straightwords

straightwords is a conversational-register rule set for AI working sessions.

It governs how an assistant talks with the user during planning, diagnosis, revision, status updates, and other working dialogue. It does not govern external production text; pair it with a production-writing rule set such as Betterwords when the assistant is drafting or editing artifacts for an audience outside the chat.

The repository ships as a Codex skill, a Codex plugin, and a portable Markdown rule file for other assistants.

What it does

• Starts with the answer instead of validation or scaffolding.
• Labels source status, inference, and speculation when it matters.
• Leads with blockers, risks, corrections, and decisions.
• Holds factual positions unless new evidence changes them.
• Cuts common AI conversation tells such as generic offers, filler openings, and inflated phrasing.
• Separates conversational text from production text.

When to use it

Use straightwords when you want a direct, substantive assistant register for working sessions.

Do not use it for customer-facing chatbot contexts, therapy or emotional-support contexts, or first-time-user onboarding where a softer or more scaffolded register is needed.

Repository structure

straightwords/
  .codex-plugin/
    plugin.json
  .github/
    copilot-instructions.md
    workflows/
      validate.yml
  assets/
    straightwords-overview.png
  platforms/
    common-instructions.md
    chatgpt.md
    claude.md
    gemini.md
    github-copilot.md
    github-copilot/
      copilot-instructions.md
  skills/
    straightwords/
      SKILL.md
      references/
        straightwords.md
  straightwords.md
  LICENSE
  README.md

Install in Codex

Install the skill from this repository path:

aritusama/straightwords
skills/straightwords

If you use Codex with GitHub skill installation, ask Codex to install the straightwords skill from aritusama/straightwords, path skills/straightwords.

Use outside Codex

The portable rule file is straightwords.md.

Use the setup file for your assistant:

• ChatGPT: platforms/chatgpt.md
• Claude: platforms/claude.md
• Gemini: platforms/gemini.md
• GitHub Copilot: platforms/github-copilot.md

The short instruction adapter is platforms/common-instructions.md. Use it in custom GPT instructions, Claude project instructions, Gemini Gem instructions, or Copilot personal instructions. Upload or attach straightwords.md as the knowledge file.

For the strongest setup, keep the adapter in saved instructions and keep straightwords.md attached as a file or knowledge source. For one-off chats, paste or attach both files in the same session.

Use

Ask for straightwords when the conversation register matters:

Use straightwords for this planning session.

Answer in straightwords and diagnose what is wrong with this plan.

Use straightwords for our working dialogue, but keep the draft itself in the requested publication style.

License

MIT.