How I learned to love AI for editing

Did I ever think I’d be using an AI to help me edit back when I first talked with Tim about potentially joining the Backslash team in late 2023?

Absolutely not.

At the time, I wasn’t even officially an editor. I cared about clarity, caught stray commas, and enjoyed fixing things most people overlooked—but I hadn’t yet taken on editing as a professional role. That changed in January 2024, when I formally stepped into editing and discovered I loved it. The rhythm, the logic, the structure—it clicked.

Tim, on the other hand, is the opposite. He’s great with AI. He can prompt a bot into writing with a snap of his fingers. But ask him to sit down and edit line by line, and he’d probably describe it as “painful.” We’re wired differently that way. And ironically, it was his comfort with AI that nudged me toward a tool I wasn’t entirely sure I needed at first.

Turns out, I did.

The core of good editing hasn’t changed

Let’s be clear: I don’t believe technology replaces good editing. It might simulate it, and in some cases, offer suggestions that sound convincing. But great editing—editing that elevates something instead of just correcting it—still comes from human judgment, experience, and restraint.

There’s a difference between a grammatically correct sentence and one that flows—between fixing a typo and refining a tone. AI is useful, but it doesn’t always know the difference. That’s where the editor comes in. That’s where I come in.

So no, I haven’t handed the reins to the robots. But I’ve learned to let them sit beside me.

Where AI fits in (and where it doesn’t) 

Grammarly was my starting point when I began editing professionally. I liked having a second layer of review—especially when something was new. A new content format, a new platform, a client with a very particular voice… having a tool that could flag potential issues gave me space to focus on the more nuanced work.

Here’s how I’ve learned to think about it.

What AI tools do well

• Catch basic grammar, spelling, and punctuation issues
• Highlight overly long or clunky sentences
• Suggest cleaner sentence structure
• Serve as a second set of eyes, especially when fatigue sets in

What they don’t do so well

• Understand a client’s voice or tone
• Catch contextual nuance or intentional choices
• Apply editorial judgment
• Know when to leave well enough alone

That said, it helps me double-check what I might miss—and that matters.

Using Grammarly like a safety net, not a crutch

I like structure, accuracy, and not missing things. Grammarly helps with that—as long as I use it intentionally.

What it doesn’t do is absolve me from paying attention. I still review every suggestion and don’t unquestioningly accept changes just because they’re recommended. That would defeat the purpose. But as a safety net? As something to catch the occasional oversight or nudge me when a sentence runs long? It’s earned its keep.

It’s like having a quiet coworker who whispers, “You sure about that comma?” Not always right—but helpful enough that I listen.

And yes, I once blamed a formatting issue on forgetting to do the octopus paste. That’s our team’s term—well, Sara’s originally—for the multi-key keyboard gymnastics required to paste text without formatting. Technically, it’s just a shortcut. Realistically, it feels like something only an octopus should be expected to pull off.

When technology makes you a better human editor 

One thing I didn’t expect is that using Grammarly has helped me improve my editing instincts. Not because it’s training me, exactly, but because I now have a chance to see its reasoning and either agree or push back. That process—of evaluating each suggestion—has made me more aware of patterns in my own work. I notice things sooner. I think more critically. And I’ve become a little faster without sacrificing accuracy.

Here’s how it’s helped me grow:

• Reinforces good habits by flagging repeat issues
• Gives me a mirror to reflect on my own preferences
• Helps me spot consistency gaps sooner
• Increases speed without sacrificing quality

It’s still a tool. But it’s a tool that supports growth when used thoughtfully. And for someone like me—someone who likes structure, clarity, and progress—that’s worth something.

Practical, not perfect—and that’s the point

I’ll probably never be the person who jumps on the latest tech trend without hesitation. That’s not my wiring. But I’ve come to appreciate the role AI can play in the editing process—not as a replacement, not as a magic wand, but as a support.

It gives me confidence. It gives me backup. And on days when I stare at the same sentence for too long, it gives me a nudge in the right direction.

With a little help from a bot that doesn’t sleep and always has something to say—I’m only getting better.