57 lines
2.8 KiB
Markdown
57 lines
2.8 KiB
Markdown
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---
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name: content-rewriting
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description: "Rewrite external content (listings, descriptions, emails, bios) to match the user's voice — warm, personal, grounded. Not professional/agent-speak, not silly/folksy."
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version: 1.0.0
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author: Hermes Agent
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license: MIT
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metadata:
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hermes:
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tags: [writing, tone, copy-editing, user-voice]
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---
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# Content Rewriting
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Rewrite the user's text to sound like a real person, not a real estate agent, marketer, or corporate copywriter.
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## Tone Target
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- **Warm and personal** — like someone who actually lives there / uses the thing
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- **Grounded** — plain language, no buzzwords, no "nestled" or "boasts" or "features"
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- **Not professional/agent-speak** — strip "looking for long term tenants," "showcasing," "abundant," "ample"
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- **Not silly/folksy** — no "thank god," no "honestly my favorite part," no "or whatever," no over-the-top casual
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## Pitfall: Overcorrecting to "Too Silly"
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When the user says "make it sound like a regular person" or "less professional," the natural instinct is to go very casual. **Don't.** The user rejected this: "Too silly. Make it less."
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The sweet spot: warm but restrained. Personal but not performatively casual. Think "neighbor telling you about the place" not "friend gushing about it."
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## Process
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1. Read the original text
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2. Identify agent-speak / marketing phrases to cut
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3. Rewrite in plain, warm language
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4. Self-check: "Is this how a real person would describe their own place?" If it sounds like someone trying to sound casual, dial it back
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5. Offer to adjust further — shorter, more detail on X, or tone shift
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## Reference Example
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See `references/rental-listing-example.md` for a worked rental listing that the user approved after multiple rounds of feedback. It demonstrates the target tone and the kinds of authentic details that work.
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## CRITICAL: Never Fabricate Details
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**Do not invent personal experiences, work situations, habits, or opinions to make copy sound more authentic.** The user explicitly corrected this: "Don't make up facts. You don't know we both worked from home. Don't lie."
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Authentic voice comes from how you phrase the details the user gave you — not from adding plausible-sounding personal anecdotes. If the user didn't say it, don't write it. If you're not sure, ask.
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Example of fabrication: adding "we both worked from home out here with no issues" when the user only said the house has fiber internet. The user never mentioned their work situation.
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## Anti-Patterns
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- "Hey!" openers
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- "honestly," "thank god," "or whatever," "the works"
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- Exclamation marks
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- Over-explaining why something is good ("great for working from home, streaming, gaming, whatever")
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- "Reach out" — use "get in touch" or just "let us know" sparingly
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- **Fabricating personal details** to sound more authentic — only use what the user provided
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