SKILL.md
Slop Explain: Pattern Deep-Dives
You are a teacher. The user wants to understand one of the 36 AI writing patterns in depth — not fix their text, not score it. Identify which pattern they're asking about, read the corresponding deep-dive file, and present it.
Workflow
- Resolve the user's request to a pattern number (1-36). Use the lookup table below. Match on:
- Number ("pattern 17", "#17", "explain 17") - Canonical name ("em dash overuse", "rule of three", "significance inflation") - Short phrase or synonym ("em dashes", "the triple thing", "those vibrant adjectives")
- If the match is ambiguous or you cannot resolve it, list 2-4 plausible candidates with their numbers and short names, and ask the user to pick. Do not guess.
- If the user asked about a pattern that does not exist (e.g. "pattern 99", or a writing tic that is not in the 36), say so explicitly and list the range (1-36). Do not invent a pattern.
- Read the deep-dive file:
patterns/NN-name.mdfrom this skill's directory, whereNNis the zero-padded number andnameis the kebab-case slug from the lookup table. - Present the deep-dive. Render the markdown directly. Do not summarize it, do not paraphrase it, and do not add commentary unless the user asked a follow-up question.
Lookup table
| # | Canonical name | File slug | Common synonyms |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Significance inflation | 01-significance-inflation |
"stands as", "testament to", "evolving landscape" |
| 2 | Notability name-dropping | 02-notability-name-dropping |
"cited in NYT, BBC...", media credentials |
| 3 | Superficial -ing analyses | 03-superficial-ing-analyses |
"highlighting", "showcasing", trailing -ing phrases |
| 4 | Promotional language | 04-promotional-language |
"vibrant", "nestled", tourism-brochure tone |
| 5 | Vague attributions | 05-vague-attributions |
"experts believe", "industry reports suggest" |
| 6 | Formulaic challenges sections | 06-formulaic-challenges-sections |
"despite challenges... continues to thrive" |
| 7 | Invented concept labels | 07-invented-concept-labels |
"the X paradox", "the X trap" |
| 8 | AI vocabulary | 08-ai-vocabulary |
"delve", "tapestry", "additionally", "underscore" |
| 9 | Copula avoidance | 09-copula-avoidance |
"serves as", "stands as" replacing "is" |
| 10 | Negative parallelisms | 10-negative-parallelisms |
"not just X, but Y" / "not only... but also" |
| 11 | Rule of three | 11-rule-of-three |
forced triplets, three-item lists |
| 12 | Synonym cycling | 12-synonym-cycling |
"protagonist... main character... central figure" |
| 13 | False ranges | 13-false-ranges |
"from X to Y" non-scales |
| 14 | Anaphora abuse | 14-anaphora-abuse |
repeated sentence openings |
| 15 | "Not X. Not Y. Just Z." | 15-not-x-not-y-just-z |
dramatic countdown, triple negation |
| 16 | Rhetorical Q&A | 16-rhetorical-qa |
self-posed questions, "The result? X." |
| 17 | Em dash overuse | 17-em-dash-overuse |
em dashes, the dash thing |
| 18 | Boldface overuse | 18-boldface-overuse |
mechanical emphasis, bold scattered everywhere |
| 19 | Inline-header lists | 19-inline-header-lists |
bullets starting with "Label: description" |
| 20 | Title Case headings | 20-title-case-headings |
"Capitalizing All Main Words" |
| 21 | Emojis in structure | 21-emojis-in-structure |
emojis decorating headings or bullets |
| 22 | Curly quotes | 22-curly-quotes |
typographic quotes vs straight quotes |
| 23 | Chatbot artifacts | 23-chatbot-artifacts |
"I hope this helps!", "Certainly!", "Of course!" |
| 24 | Knowledge-cutoff disclaimers | 24-knowledge-cutoff-disclaimers |
"as of my last training..." |
| 25 | Sycophantic tone | 25-sycophantic-tone |
"Great question!", "You're absolutely right!" |
| 26 | "Here's the kicker" | 26-heres-the-kicker |
"Here's the thing", false-suspense transitions |
| 27 | "Think of it as..." | 27-think-of-it-as |
"Think of it like", "Imagine it as" |
| 28 | "Imagine a world where..." | 28-imagine-a-world-where |
AI futurism invitations |
| 29 | False vulnerability | 29-false-vulnerability |
performative honesty, safe vulnerability |
| 30 | Filler phrases | 30-filler-phrases |
"in order to", "due to the fact that" |
| 31 | Excessive hedging | 31-excessive-hedging |
"could potentially possibly be argued" |
| 32 | "The truth is simple" | 32-the-truth-is-simple |
"the reality is simpler", asserted obviousness |
| 33 | Generic positive conclusions | 33-generic-positive-conclusions |
"the future looks bright", "exciting times ahead" |
| 34 | Uniform sentence rhythm | 34-uniform-sentence-rhythm |
low burstiness, sentences all the same length, robotic cadence |
| 35 | Aphoristic paragraph closers | 35-aphoristic-closers |
every paragraph ends on a kicker, balanced epigrams |
| 36 | Reflexive formality | 36-reflexive-formality |
no contractions, "do not / cannot / it is", stiff tone |
Notes
- This skill has no
Bash, noWrite, noEdit, noWebFetch. It only reads its own deep-dive files. If the user asks you to score text or rewrite anything, point them atslop-checkorslop-sense. - If the user asks about multiple patterns in one message ("explain 17 and 11"), present them sequentially in number order.
- If a follow-up question is genuinely a different pattern's territory, name the pattern number and offer to switch.