Confession: I use Grammarly. I know other writing professional who also use it. But Grammarly, ProWriting Aid, and PefectIt will never replace an editor. Despite the unlimited capacity of AI, there are a few reasons to proceed cautiously in the automated sphere.

More than Punctuation

Editing includes more than correct punctuation and grammar. There are actually several round of editing before you focus on those things. A comprehensive editing experience includes:

• Developmental/Substantive: reviewing the big picture issues, including characterization, plot structure, pacing, and fiction-writing strategies.
• Line: tightening each page, paragraph, and line to improve the flow, strengthen author voice, and create the most vivid and engaging descriptions.
• Copy: grammar and punctuation, but also syntax, consistency, spelling, and more.
• Proofread: typo check; it’s less of an edit than a review for stray errors.

Authors need all of these edits to create engaging, relatable stories. Grammarly and other programs skip developmental and line editing in favor of copyediting. (But just because they’re automated doesn’t mean they’re always right—you should never accept all of their suggested changes without double checking each to make sure it’s correct.)

Grammarly and other programs are a great tool you can use to clean up the technical issues of your manuscript but they can’t evaluate your story or writing skills.

Not All Feedback is the Same

Several years ago I received harsh criticism of one of my romance novels. At the end of the comments the reviewer said, “I don’t really like or read romance novels though.” The reviewer’s opinions were valid, but they didn’t accurately reflect the quality of my writing or its appeal to my audience because the reviewer didn’t honestly know the difference between good and bad romance writing.

I’m starting to see authors using AI to review their stories instead of hiring editors or finding beta readers. These authors hope computer programs can evaluate their stories’ strengthens and weaknesses. But it doesn’t matter how many stories a company feeds into AI, it will never give authors what they really need—a reader’s perspective.

AI can only tell you what it thinks people will say or feel about a particular type or writing, but the feedback will be as useful as asking a non-romance reader to read and review romance—some of the comments might be helpful, but you’ll never really know how your audience feels about the story because you’re not asking them.

Context Matters

AI learns from analyzing any books it reads, but it doesn’t consider when the books were written or for whom. Yes, Pride and Prejudice and Moby Dick are well-known and often beloved books, but their style of writing would never be published today.

Reading tastes change. What was once popular isn’t anymore, but those styles are influencing AI because they’re being fed to the program.

Unless you can guarantee that the AI program you use has only analyzed manuscripts from the past two decades, it will compare your style (and suggest changes) based on outdated, once-popular styles that will turn off today’s readers, agents, and publishers.

Tools are Tools

I’m not against AI. In fact, I’m looking forward to learning more about it and using it in my work—as a tool. It won’t replace editors, designers, beta readers, or others because it can’t. But refusing to learn how to use it effectively could be as useful as insisting on using a typewriter instead of a computer.

There’s still a lot to learn about AI and how it can help authors and editors. It’s okay to explore those options, but please don’t try to replace trained professionals with it. The results might not live up to your (or your reader’s) expectations.

Still have questions? Let me know! karin@karinbeery.com

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