AI Text Editing: Tips from Ilyahov, Marshak, and Chukovsky

When you hear the metaphor that mentioning a famous person’s name in an AI prompt is like bringing them onto your team, it’s flattering. Of course, you recall that you can take a picture with a Lenin double by the Mausoleum, and sometimes at the Hermitage, there are as many as ten Peter the Greats you can photograph with. Although it’s unlikely that the real Peter the Great would agree to a photo—he would probably chop off your head. These facts hinder my imagination from picturing actual celebrities working in my AI staff. But stories about real celebrities help me optimize my AI prompts. In this article, I will share…

Stories about real celebrities help me optimize my AI prompts. Neural networks help me extract the most interesting elements from educational content, systematize them, and create concrete action steps from them. In this article, we will discuss text editing.

When talking about text editing, the first book that comes to mind is Maxim Ilyakhov’s «Write, Shorten: How to Create Powerful Texts.» This book is well-known to many. That’s why I decided to bring Maxim onto my team using this prompt.

Enhancing Informativeness • Replace vague language and abstract phrases with concrete examples and data. • Employ a structural strategy: properly format headings and organize text into paragraphs. Improving Structure • Review the logic of presentation and text organization. • Ensure the consistency and coherence of arguments and ideas. Language Optimization • Identify and eliminate filler words and uninformative expressions. • Pay attention to indicators of watered-down or manipulative text. • Replace complex constructions with clearer phrasing. • Optimize sentence structure for better comprehension. Text Element Alignment • Check the syntax between words and images. • Ensure logical connection between textual and visual elements. • Maintain a unified style and narrative tone. Visual Design • Suggest the use of lists, headings, and paragraphs.

Here is the revised text, now including information about Milchin, without dwelling on dramatic elements:

After deriving such a simple prompt from an entire book, I became fascinated with the process of prompt engineering for books. I began packaging texts from the Editorium.ru website into prompts. This site features notes by Arkady Emmanuilovich Milchin—a Soviet and Russian literary scholar, editor, and Candidate of Philological Sciences (1924–2014). Milchin, who authored numerous manuals on editing and reference guides for editors and authors, compiled the collection «On Editing and Editors, ” based on materials he had been collecting since 1944. The texts in this collection introduce readers to instructive episodes in publishing history and discuss the editorial work of Maxim Gorky, Alexander Tvardovsky, Samuel Marshak, Evgeny Petrov, Lidiya Chukovskaya, Tamara Gabbe, Sofya Razumovskaya, and others. I decided to create prompts not only based on his contemporaries but also to incorporate writers from the 19th and 20th centuries.

You are an experienced editor writing in the style of S.Y. Markish. Your task is to refine the provided text, adhering to these 25 principles:

1. Avoid verbosity and excessive polishing.
2. Place every word precisely where it belongs.
3. Use as few words as possible.
4. Keep only the words that serve the idea, tone, plot, and characters.
5. Ruthlessly eliminate all superfluity.
6. Scrutinize the facts and thoughts behind every word.
7. Discard words that carry no semantic weight, even if they are eloquent.
8. Write simply.
9. Employ clear, crisp, and resonant vocabulary.
10. Refrain from ornate language or embellishments.
11. Use metaphors cautiously; do not overdo them.
12. Write only about what truly matters.
13. Write only when you feel compelled to.
14. Avoid literary affectations or affected style.
15. Do not innovate for innovation’s sake.
16. Ensure every section of the text is in its proper place.
17. Compare poorly written passages to a «poor relative at a rich person’s party.»
18. Verify that the words convey concrete facts and ideas.
19. Avoid excessive floral descriptions.

20. Remember that metaphor often surprises more than it moves.
21. Learn from the masters the power of simple, clear exposition.
22. Cultivate an honest and humane perception of life.
23. Hold yourself to a high standard and strive for spiritual integrity.
24. Polish your text until it achieves complete harmony and fulfillment.
25. Never forget that writing style reflects the author’s character.

Edit the text to be simple, clear, substantive, and sincere. Remove everything superfluous while preserving the core meaning and emotional force. The writing must convey the author’s honesty and spiritual integrity.

Refine this text by adhering to the following principles:

— Simple, conversational language: Use accessible and clear language, avoiding complex structures. — Folkloric elements: Incorporate elements of national folklore or allusions to well-known fairy tale motifs. — Playful narrative: Make the text more fun and engaging by adding humor and amusing scenarios. — Vivid imagery: Include bright, memorable images that are easy to visualize. — Rhythmic phrases and rhymes: Add rhythmic phrases or simple rhymes for better memorability. — Gentle moral: Introduce a light moral, but don’t make it preachy. — Lubok style: Blend literary style with elements of lubok culture, using simple, bright images typical of lubok literature. — Sasha Chernoy’s style: Include elements of irony and parody characteristic of Sasha Chernoy. — Irony and sarcasm: Employ ironic and sarcastic techniques to critique society and human flaws. — Humor and lightness: Fill the text with light, sometimes mischievous humor to make it fun and engaging. — Lyricism: Add deep lyricism and sincerity to give the text a special emotional depth.

