This year – especially the latter half – I’ve had an uptick in queries for my freelance developmental editorial services (more here if you’re looking for an editor!). You would think, ‘Yes! That’s great.’ I would, too, but when you dig deeper, it becomes messy, annoying and disheartening.

I’ve had an increase in people submitting fully AI-generated manuscripts for professional editing (do they want them humanised in some way? I’m not sure, as these people don’t write much about their journey or writing goals like genuine prospective clients). I didn’t actually think it would come to this because of the basic idea: why would a person spend so much money to have this slop developmentally edited?

We’re talking in the hundreds and sometimes thousands of pounds/dollars.

But, alas, it has happened.

Easy giveaways are poor initial communication in their briefs and queries, but their manuscript samples are almost too perfect. There is an element of polish that doesn’t scream human. In the past, ‘polish’ would have been a good thing (e.g., ‘Your essay is so well-conceived and polished’), but now it means a lack of interiority, depth and deviation. The AI gen manuscripts have a surface-level tone that slicks over the reader’s brain. There is no engaging story or curiosity.

I know there has been chatter about how generative AI uses em dashes to the ire of many writers and copywriters – I also use dashes. But when I say AI uses punctuation strangely, it goes beyond that. Many commas and a mix of punctuation as well. It’s almost too perfect and doesn’t deviate. Its style is to use all punctuation at all times. Humans just don’t do that, whether through error or personal taste.

With all this said, my admin time over the past months has grown rapidly, trying to respond to these queries rather than replying to actual prospective and current clients who are passionate about their work. Editors’ prices across the board are going up in the new year, but should we now also consider the even more admin we’re already doing with those price increases? Sadly, I think we must.

Real writers suffer being priced out and having to fight their way through the AI slop. The flip side of generative AI has now given nefarious ‘editors’ a huge foothold. People who will charge you to run your manuscript through ChatGPT and have it spit out an editorial report.

Writers have valid reasons to be concerned about this. I’ve now had to include an AI Policy and Editorial Integrity amendment to all my project agreements (I had already included guarantees of originality in new contracts at Wild Hunt Books for freelance creatives and signed authors).

For my APEI amendment, I want writers to clearly understand where I stand on AI, but I also want them to feel comfortable working with me and to know my personal process as I read and notetake. These are completely fair and important concerns.

I’m curious to hear from other editors and writers themselves about how they’ve navigated this whole new world of machines writing slop manuscripts. I’ve also included my current APEI amendment below.

As a publisher, I’m opening to short story submissions in January, and I’m a bit nervous about the potential for a slew of slop. Luckily, I’ve not previously had to deal with it at Wild Hunt Books, but I do know that many agents and literary magazines have become inundated. *shutters*

Anywho, without further ado:

AI Policy and Editorial Integrity 

For manuscripts and submission packages (query letters, synopses, sample pages): 

While the use of traditional AI models like grammar and spell check is permitted, and AI models for assisting with research and brainstorming are ok, I do not work on AI-generated manuscripts or submission packages. What this means is: I do not read or provide editorial feedback on work produced by generative AI programmes (e.g., ChatGPT). The writing and crafting of your manuscript or submission should be original to you and written by you. 

If your manuscript and/or submission package have been found to be generated by AI, the project will be cancelled, and any cancellation fees will be applied.  

For editorial integrity: 

I write all my editorial reports and any additional feedback myself. I do not use generative AI to write my deliverables. All thoughts and feedback are mine.  

To give you a sense of my process as an editor; 

• I read your writing in Microsoft Word 

• My personal notes are written in either Microsoft Word or Google Docs 

• My reports are also written in either Microsoft Word or Google Docs 

• Reports are saved and delivered as PDF to ensure that no formatting or display changes happen, so you can easily read and digest my feedback 

• Query letters and other docs with margin notes will be delivered via Word Doc 

I use spell/grammar check built into Word or Docs. All typos are my own.  

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