Editing is an important part of the writing process. A good editor can greatly improve your work and help you make changes that appeal to your readers. Poor editing can mean readers lose interest, which can harm your reputation as a writer. Editing your own work can be problematic, a reason most authors use a neutral editor to provide an objective viewpoint. However, the access and affordability of technology, specifically artificial intelligence, have led some authors to forgo human editors and use AI instead. While an AI program can be a useful tool, it does not replace a human editor.
The problems with AI
An AI program can be useful during the editing process to catch simple mistakes like spelling errors, missing or incorrect punctuation, or problems with capitalization. However, AI technology lacks the ability to read and understand written words like humans do. AI programs can’t comprehend words and paragraphs in the same way the human brain does. These programs don’t understand the nuances of writing, which often involves using words in different ways or writing in your style or voice, which may not align with the traditional rules of writing.
The importance of a human editor
The English language is complex and full of words that can have very different meanings depending on the context in which they are used. A good editor understands this, which allows them to grasp your meaning and intentions as an author. A human editor can collaborate with you and help you make changes that will improve your work. While AI software may tell you when you misspell a word, an editor can help you tweak your work in ways to make it meaningful to your readers.
There’s nothing wrong with using AI programs to do a quick spelling/punctuation/grammar check, but don’t rely on this flawed technology as your main source of editing. A human editor can work with your writing style and understand your vision to help you better your work. No matter how advanced AI programs become, they simply can’t replace the human element when it comes to writing and editing.