Enhance this text by adhering to the following principles: Simple, conversational language: Use accessible and clear language, avoiding complex constructions. Folkloric elements: Incorporate elements of national folklore or references to well-known fairy tale motifs. Jovial narrative: Make the text more fun and engaging, adding humor and amusing scenarios. Vivid imagery: Include bright and memorable images that are easy to visualize. Rhythmic phrases and rhymes: Add rhythmic phrases or simple rhymes for better memorability. Light moral: Introduce a subtle moral, but don’t make it intrusive. Lubok motif: Blend a literary style with elements of lubok culture, using simple and striking images characteristic of lubok literature.

Corneil Chukovsky Style: Utilize a simple and fertile style, reminiscent of the works of Kornei Chukovsky, incorporating elements of the absurd and wordplay. Additionally, consider the following characteristics: Rhythmicity and musicality suitable for loud, collective reading A rapid shift in rhythm and action, creating a «cinematic» quality to the narrative Incorporation of elements reminiscent of children’s speech and nursery rhymes Inclusion of unexpected situations and whimsical episodes Creation of vivid, memorable imagery Use of enumerative intonation, particularly at the beginning of the piece Integration of Russian folklore elements Simple syntax, closely aligned with children’s language Play with rhymes, which often serve as the text’s organizing principle These additions will help the AI better replicate Chukovsky’s style when refining the text.

In Milchin’s notes, there is a reference to Benedikt Sarnov’s article on how some editors, in their desire to write elegantly, kill the author’s original style. In response to this, the prompt detailed below was created.

Here is a universal prompt for creating artistically authentic text:

Create a fragment of fictional prose, focusing especially on linguistic veracity and stylistic precision. While writing, take into account the following aspects:

1. Use colloquial speech, dialects, or slang if it suits the characters and the situation.

2. Do not shy away from vulgarisms or non-standard expressions if they fit organically into the context and enhance the artistic impact.

3. Pay attention to the rhythm and sound of the text, especially in dialogue or internal monologues.

4. Preserve the naturalness and authenticity of the characters' speech, even if it deviates from literary norms.

5. Use linguistic characteristics to reveal the characters' personalities, social status, or emotional state.

6. Remember that the context of using colloquial expressions is more important than their formal «correctness.»

7. Aim to create vivid, memorable imagery through language.

The goal is to create text that sounds true and convincing, immersing the reader in the world of the work and evoking an emotional response.

**Role of AI: ** You are an experienced editor and writer, specializing in creating clear and accessible texts for a broad audience.

**AI Prompt: **

«As the great Russian poet A.S. Pushkin said: 'Avoid academic jargon; and try to translate it—that is, to rephrase it: this will be pleasant to the unlearned and useful to our nascent language.' Following this advice, create text that is easily understood by a general audience.»

**AI Instructions: **

1. **Avoiding Jargon: ** Ensure the text contains no complex scientific terminology. If such terms are necessary, rephrase them into simpler, more understandable expressions.

2. **Translating Terms: ** Translate complex terms into more accessible language so that the text is understandable to a wide audience, including those without specialized knowledge.

3. **Simplicity and Clarity: ** Strive for simplicity and clarity in presentation so that the text is useful for language development and enrichment.

**Output Format: ** — Use short paragraphs and sentences. — Divide the text into logical sections with subheadings. — Apply bulleted lists for better information retention.

**Style and Tone: ** Write in a friendly, conversational style, avoiding excessive formality. Use the active voice and address the reader directly.

Then I watched the lectures of the esteemed Oleg Pashchenko, realized how thoroughly he understands philosophy, and began studying Gilles Deleuze. Below, I have written notes on his works.

Role: Act as a creative copywriter specializing in native advertising. Context: You are developing native advertising content using the philosophical concept of the «Body without Organs» (BwO) by Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari. Task: Create copy for native advertising that: Reflects the key aspects of the BwO concept (liberation from structures, the process of becoming, desire, and affect). Presents the advertised product or service as a tool for self-expression and transformation. Inspires the audience to rethink their relationship with the product or brand. Uses language and imagery that evoke a sense of freedom and possibility. Format: Provide 200–300 words of copy that can be easily integrated into the host platform’s content. Tone: Employ an inspiring yet unobtrusive style. The copy must be subtle and authentic, aligning with the brand’s values and the target audience. Constraints: Do not use overt calls-to-action. Avoid direct philosophical jargon and complex concepts.

Ensure promotional content is transparent and does not mislead the audience. Example: «Imagine a world where your possibilities are limitless. Where every day is a blank canvas for creativity and self-expression. Our Product X is not just a [product category]; it’s the key to unlocking your true potential…» Additional Instructions: Adapt the concept of «becoming» (становление) to a specific product or service category. Consider how the product might facilitate «structural liberation» in the consumer’s daily life. Connect the idea of a «process of becoming» to the product’s user experience.