Warning: if you use tools like Grammarly, you need to check the output.

[Impia]

A lot of people say Grammarly (and similar programs) is a very useful tool, and maybe it still is. But over the last two years, since they started to rely more and more on AI, its quality has gone downhill.

I'm not going to tell you not to use it at all. But if you do, you need to read over your text again afterwards - maybe not to check it for spelling or grammatical errors, but instead, for logical inconsistencies and plot holes.

All modern "AI" hallucinates. The really high-end stuff hides it better, but the free and cheap tools don't. And so they will introduce stupid, blatant errors into your stories - one I read earlier today described a character running from 5:50 am to 7:30 am, and repeatedly called this "three hours." I commented to check with the author, and sure enough, they used Grammarly.

My first suspicion was actually that the whole work was just AI-generated - there were a few other blatant errors like this that didn't look like the kinds of errors human authors make.

So if you do use AI tools like these, just be careful to double-check and reread before posting. Just because they might find some genuine mistakes of yours doesn't mean they won't make their own.

 

[DismaiNaim]

I wouldn't trust my work to one of those things. I keep it in a separate file, and copy/paste into the context window when I need it to tell me how amazing I am.

 

[L1aei]

A lot of people say Grammarly (and similar programs) is a very useful tool, and maybe it still is. But over the last two years, since they started to rely more and more on AI, its quality has gone downhill.

I'm not going to tell you not to use it at all. But if you do, you need to read over your text again afterwards - maybe not to check it for spelling or grammatical errors, but instead, for logical inconsistencies and plot holes.

All modern "AI" hallucinates. The really high-end stuff hides it better, but the free and cheap tools don't. And so they will introduce stupid, blatant errors into your stories - one I read earlier today described a character running from 5:50 am to 7:30 am, and repeatedly called this "three hours." I commented to check with the author, and sure enough, they used Grammarly.

My first suspicion was actually that the whole work was just AI-generated - there were a few other blatant errors like this that didn't look like the kinds of errors human authors make.

So if you do use AI tools like these, just be careful to double-check and reread before posting. Just because they might find some genuine mistakes of yours doesn't mean they won't make their own.

Thanks for the heads-up.

Yeah, something to keep in mind is that AI in any tool is usually going to be an LLM model; they're not perfect. They don't truly understand the content in the way a human does; they predict what comes next in a sentence based on patterns they've learned from vast amounts of text.

This can lead to the kinds of errors @Impia mentioned, especially when it comes to logic, timing, or continuity. LLM's can miss things like the passage of time, cause-and-effect relationships, or those flawed but good and human qualities that wouldn't make logical sense but are absolutely critical in storytelling; you know, a narrative that isn't forcing you to solve a math problem and instead makes what you're reading actually enjoyable. It's why some of those seemingly random errors (like the "three hours" mistake) happen; because the AI isn't actually processing the information logically (RNG machine?), it's just trying to predict the most probable word or phrase. Hell, I've even encountered LLM's that contradicted their own word choices when I threw them back into their faces.

I think it's definitely a good reminder for anyone using AI tools to double-check their work. But for God's sake, proofread your shit before your audience gets giddy when they get a chance to grab your attention to point out "your" mistakes.

 

[Corty]

As someone who uses Grammarly for 3 years now, never once have I used their generative function.

It doesn't automatically generate your text nor does it forcefully rewrite it. If it has AI feel that's on the author. Grammarly won't generate or rewrite your text like that only if you tell it to do so.

 

[AliceMoonvale]

I just started using it not too long ago and already noticed these things pretty quickly. I make sure to dismiss/avoid suggested changes that don't vibe with me. Grammarly obviously won't understand my meme slang.

 

[Valmond]

I’ve always done my editing manually, tried Grammarly years ago and it utterly screwed me over. So bad, that I was set back about a day or two.

Since then, I have improved myself to be able to catch my errors. While some remains, the amount is significantly less.

And as such, during the editing phase. At most I’d have to add a word, correct some spellings here and there. Maybe rearrange a line, or redo a line.

With that light load, it allows me to add in more context without worrying about the errors as much.

 

[Joelle]

I normally use Grammarly to check punctuation and grammatical blunders only, cause during the cause of writing, i tend to just pour out the idea and edit with Grammarly afterwards. But thanks for the heads up.

Spoiler: My current work

Card Monarch | Scribble Hub

 

[Rookieqw]

Not about Grammarly, but I'm using ProWritingAid, and it regularly deducts points from my grammar for:

Ruda said.

Ruda is one of the MCs of my novel. ProWritingAid wants to change it to Rida Said. What even is this hell?

