Don't Write Like AI (2 of 101): Sentence Stacking

Ever read a paragraph, your eyes glaze over, and your brain drifts to something more interesting? Like if that new espresso machine you want is on sale?

You may have run into sentence stacking.

This happens when writing sounds robotic. Every sentence stands on its own. There's no rhythm, no buildup. Just one flat fact after another.

An example of sentence stacking to explain improv:

Improv is a type of unscripted theater. It requires performers to make up scenes in the moment. Many exercises focus on listening and reacting. One popular rule is to say “yes, and” to keep scenes going. Improv helps build confidence and creativity. It’s often used in team-building workshops and acting classes. There are short-form games and long-form formats.

Here's how you might rework the paragraph:

Improv is a form of unscripted theater where performers build scenes in real time. It sharpens listening, encourages quick thinking, and builds the kind of trust that teams can feel on and off stage.

You see how the paragraph goes from information on information without any framing to something more cohesive? If your paragraph feels like a list without bullets, it probably is sentence stacking.

Often, you'll feel sentence stacking before you realize it. The writing will feel robotic. Boring.

Your Sentence Stacking Checklist

Let's make sure you're a pro in identifying sentence stacking. You'll know the writing is sentence stacking and you'll need to rework it when it has:

• Every sentence stands alone. Nothing builds on what came before it.
• The rhythm is repetitive. Most sentences follow the same short, factual structure.
• There are no bridges. Transitions like “so,” “however,” or “as a result” are missing.
• No voice or perspective. There’s no point of view, story, or emotional texture.
• It reads like a list — just without bullets.

The #1 Problem With Sentence Stacking

There are several problems with sentence stacking, but here's my main one: It leads to cognitive overload in the reader.

When information is presented that dry and robotic, it's difficult to process. It's like a list of facts with little connection.

Your brain doesn't like it. You check out. You're moving on to better more interesting topics like what's for lunch.

Even worse once cognitive overload sets in, it creates negative feelings in the reader: Frustration and overwhelm.

And those are the last emotions you want your readers to feel.

Great content writing flows easily in the readers' mind. There are no hang ups or stumbles. It just flows. Almost hypnotic.

That's a goal of writing, including B2B writing. Content that feels good to read.

So let's consider a couple AI triggers that lead to sentence stacking...

1. Sentence Stacking Trigger: RAG

One common trigger for sentence stacking is RAG, or retrieval-augmented generation. For RAG, you feed the AI a document to help it generate content.

For example, you might upload a long voice note full of ideas, a transcript from an SME interview, or a detailed product fact sheet.

After the upload, you prompt the AI to create a piece of content based on the document uploaded.

The problem with that prompt is the model doesn’t know what matters most. So it tries to include everything in the document. The result is information-dense writing with no flow, no pacing, and no clarity.

It gets worse if you add a word count to the prompt. The model now tries to compress all that input into a small space. That leads to short, disconnected sentences. It sounds robotic, and the ideas feel stacked instead of connected.

2. Sentence Stacking Trigger: Bullets Rework

Another common trigger? Asking AI to rewrite bullets as a paragraph.

If you don’t tell it how you want the ideas to flow, it just turns each bullet into a short sentence with no transitions, pacing, or hierarchy.

A better prompt would be: “Turn these bullets into a cohesive paragraph with voice and varied rhythm. Use transitions to guide the reader.”

3. Sentence Stacking Trigger: Prompt Constraints

The third scenario you may see sentence stacking is from your own prompting.

Here's an example prompt that could trigger sentence stacking:

You’re an expert with 20 years of experience. Write a short, actionable summary of how improv helps with communication in under 120 words.

Why this prompt could trigger sentence stacking:

1. "Expert with 20 years of experience" defaults to an overly formal, neutral, and authoritative tone
2. "Make it actionable" risks an instruction style writing with dry how-to steps. The writing may front load with clarity, rather than rhythm.
3. "Keep it under 200 words" compresses ideas into short, discrete sentences to meet the word count.

How to Fix Sentence Stacking

Sentence stacking can happen for different reasons, but your writing goal is always the same: connect ideas in a way that feels natural and keeps the reader engaged.

Prompt Fix #1: Prioritize Before You Generate

Prompt:

From this source, choose 3 to 5 topics that would matter most to [target audience]. Go deeper on those, and don’t try to cover everything.

Why it works:
It prevents the model from trying to say too much at once. When you give it permission to focus, the writing becomes more meaningful and less robotic.

Prompt Fix #2: Ask for Flow, Not Just Clarity

Prompt:

Make sure the writing uses natural transitions and reads smoothly. Avoid stacking short, factual sentences. Connect ideas in a way that guides the reader through the topic.

Why it works:
Most prompts focus on what to say. This one also tells the AI how to say it, which improves pacing and structure.

Edit Fixes (Don’t Skip These)

Even with a good prompt, you might still get some stacked output. Here's how to improve it during editing:

Edit Fix #1: Combine ideas

Short, factual sentences often belong together.

Improv builds confidence. It helps people think on their feet.

Becomes:

Improv builds confidence by helping people think on their feet in unpredictable situations.

Edit Fix #2: Add transitions

Use phrases like “For example,” “That’s why,” or “As a result” to connect ideas and guide the reader.

Edit Fix #3: Vary sentence rhythm

Mix short and long sentences to keep things moving.

Edit Fix #4: Add voice or perspective

Include a point of view, real-world reference, or casual aside.

The Sentence Stacking Fix Formula

As a short hand, here's the main takeaways to avoid sentence stacking:

Prompt for flow → Prioritize → Use transitions → Vary rhythm → Add voice

Additionally, read your paragraph out loud. If it sounds like a list or feels like it’s missing rhythm, it probably needs a rewrite.

Wrap Up

As someone with a teaching background, I love when writing flows naturally and smoothly. When I use transitions and connect ideas well, it feels good to read. And that's what we're aiming for as AI-assisted writers — writing that feels effortless to the reader.