I had enough. Here is my new rule: If I read anything that feels like slop, I’m unfollowing you. Yes, you read that right. And if you feel threatened by this, I suggest you continue reading.
Writing is becoming easier but good writing grows more valuable and rare. Many people use LLMs, yet the result feels flat and forgettable. An authentic human voice is essential for cutting through the noise.
The Slop Epidemic
I know AI content when I see it. I’ve spent over a thousand hours working with LLMs professionally and personally. It’s not just about excessive emojis or em dashes. Here:
- Low-value adjective overload: “The comprehensive analysis delivered actionable insights that dramatically enhanced our operational efficiency”
- Explaining abbreviations that need not be explained (ie. if you are reading this, you already know what LLM stands for)
- Manufactured segue questions connecting sentences that don’t need connection
- Pompous, repetitive patterns like “This isn’t just X—it’s Y”
- Section titles that feel like textbook chapters
- Overly polished structure that lacks sharpness and edge
- Complete absence of personal stories or lived experience
Every unnecessary adjective, every filler transition, every generic insight shows lack of empathy for people’s time and attention. It’s disrespect pretending to be talent.
I’m increasingly of the opinion that sharing unreviewed content that has been artificially generated with other people is rude.
Why are so many people afraid of sounding personal and opinionated? Is it because being opinionated feels risky? Because bland feels “professional”? Because having a point of view means you might be wrong?
The solution isn’t more polish—it’s more humanity.
Writing as a Human
Good writing is always personal. It should reveal your experiences, preferences and quirks. Take metaphors. Do you see code everywhere—bugs in conversations, debugging relationships? Or maybe you think in music—crescendos of argument, staccato sentences? Or do you reach for childhood memories to explain complex ideas? Nobody else can connect your dots like you do.
Or your rhythm patterns. Some writers think in short bursts. Others prefer flowing, interconnected threads that build momentum, each idea feeding into the next like tributaries joining a river. Both work—but only if they’re authentically yours, like fingerprints.
LLMs are trained on the statistical average of human writing, but good writing breaks those averages. Good writers know how to bend the rules. When to start with “And” or “But.” When to be deliberately repetitive for emphasis. Or for style. LLMs play it safe; humans can take risks.
The Reader Journey
Notice that the title of this post is “UX of Reading,” not “UX of Writing.” Good writers are obsessed with their readers and their reader experience. If your writing is difficult to parse, it’s not writing—it’s performance art.
Here’s the thing: writing isn’t about you. Writing is about the audience. Just because AI helps you produce polished, lengthy essays doesn’t mean anybody should care. Polish isn’t value. Length isn’t insight.
Be obsessed with your readers just like a good product manager is obsessed with their user. Like this obsessed:
- How do I hook them in the first sentence?
- Will my reader understand this reference, or should I explain it?
- Am I losing them with this long paragraph?
Or this:
- What’s going through their head right now—confusion? boredom? excitement?
- Does this transition work, or does it feel forced?
- When will they check their phone—and how do I prevent it?
Or this:
- Do I want them to pause here or should I hit the punchline?
- Do we need an example here?
- Do I sound credible? What makes my perspective worth their time?
You get the idea.
I write with LLMs all the time. Hell, I even think with these models sometimes. But I also have enough personality, opinion and self awareness to push back against anything that does not fit my character. Because I want my writing to fit my character rather than the training data. I don’t write for algorithmic approval. I write for other humans.
Here’s my challenge for you. Next time you post, ask yourself: who am I connecting with? If you can’t answer, then pause and reconsider. There is already enough slop in the world. Don’t contribute.
You can discuss this post on LinkedIn.