wrote yesterday. Oh my goodness, it sucks. 

Step 5

Edit your writing. Brutally kill your darlings, amend typos, and play with words. Structure it. Add satisfying details that only you would notice. A touch of repetition. A sprinkling of alliteration. An inside joke. Remove filler words, actually. The joy of writing returns. 

Step 6

See that LinkedIn has added a new 'seems like AI slop' button. Maybe people crave the messy, authentic human stuff. That’s good because you happen to be a messy, authentic human. 

Step 7

Ask Claude to spot errors, repetition, and improve flow. Lose your cool: “This sounds like AI”. Expect a snarky response: “Well, YOU sound like a dumb human”. Instead, Claude responds conscientiously. Its suggestions sharpened and itemised. Stupid, helpful software... cherry pick its suggestions. 

Step 8

Edit your story again. Restructure it. Kill more darlings. You’re not writing for everybody. You’re writing for a self-selected group. You don’t need to explain the picture beyond the story. They get it. 

Step 9

Share your story. It feels good because writing feels good. It creates connections between people we may never get to speak to. Writing is human expression. Commit to more of it.