Using Grammar Checkers yet keeping author voice

Many people talk about using or hating to use AI (Artificial Intelligence), but have no problem using a package such as ProwritingAid or Grammarly. Both of these packages are AI-based packages, and few writers would produce something without running it through their preferred package.

Sure, some people are incredibly good at grammar and great, but it is not a skill that many people have (to the level required in the publishing industry)..

The point of this self-publishing snippet is to demonstrate that AI has it’s place. In the graphic above, there are potential delivery issues, 122 engagement issues and 335 clarity issues. The AI in Grammarly likes pointing out things like monotonous passages.

Extract from The Odyssey of the Seven – Book 3: Found, by K J Matthews

The point of the above passage is to demonstrate monotony. Thus the AI pointing out that KJ Matthews is being monotonous is the point. And our point is, that writers who follow grammar checkers or even the new AI generation of writing software – more on that in a later post when we’ve had a thorough play with it – do not understand author voice.

Author voice is what makes a work unique. It has Louie (the point of view character in the above snippet) growing as a person and adult. An example of this is where Louie (a character who suffered significant childhood trauma and never broke his habit of using the F word), grows through the reduction in his swearing. Louie learns that his past actions don’t matter and it is what he does now that is important.

When you use grammar checkers, make sure you keep your voice. Oh and as a final point, grammar checkers do not replace human editors and proofreaders, they enhance the end product, not make an end product.

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