The ghost isn’t in the machine. The machine wants to be the ghost. I think the first place people’s imagination ran when it became clear that AI was coming online in a big way, was communications. “AI can write my emails!” It wasn’t much of a leap to assuming AI could do everything a writer or editor does. Grammerly on steroids, right?
If I had a nickel for every person who told me, with an all-knowing chuckle, that they guessed I would be out of a career now … well, I’d have a lot of nickels. Pundits aside, I’d like to fly against the headwind and suggest that it might be some time before I hand my vocation off to some version of Skynet’s first iteration. Perhaps I’m misguided, delusional, or naïve, but I’m not concerned. Yet.
Here’s why.
Uniqueness Still Prevails
AI can do a lot with language. It can craft nearly flawless grammar, and misspellings are exceedingly rare. However, it is not proficient in crafting custom, bespoke content—especially writing that captures individual quirks. In other words, copy written in a client’s distinctive style.
• Voice. Every ghostwriter knows that this is a movable goalpost. Each client has a different idea of what “voice” means, and especially what it means in their case. A big part of my job is figuring out how to best capture a tone that is not only true to the client’s voice, but more importantly, true to what they want their voice to read like. That nuance is difficult for AI to understand and finesse at this point in its evolution. It’s great at creating solid writing; not so much at crafting appropriate content.
• Turn of phrase. Unique phrasing and innovative use of the language are not yet in ChatGPT’s wheelhouse. The tech is not natively witty or sardonic. It can copy those qualities, but interesting and engaging turn of phrase is original. When it’s not, we call it cliché.
• Oh, those idiosyncrasies. I’ve dealt with editors that hate the word “classy,” clients that insist no sentence should end in a preposition, and a host of other peculiarly human preferences. I suppose the properly written prompt might be able to account for that sort of quirk, but it would be a stretch. I adapt to the client and other professionals with whom I work. AI adapts to accepted norms.
Cards on the table time. I’ve used AI. I find it’s a great way to brainstorm options for something like a new book title, or to get directional ideas for how to attack a compelling book-jacket sell statement. I never use verbatim what ChatGPT produces from my prompts. Even if I was so inclined, it’s just too sterile. Technically correct, but lifeless.
Editors and publishers continue to wrestle with the issue of whether they’ll allow AI-created copy in whole or part as a submission from writers or authors of note. There are concerns of accidental plagiarism or telltale giveaways such as AI’s occasional “illusion”—blatantly inaccurate “facts.” So, certainly play with AI as an exercise in creativity, or for brainstorming. Use it for emails if you must. I’ll still be here when it comes time for you to capture your unique voice in a book.