Why Does AI Writing Sound... Like That Intern Nobody Wants to Mentor?

Hey Creative Pros!

So I was hunting for new podcasts the other day (as one does when you have a podcast addiction), and I found this personal development show with like 200 episodes and tons of reviews. But then I read the description and... oof. It was SO obviously AI-written. Like painfully obvious. "Unlock your true potential," "elevate your business game," "unleash your superpowers" - you know, all those phrases that scream "I wrote this in 2023 and never looked back!"

The weird thing? I actually listened to the host and they're super personable and authentic! But their description made them sound like a robot. It got me thinking - how do we make sure our own content doesn't end up in that same hollow, AI-generated trap?

What You'll Learn

• Why AI writing isn't "wrong" - just overused - This stuff comes from legitimate professional writing! But when everyone suddenly sounds the same... yikes
• Spot the AI lingo - Thanks to Matthew Hitcham's research (shoutout to his ChatGPT Black Magic course that Facebook-stalked me into buying)
• Write like you actually talk - Not dumbed down, just... human? There's a difference
• Add your messy human experiences - The cat-knocking-over-water moments that make content real
• Know when to sound professional vs. conversational - Because your yoga studio newsletter doesn't need to sound like a medical journal
• The Baader-Meinhof effect in action - Once you see these patterns, you'll notice them EVERYWHERE (sorry in advance)
• Embrace strategic imperfection - Sometimes the tangents and "oops" moments are what make it memorable

Episode Timestamps

00:00:00 - Podcast description that inspired this episode 00:04:05 - Why AI writing isn't inherently bad (it's just everywhere) 00:06:49 - What is "AI speak" and why it's a problem 00:11:48 - Matthew's framework for spotting AI patterns 00:17:22 - The Baader-Meinhof phenomenon 00:18:14 - Technique 1: Write conversationally 00:20:52 - Technique 2: Add personal experiences (the messy ones!) 00:23:54 - Technique 3: Embrace imperfection 00:27:52 - When to use AI vs. your human brain 00:30:28 - 5-step editing process for humanizing AI content

Tools & Resources I Actually Use

For Content Creation:

• ChatGPT (for outlines when my brain is stuck)
• Claude (my go-to for everything writing-related)
• Voice memos (to capture how I actually talk)

The Course That Stalked Me:

• Matthew Hitcham's ChatGPT Black Magic ($19 when I got it, totally worth it)
• Tons of prompt templates in there (I've only used 3 so far, oops)

The Techniques That Work:

• Read everything aloud 
• Add personal disasters
• Embrace the tangents
• Mix formal and casual based on context

Try These This Week

• Audit your recent content - Count how many AI patterns you find
• Read everything aloud - This catches unnatural phrasing better than anything else
• Add one messy human moment - Share a specific example, even if it's embarrassing (especially if it's embarrassing)
• Test the hybrid approach - Use AI for structure, then rewrite it like you're explaining to a friend
• Test the decision framework - Consciously decide: high stakes or low? Emotional or technical? Match your approach accordingly

Important Stuff

Look, if you're a trained writer who naturally writes formally, don't feel like you need to sound