no-em-dashes

What problem does it solve?

Em dashes are overused in writing, especially in AI-generated content, creating prose that feels stiff, unpolished, and recognizably machine-produced. This skill enforces a strict, non-negotiable house rule against em dashes across all written output, replacing them with contextually appropriate punctuation to produce tighter, more natural, human-sounding prose.

Core Features & Use Cases

• Context-aware dash replacement: Replaces em dashes with the correct alternative (commas, parentheses, semicolons, colons, or periods) based on the dash's original function in the sentence.
• Full-scope enforcement: Applies to every type of written deliverable, from casual Slack messages and emails to formal reports, PRDs, code comments, and marketing copy.
• Edge case handling: Respects exceptions for code blocks, quoted third-party material, URLs, file paths, and pre-existing user content that is not being actively edited.
• Use Case: You’re drafting a product launch blog post and notice you’ve used em dashes for parenthetical asides and clause joins. Run this skill to automatically replace all instances with correct punctuation and run a final sweep to catch any missed dashes before publishing.

Quick Start

Use the no-em-dashes skill to review and correct all em dashes in the attached quarterly report before you send it to stakeholders.