skills / writing

copy-editing

what it does

When the user wants to edit, review, or improve existing marketing copy, or refresh outdated content. Also use when the user mentions 'edit this copy,' 'review my copy,' 'copy feedback,' 'proofread,' 'polish this,' 'make this better,' 'copy sweep,' 'tighten this up,' 'this reads awkwardly,' 'clean up this text,' 'too wordy,' 'sharpen the messaging,' 'refresh this content,' 'update this page,' 'this content is outdated,' or 'content audit,' 'this sounds like AI,' 'AI slop,' 'de-slop this,' or 'make it sound human.' Use this when the user already has copy and wants it improved or refreshed rather than rewritten from scratch. Every edit removes AI tells such as 'it's not X, it's Y' reveals, 'no X, no Y, no Z' lists, and sentences that trail into extra comma clauses. A request to fix one line gets a point edit that changes only that line. For writing new copy, see copywriting.

Verified Before and after: 2 models 1 try per case View source Download .zip

Compare the answers

Answers from Claude Sonnet 5.5 and GPT-6.1 Sol · try 1 of 1

Same request, same model, once with the skill and once without. Read both and judge for yourself.

“I need you to apply the 'So What' and 'Zero Risk' sweeps to this pricing page copy: 'Our Pro plan includes unlimited projects, advanced reporting, priority support, and custom integrations. Starting at $99/month.'”

with the skill
# So What and Zero Risk sweeps: Pro plan copy I haven't invented any facts below. Anything I don't know is marked `[NEED: ...]`. ## Sweep 3: So What | Original | So what? | Edit | |---|---|---| | Unlimited projects | Why does that matter to me? | Say what the absence of a cap means: no deleting old work, no upgrade when a new client signs. | | Advanced reporting | Advanced how? | Name the report or decision it enables: `[NEED: 1-2 specific reports or metrics]`. | | Priority support | Priority over whom, and how fast? | Give the response time: `[NEED: e.g., first reply within X hours]`. | | Custom integrations | Custom to what? | Name the tools or the API, and the outcome: `[NEED: which tools, what it saves]`. | | Starting at $99/month | Starting at what, and ending where? | See Sweep 7. | Also, the original is one flat sentence of four equally weighted features. Pick the one your buyer cares about most and lead with it. I've guessed unlimited projects, but you know your buyers better. ## Sweep 7: Zero Risk Reasons someone might hesitate at $99/month, none of which the copy answers:
Show the rest (28 more lines)
1. **"Starting at" signals a hidden cost.** The reader doesn't know what raises the price (seats, usage, add-ons). `[NEED: the pricing variable]`. If $99 is the real price for a defined scope, drop "starting at." 2. **No way to try it first.** `[NEED: free trial length, or money-back window, if either exists]`. 3. **Commitment is unclear.** Is it monthly with cancellation anytime, or annual? `[NEED: billing terms]`. 4. **No next step.** The copy ends on a price with no button and no hint of what happens after clicking. 5. **"Custom integrations" sounds like extra scoping or fees.** Say whether they're included in the $99 or quoted separately. 6. **No proof near the price.** `[NEED: one customer quote or logo row, ideally from a Pro customer]`. ## Draft with both sweeps applied > **Pro: $99/month** `[NEED: per seat / per workspace]` > > Run every client or initiative in its own project, with no cap and no upgrade prompt when you add another. > > - **Unlimited projects.** Add work as fast as it comes in. > - **Advanced reporting.** See `[NEED: specific metric/report]` without building it in a spreadsheet. > - **Priority support.** A person replies within `[NEED: response time]`. > - **Custom integrations.** Connect `[NEED: tools/API]` so `[NEED: outcome]`. > > `[NEED: trial or guarantee]`. `[NEED: billing terms, e.g., "Cancel anytime"]`. > > **[CTA: Start your Pro trial]** > `[NEED: social proof line]` ## Notes - I kept the feature list at four because there are four features. The benefit lines are placeholders, not final copy. Generic ones like "work smarter" would fail the So What test just as the original does. - If you have no trial or guarantee, don't fake one. A clear billing line ("Billed monthly. Cancel from your account settings.") still lowers risk. - Send me the `[NEED]` details and I'll turn this into final copy.
without
# Applying the Two Sweeps ## Original > Our Pro plan includes unlimited projects, advanced reporting, priority support, and custom integrations. Starting at $99/month. ## Sweep 1: So What Each feature is a fact, but it doesn't say why the reader should care. Here is each one pushed to its benefit: | Feature | So what? | |---|---| | Unlimited projects | Take on every client or idea without worrying about caps or overage fees | | Advanced reporting | See what's working and prove results without building spreadsheets | | Priority support | Get fast answers so problems don't stall your work | | Custom integrations | Connect the tools you already use so data flows without copy-pasting | **After the So What sweep:** > Pro gives you room to grow without limits. Run unlimited projects, get reporting that shows what's working, reach our team first when you need help, and connect the tools you already use. Starting at $99/month. ## Sweep 2: Zero Risk The original asks for a $99/month commitment with nothing to reduce the reader's fear of choosing wrong. Risk reducers belong right next to the price and CTA.
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**After both sweeps:** > **Pro gives you room to grow without limits.** > Run unlimited projects, get reporting that shows what's working, reach our team first when you need help, and connect the tools you already use. > > **Starting at $99/month.** [Try Pro free for 14 days] > No credit card required · Cancel anytime · [Full refund within 30 days] ## Things to confirm before publishing I used bracketed placeholders because I don't know your actual policies. Only keep claims that are true: - **Free trial length** and whether a card is required - **Refund or guarantee terms.** If you don't offer one, "Cancel anytime" alone still helps. - **"Starting at"** can create its own anxiety ("what will I really pay?"). If $99 is the real price for most users, say so. If it scales, add a short note like "Includes up to X seats. Add more anytime." - **Support promise.** If you can state a response time (e.g., "replies within 4 hours"), it's stronger than "priority." If you'd like, I can run the remaining sweeps too (Prove It would be the natural next one, to add a testimonial or stat near the price).

