How to humanise AI drafts without dumbing them down

TL;DR: Start from the reader’s moment, keep claims concrete, and fix rhythm before flourish. Use the five-pass workflow below and a short checklist to ship consistently better writing in less time.

Book a quick intro

Why this matters

AI tools draft quickly but often sound like policy memos or press releases. Readers don’t need more filler; they need clarity and believable proof. “Humanising” isn’t about adding emojis or slang—it’s about respecting the reader’s time, telling the truth plainly, and leaving them with a next step they understand.

What “humanise” actually means

• Reader-first: Begin where they are, not where your tool starts.
• Concrete over abstract: Specific outcomes beat vague adjectives.
• Evidence-aware: One metric, one quote, one screenshot (where applicable).
• Honest tone: Plain language, grounded claims, easy to verify.
• Rhythm you can speak: If you can’t read it aloud comfortably, it isn’t ready.

The five-pass workflow

1) Reader moment → Hook

State the problem in their words and the win if they continue. One sentence each.

Before: “Our cutting-edge solution leverages AI to streamline processes.”  
After:  “New customers stall at step 2. Here’s a 10-minute fix to get them to ‘Aha’ faster.”

2) Structure → One job per section

Outline: problem, why now, 1–3 steps, proof, next step. Ship the outline to get alignment before drafting.

3) Language → Concrete, active, minimal modifiers

• Swap abstract nouns for verbs (“enable optimisation” → “cut setup time”).
• Prefer short–long–short sentence rhythm.
• Kill throat-clearing (“In this article, we will…”).

4) Proof pass → Metric, quote, screenshot

Pick one of each if possible. No proof? Reduce the claim or frame as a hypothesis.

5) Read-aloud pass → Friction hunt

You’ll catch clutter and awkward cadence instantly. Fix, then ship.

Before/after mini examples

Landing page intro

Before: “Our platform offers a comprehensive suite of innovative features designed to optimise performance.”  
After:  “Ship your first report in 10 minutes. No setup calls, no templates. Just connect data and click ‘Publish’.”

Email line

Before: “We’re excited to announce enhancements designed to drive significant value.”  
After:  “Two changes you’ll notice today: faster search and clearer labels.”

Long-form paragraph

Before: “Regenerative agriculture is a paradigm that holistically improves outcomes for ecosystems and humans alike.”  
After:  “Think of soil like a pantry. If you never restock it, food quality drops. Regenerative farms ‘restock’ with cover crops and compost so nutrients end up in your food, not just in the fertiliser bill.”

Pocket checklist (use every time)

• Why now? The hook states a timely reason to keep reading.
• One job per section. Readers can skim and still win.
• Concrete claims. Where’s the number, quote, or screenshot?
• Plain language. Could a smart friend follow this at lunch?
• Next step. What should they do in 10 minutes?

Prompt pattern that helps (and what to avoid)

Use:

“Draft for [audience] who feel [tension]. Keep it [tone].  
Use examples from [context]. Avoid hype.  
Structure: hook, 3 steps, proof, next step.  
Output: plain-text with short–long–short rhythm.”

Avoid: requesting “compelling,” “engaging,” or “world-class” without constraints. Ask for structure and evidence, not personality.

Putting it into a 45-minute workflow

1. Brief (5 min): audience, tension, outcome, one constraint.
2. Outline (10 min): headings + bullets; confirm.
3. Draft (15 min): write ugly, keep momentum.
4. Proof pass (10 min): add metric/quote/screenshot or lower the claim.
5. Read-aloud (5 min): fix rhythm, cut fluff, ship.

Reserve polish for headlines, intro, and CTAs. Most readers only see these.

Common pitfalls (and fixes)

• Press-release voice. Fix: remove adjectives; add one consequence for a human.
• Feature parade. Fix: tie each feature to a job-to-be-done.
• Over-explaining. Fix: add a “busy reader note” at the top with one-sentence summary.
• No proof. Fix: add a small metric or a quote; otherwise frame as a test you’re running.
• Wall of text. Fix: short paragraphs, sub-heads, lists. Let people skim.

Ethical defaults

• Mark AI-assisted drafts in your internal workflow.
• Keep sources. Link when claims hinge on them.
• Protect privacy. No personal data in prompts or samples.
• Say “we don’t know yet” when you don’t.

Quick questions