In final week’s Memo, I defined how, simply as digital DJing remodeled music mixing, AI is revolutionizing how we create content material by giving us immediate entry to numerous expressions and concepts.
As an alternative of combating this transformation, writers ought to embrace AI as a place to begin whereas focusing our vitality on including uniquely human components that machines can’t replicate, like our private experiences, ethical judgment, and cultural understanding.
Final week, I recognized seven distinctly human writing capabilities and 11 telltale indicators of AI-generated content material.
As we speak, I wish to present you the way I personally apply these insights in my modifying course of.
Reasonably than seeing AI as my substitute, I advocate for considerate collaboration between human creativity and AI effectivity, very like how expert DJs don’t simply play songs however remodel them by way of inventive mixing.
As somebody who’s spent numerous hours modifying and tinkering with AI-generated drafts, I’ve observed most individuals get caught on grammar fixes whereas lacking what really makes writing join with readers.
They overlook deeper concerns like:
- Purposeful imperfection: Really human writing isn’t completely polished. Pure quirks, occasional tangents, and diversified sentence buildings create authenticity that good grammar and flawless group can’t replicate.
- Emotional intelligence: AI content material typically lacks the intuitive emotional resonance that comes from lived expertise. Editors ceaselessly right grammar however overlook alternatives to infuse real emotional depth.
- Cultural context: People naturally reference shared cultural touchpoints and adapt their tone primarily based on context. This consciousness is tough to edit into AI content material with out fully reframing passages.
In in the present day’s Memo, I clarify the best way to flip these edits right into a recurring workflow for you or your staff, so you may leverage the facility of AI, speed up content material output, and drive extra natural income.
Increase your abilities with Progress Memo’s weekly professional insights. Subscribe at no cost!
Turning AI-Modifying Into A Workflow
Picture Credit score: Kevin IndigI prefer to edit AI content material in a number of passes, every with a particular focus:
- Spherical 1: Construction.
- Spherical 2: Language.
- Spherical 3: Humanization.
- Spherical 4: Polish.
Not each kind of content material wants the identical quantity of modifying:
- You may be extra hands-off with supporting content material on class or product pages, whereas editorial content material for blogs or content material hubs wants considerably extra modifying.
- In the identical method, evergreen subjects want much less modifying whereas thought management wants a heavy editorial hand.
Spherical 1: Construction & Massive-Image Overview
First, I learn your entire draft like a skeptical reader would.
I’m in search of logical circulate points, redundant sections, and locations the place the AI went on unhelpful tangents.
That is about getting the bones proper earlier than sprucing sentences.
Reasonably than nitpicking grammar, I ask: “Does this piece make sense? Would a human truly construction it this fashion?”
However, crucial query is: “Does this piece meet person intent?” You’ll want to make sure that the construction optimizes for speed-to-insights and helps customers resolve the implied drawback of their searches.
If sections really feel out of order or disconnected, I rearrange them.
If the AI repeats the identical level in a number of locations (they love doing this), I consolidate.
Spherical 2: Humanize The Language & Circulate
Subsequent, I deal with that sterile AI tone that makes readers’ eyes glaze over.
I break up the robotic rhythm by:
- Consciously various sentence lengths (Watch this. I’m doing it proper now. Totally different lengths create pure cadence.).
- Changing corporate-speak with how people truly discuss (“use” as a substitute of “make the most of,” “begin” as a substitute of “begin”).
- Reducing these meaningless filler sentences AI loves so as to add (“It’s necessary to notice that…” or “As we will see from the above…”).
For instance, I’d remodel this AI-written line:
Using applicable methodologies can facilitate enhanced engagement amongst goal demographics.
Into this:
Use the appropriate strategy, and folks will truly care about what you’re saying.
Spherical 3: Add The Human Worth Solely You Can Present
Right here’s the place I earn my preserve.
I infuse the piece with:
- Opinions the place applicable.
- Private tales or examples.
- Distinctive metaphors or cultural references.
- Nuanced insights that come from my experience.
One of many shifts now we have to make – and that I made – is to be extra deliberate about gathering tales and opinions that we will inform.