Answers are shown exactly as the model wrote them, from the first try, and nothing is picked by hand.

The models

2 models

Claude Sonnet 5.5

made by Anthropic

claude-sonnet-5-5 · revision not reported by the provider

1 try per case · tested 1 Nov 2026

GPT-6.1 Sol

made by OpenAI

gpt-6.1-sol · revision not reported by the provider

1 try per case · tested 1 Nov 2026

The tasks

Our tests

headline-only

“Can you fix just the headline? The rest is fine.”

keep-founder-voice

“Clean this up a bit for our launch post.”

polish-hero

“Polish this homepage hero for us.”

refresh-faq

“This pricing FAQ is out of date. Our free plan now includes 3 projects instead of 1, and we dropped the discount that only applied to annual billing. Please update it.”

too-wordy

“This is too wordy. Tighten it up.”

The creator’s own tests

creator-1

“Edit this homepage copy for us: 'Welcome to CloudSync! We are very excited to offer you an innovative, cutting-edge platform that seamlessly integrates with your existing tools. Our powerful solution helps businesses of all sizes optimize their workflows and drive meaningful results. Get started today and experience the difference!'”

creator-2

“Quick edit on this CTA section: 'Ready to take your business to the next level? Our team of dedicated professionals is standing by to help you achieve your goals. Click here to learn more about how we can help you succeed.'”

creator-3

“edit this product description, it feels too long and wordy: 'Our comprehensive project management solution provides teams with a robust set of tools that enable them to efficiently plan, execute, and monitor their projects from start to finish. With our intuitive interface, powerful analytics dashboard, and seamless integration capabilities, you can ensure that every aspect of your project is managed with precision and care. Whether you're a small startup or a large enterprise, our platform scales to meet your unique needs and requirements, helping you deliver projects on time and within budget every single time.'”

creator-4

“Review this testimonial section and improve it: 'CloudSync is great! It really helped our company. The team was very responsive and the product works well. We would recommend it to anyone looking for a solution. - John S., CEO'”

creator-5

“I need you to apply the 'So What' and 'Zero Risk' sweeps to this pricing page copy: 'Our Pro plan includes unlimited projects, advanced reporting, priority support, and custom integrations. Starting at $99/month.'”

creator-6

“Write fresh homepage copy for our new product. We're launching a CRM for real estate agents.”

creator-7

“My client says this copy reads like AI slop. Fix it: 1. Most agencies have a folder of campaign ideas nobody will ever launch. Not because they're bad ideas. Because each one needs a developer. 2. No onboarding call, no spreadsheet templates, no chasing approvals by email. No contract. 3. Reports, alerts, and client dashboards all update straight from the ad accounts you already connected, no exports, no manual refresh, no second copy of the data to maintain.”

creator-8

“Run your AI-slop check on this landing page section before it ships. Only change what actually needs changing. Headline: Close the books in two days instead of ten. Subhead: Ledgerly matches bank transactions to invoices every night, keeping your existing account codes. CTA: Start a 14-day trial. No card required. Features: Bank matching, approval routing, and audit trails. FAQ: Does it work with NetSuite? Yes. It syncs both ways every hour.”

creator-9

“Just fix the headline, it feels flat. Leave the rest alone. Headline: Better invoicing for small agencies Subhead: Ledgerly sends invoices the day a project milestone closes and chases late payers for you, so most clients pay within 9 days. Body: We built Ledgerly after our own agency waited 61 days on a $40k invoice. Connect Asana or ClickUp, pick which milestones bill, and Ledgerly drafts the invoice for you to approve. CTA: Start a 14-day trial”

Install

Download the .zip and unzip it. Put its files, in a folder named copy-editing, here:

Claude Code~/.claude/skills/Every project. For one project only, use .claude/skills/ inside it.
Codex~/.agents/skills/Every project. For one repository only, use .agents/skills/ inside it.
Cursor~/.cursor/skills/Cursor also reads the Claude Code and Codex folders above.

Then start a new session and ask for what the skill does. Other agents that read SKILL.md have their own skills folder; check their docs.

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