A Writer Responds to ChatGPT
Welcome to the grammar Minute, where we’re saving the English language sixty seconds at a time! I’m Lauren Smyth, and I’m here to talk about Chat GPT. I’m a writer of both news and fiction by trade, so I’m in one of the jobs people think Chat GPT is likely to eliminate. So – am I worried?
Nope. And the reason is that grammar isn’t everything. I know, I know, that’s a weird thing for me to say. But it’s true. Good grammar alone doesn’t make for good writing. And even though Chat GPT has generally correct grammar and constructs pieces that wouldn’t get too many marks in red pen—at least, from someone who isn’t fact-checking—it’s still currently unable to generate anything resembling written art.
So, here’s the question: How can writers stay ahead of Chat GPT? The answer is to write like a human. Be expressive. Use good grammar, of course, but also go beyond the grammar into style and tone and voice. Learn to be yourself in your writing, and cultivate yourself into the kind of person people will want to listen to. That’s the lesson Chat GPT should be teaching writers.
That’s your Grammar Minute! Visit thegrammarminute.com for more tips and tricks.