In his ebook “Storyworthy,” Matthew Dicks shares how he saves tales from on a regular basis life in a spreadsheet. He calls this behavior Homework For Life, and it’s the best technique to gather relatable tales that you should use in your content material. It’s additionally a technique to decelerate time:
As you start to take inventory of your days, discover these moments — see them and document them — time will start to decelerate for you. The tempo of your life will loosen up.
Spherical 4: Last Polish & Optimization
Lastly, I do a final cross specializing in:
- A punchy opening that hooks the reader.
- Eradicating any lingering AI patterns (overly formal language, repetitive phrases).
- Search optimization (person intent, headings, key phrases, inner hyperlinks) with out sacrificing readability.
- Reality-checking each statistic, date, identify, and declare.
- Including calls to motion or questions that interact readers.
I do know I’ve succeeded once I learn the ultimate piece and genuinely overlook that an AI was concerned within the drafting course of.
The final word check: “Would I be proud to place my identify on this?”
AI Content material Modifying Guidelines
Earlier than you hit “Publish,” run by way of this guidelines to be sure you’ve coated all bases:
- ✅ Consumer Intent: The content material is organized logically and addresses the supposed matter or key phrase fully, with out off-topic detours.
- ✅ Tone & Voice: The writing sounds constantly human and aligns with model voice (e.g., pleasant, skilled, witty, and so on.).
- ✅ Readability: Sentences and paragraphs are concise and simple to learn. Jargon is defined or simplified. The formatting (headings, lists, and so on.) makes it skimmable.
- ✅ Repetition: No overly repetitive phrases or concepts. Redundant content material is trimmed. The language is diversified and fascinating.
- ✅ Correct: All details, stats, names, and claims have been verified. Any errors are corrected. Sources are cited for necessary or non-obvious details, lending credibility. There aren’t any unsupported claims or outdated info.
- ✅ Authentic Worth: The content material incorporates distinctive components (experiences, insights, examples, opinions) that didn’t come from AI.
- ✅ search engine optimization: The first key phrase and related phrases are included naturally. Title and headings are optimized and clear. Inside hyperlinks to associated content material are added the place related. Exterior hyperlinks to authoritative sources help the content material.
- ✅ Polish: The introduction is compelling. The content material consists of components that interact the reader (questions, conversational bits) and a name to motion. It’s freed from typos and grammatical errors. All sentences circulate properly.
In case you can examine off all (or most) of these things, you’ve possible turned the AI draft right into a high-quality piece that may confidently be printed.
AI Content material Modifying = Remixing
We’ve come full circle.
Simply as digital know-how remodeled DJing with out eliminating the necessity for human creativity and curation, AI is reshaping writing whereas nonetheless requiring our uniquely human contact.
The irony I discussed in the beginning of this text – attempting to make AI content material extra human – turns into much less ironic after we view AI as a collaborative instrument reasonably than a substitute for human creativity.
Simply as DJs developed from vinyl crates to digital platforms with out shedding their inventive contact, writers are adapting to make use of AI whereas sustaining their distinctive worth.
You’ll be able to elevate the probabilities of creating high-performing content material that stands out by choosing the appropriate fashions, inputs, and path:
- The latest fashions result in exponentially higher content material than older (cheaper) ones. Don’t attempt to economize right here.
- Spend lots of time getting model guides and examples proper so the fashions work in the appropriate lanes.
- The extra distinctive your knowledge sources are, the extra defensible your AI draft turns into.
The important thing perception is that this: AI content material modifying is about enhancing the output with the irreplaceable human components that make content material really participating.
Whether or not that’s by way of including lived expertise, cultural understanding, emotional depth, or purposeful imperfection, our position is to be the bridge between AI’s computational effectivity and human connection.
The long run belongs to not those that resist AI however to those that be taught to bop with it, figuring out precisely when to steer with their uniquely human perspective and when to observe the algorithmic beat.
Again in my DJ days, the most effective units weren’t in regards to the gear I used however in regards to the moments of surprising connection I created.
The identical holds true for writing on this new period.
Featured Picture: Paulo Bobita/Search Engine Journal
