reader-first-prose

Apply a reader-first pass: define every term and acronym at first mention, order facts so causes precede consequences, and ground each metaphor in the same sentence it appears. Rewrite compressed logic into plain if-then statements a newcomer follows in one pass.

Delete every em dash, replacing it with a semicolon, colon, comma, or period. Rewrite clipped "X. Not Y." antithesis sentences into plain single statements with the concrete detail restored, since these two patterns are the loudest machine-writing signals.

No. Reader-first editing keeps the facts, argument, and precision intact while removing assumed prior knowledge and unearned compression. It simplifies the demands on the reader, not the content itself, and preserves hedges that carry real uncertainty.

Avoid it when the audience is expert insiders who share the vocabulary, or when the task is recursive explanation of terms, which belongs to a dedicated term-interrogation pass. It also does not replace evidence audits or readability scoring.

State as fact only what the source supports, and mark interpretation explicitly with phrases like "one reading is" or move it into a flagged aside. Never describe a mechanism the source did not describe, and keep every number exactly as sourced.