It helped me find mistakes a lot, it beat the desire to overuse "managed to" out of me, and I enjoy the result, but certain choices of this program are weird. And if you use names such as "Caikhatu" or "Horkhudagh," you are basically Satan in its eyes. It will tank your grammar and style score.

 

[unlaumy]

for me, anything but spelling and verb mistakes should be ignored

 

[DireBadger]

You know how a copy of a copy of a copy is just not as... sharp as the original?
One, meet four. We call him 'Grammarly' and keep the cork on the fork because he's cute, and we don't want him putting his eye out.

 

[Eldoria]

Grammarly is actually more accurate at checking spelling based on UK standards. It even revises US spelling. It also can't fix messy sentence structure.

Try creating an ambiguous sentence. Create a sentence with the subject "he" and then insert another sentence with the object "her." Grammarly doesn't recognize this sentence as an error. Instead of "grammarly," I might prefer to call it "vocabulary." Lol

 

[LeilaniOtter]

We use the premium version of Grammsrly here.

Under NO circumstances should writers allow the AI to do ANYTHING. Just accept spelling/grammar mistakes. That's IT. Don't ask it for anything else. Don't even except it's "comfort" bullshit either. ("I'm comfortable about..." ) Also, be aware it is very politically correct and "woke". For instance, it doesn't like the words "blindly" or " elderly" and will attempt to inform you that it's insulting.

And this is why I hate AI when it's used for the wrong purpose.

 

[Maelstrom556]

I used to use Grammarly over a decade ago when it was just checking spelling and grammar. This whole thread really feels like a reason to not try it again.

We use the premium version of Grammsrly here.

Under NO circumstances should writers allow the AI to do ANYTHING. Just accept spelling/grammar mistakes. That's IT. Don't ask it for anything else. Don't even except it's "comfort" bullshit either. ("I'm comfortable about..." ) Also, be aware it is very politically correct and "woke". For instance, it doesn't like the words "blindly" or " elderly" and will attempt to inform you that it's insulting.

And this is why I hate AI when it's used for the wrong purpose.

Ah yes, an AI getting "uncomfortable". The readers should decide what they're comfortable with. And what if the whole point of the story is to make the reader uncomfortable because the author is trying to make some social commentary point that people just want to ignore? How's it gonna react then?

 

[DireBadger]

Ah yes, an AI getting "uncomfortable". The readers should decide what they're comfortable with. And what if the whole point of the story is to make the reader uncomfortable because the author is trying to make some social commentary point that people just want to ignore? How's it gonna react then?

Too right! It is up to the READERS to call the 'social commentary writer' a pretentious, arrogant butthair, how dare the AI steal that???

:p

-direbadger, a pretentious, arrogant butthair, and proud of it.

 

[Fairemont]

I've used Grammarly before. I usually just toss it into the thing and let it highlight stuff. Basically, I use it to show me where I should look and if I want to revise it, then I do.

By doing it this way, you can also take advantage of the paid features since it will highlight those but not tell you what it'd suggest you do to fix them. So, if you know how to edit, it's just a nice auto-highlighter that tells you your more cumbersome and problematic areas.

 

[ConansWitchBaby]

You can make this thread more concise, try using:
grxlptukez aqxrrxtemxexx

 

[FRWriter]

I just use Grammarly for spelling errors and missing commas ;)

 

[LeilaniOtter]

Exactly. The idea that AI is saying write your book with the readers in mind when it comes to "comfort level" is 100% hogwash.

I can't say this enough; this is your work, not theirs.
You're doing the hard labor, not them.
We're not designing a bathroom here, we're writing books.
Your vision matters, not the readers'.
Your viewpoint matters, not the readers'.
Your comfort matters, not the readers'
If Grammarly tells you it's "comfortable" with something, tell it to go straight to Hell and keep writing. ??

Full stop. .

And I'll use the word "blindly" anytime I freaking want to, thank you.

Okay, now Full Stop. ?

 

[FRWriter]

I have some disagreement with others (sorry! ? ?) about how you should write your book with the readers in mind when it comes to "comfort level". I can't say this enough; this is your work, not theirs.
You're doing the hard labor, not them.
We're not designing a bathroom here, we're writing books.
Your vision matters, not the readers'.
Your viewpoint matters, not the readers'.
Your comfort matters, not the readers'
If Grammarly tells you it's "comfortable" with something, tell it to go straight to Hell and keep writing. ??

Full stop. .

You should become a motivational speaker.
Just don't cuddle us too much, or we'll grow soft.

 

[LeilaniOtter]

Just don't cuddle us too much, or we'll grow soft.

But, but...otter cuddles! How can anyone be tired of those?!

(thanks, I actually teach classes off-campus to older adults now and then.) ?