There have been some recent rumblings among writers with “dos” and “don’ts” in regards to what punctuation or word selection you should or shouldn’t do use. The argument is that “because AI uses [insert punctuation or word type], authors shouldn’t use it, or the writing will sound like AI.”
Wait—what?
We’re going to let Artificial Intelligence models dictate our writing voice and style?
No, I’m not. Absolutely not.
And, I encourage you not to let that happen, either.
Let’s face it: many of our works were used to train AI. Of course it will use some of that styling. You know what’s going to happen over time, when you stop writing with your voice and sterilize your manuscripts of specific punctuation or word selection?
AI will be retrained to write in the new way. It will still try to emulate your writing.
What would be next? Stop writing altogether?
No one would ever tell an artist, “Don’t use watercolor because this AI-generated artwork was made to look like watercolor.”
Let us not lose sight of the fact that writers are artists. And, just as someone (or AI) can emulate the style of another artist, it will never have the unique nuances of the original master.
An original is an original. No one has lived your life and no one, not even AI, can tell the story exactly the way you will tell the story.
As with my Oxford comma, no one will pry ellipses or em dashes or en dashes or semi-colons or colons or adjectives or adverbs or italics or—well, you get the idea—from my hands.
Regardless of your stance on utilizing AI anywhere in the writing process, when you write, write your way. Don’t filter it for what you think might “avoid sounding like AI.”
Here are my top 5 strategies to combat the fear your writing will sound like AI:
1. Pray over your writing, your story, your career.
2. Write in your unique voice. Whatever punctuation and word choice comes naturally to you—use it.
3. Let AI be what it is—something independent and separate from your artistry. In the same way you aren’t letting other authors dictate your style, don’t let AI do so, either.
4.) Use all the things in the language you have at your disposal.
5.) Write with heart and humanity—aspects of your craft that AI can’t ever do.
Go forth and write a sloppy first draft. Rewrite. Edit. Polish it to a shiny finish. Your readers—the ones who choose your unique voice—are waiting for it.
Have you ever been concerned your writing will be looked at as AI-generated (when it’s not)?
