Stop Rewriting Error Messages Like They’re Stories—Your JSON Isn’t Hemingway, It’s a Breakdown Signal 

Summary: Sometimes, in technical documentation or data analysis, what’s presented looks like a wall of text—until you realize it isn’t storytelling, it’s signaling. A JSON error message isn't prose. It doesn't whisper a tale or hint at mystery. It shouts a problem. This post walks through one such instance: a transactional JSON response revealing an "insufficient account balance" error, with zero narrative embedded. Many mistake tech outputs for content sources. They're not. Let's dissect the confusion and help you recalibrate your content filter.

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What You’re Looking At Isn’t a Story

When people request a rewritten version of a block of "text" and that block turns out to be a JSON error, what they're actually holding is not a story—it’s a system signal. JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is a lightweight format used to transmit structured data between a server and a client. It’s not built for storytelling. It’s built for clarity and instruction—machine-to-machine, not person-to-person.

For example, a typical JSON error of this sort might look like the following:

{
  "error": {
    "code": "INSUFFICIENT_FUNDS",
    "message": "Your account balance is too low to complete this transaction."
  }
}

Now, does that contain characters, plot, or emotional traction? No. It’s as much of a story as your car’s check engine light. It informs you something broke—but that something is not narrative flow.

The Trap of Misreading Data as Creative Material

In our hunt for content, tools like AI or auto-content generators might mistake JSON blobs for raw prose just waiting to be refined. But this is like polishing a brick expecting it to become a diamond. It’s not the right raw material. This leads to confusion that wastes time and, if unchecked, degrades credibility. What are you expecting to happen when you rewrite “error: insufficient balance”? Turn it into a heartwarming tale of fiscal rebirth?

Why No Story Exists — And What You Can Do About It

This error message serves one purpose: signal that a transaction failed because the user didn’t have enough money. That’s it. No twist, no character arc, zero subtext. Trying to “rewrite” it ignores its primary function—clarity in failure. So what can you do when you're handed something like this and asked to 'rewrite' it?

• First, clarify: “Are you looking for an explanation of this error in plain English?”
• Mirror the intent: “You're trying to make this more readable for a non-technical audience?”
• Explore deeper: “What’s the audience’s technical fluency level?”
• Use silence strategically to force consideration: let them sit with the question of whether this is content—or just code.

Once you uncover the reason they’re asking about it, then you can deliver. Maybe they want documentation that explains what steps to take next. Maybe it’s a UI copy rewrite. But if they want “story,” then someone hasn’t properly defined the difference between communication design and literary output.

The Danger of Mistaking Noise for Data

When systems spit out machine-readable snippets, many non-technical stakeholders want to transform those into business-friendly interpretations. That’s fine. But misreading data syntax as content worth rewriting is like trying to edit an electrical schematic into a bedtime story—it tells you something, but only if you read it as it was meant to be read. Wanting something to be a narrative doesn't make it one. Your bank declining your card isn’t a memoir—it’s an alert.

Translating vs. Transforming — Know Which Hat You're Wearing

This is where people go wrong in both business and AI. They try to turn everything into something else without clarifying intent. Some content needs translation—making the same message more accessible. Others need transformation—changing structure, tone, and narrative form. A JSON error needs translation. “Your account balance is too low to complete this transaction” is perfectly usable copy. It doesn’t need a story arc—it needs a decision. Top conversion copywriters live in that distinction.

Here's What To Do Instead

If what you’re working with is a technical message, do this:

1. Strip to purpose: Ask what the message is trying to achieve, and nothing more.
2. Speak plainly: Avoid unnecessary embellishments. “You don’t have enough money. This transaction won’t go through.” Period.
3. Create pathways: Offer next steps. “To proceed, deposit at least $20.” Done.
4. Segregate audience types: Technical alerts for engineers, human-friendly copy for users.
5. Ask for clarity: When someone hands you this error with a vague “Can you rewrite this?” toss the hot potato back—“What do you want this to do?”

Clarity always trumps cleverness when dealing with system output. Most misunderstandings in tech-to-user expression start when we forget who the receiver is and what language they best understand.

A Final Word on Fiction Hopes in a Functional World

Not everything has to be a tale. Sometimes it just has to work. If your account balance is low, that’s not a metaphor—it’s a fact. The error message already does its job well. No story required. No rewrite needed. Just respect the function. Tell the truth. And ask the right question next time before assuming a blank screen is a blank page.

Want to keep your clients from spinning their wheels over meaningless rewrite requests? Set expectations early. Clarify what's real and what's noise. Don’t try to turn logs into poetry unless that poetry purchases a product.

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Featured Image courtesy of Unsplash and Dangel (DnR_0UIBmK8)