Editing and Proofreading with AI

Every writer needs an editor, but not every writer has access to one. AI can serve as a tireless first-pass editor, catching errors and suggesting improvements before your work reaches human eyes. In this lesson, you'll learn to use AI effectively for various levels of editing - from basic proofreading to substantive developmental feedback.

The Editing Hierarchy

Professional editors distinguish between different levels of editing. Understanding this hierarchy helps you use AI more effectively:

Level	Focus	AI Effectiveness
Proofreading	Typos, spelling, punctuation	Excellent
Copyediting	Grammar, consistency, clarity	Very Good
Line Editing	Style, flow, word choice	Good (with guidance)
Developmental Editing	Structure, argument, content	Moderate (needs human judgment)

Proofreading with AI

For catching mechanical errors, AI is remarkably reliable. Use this prompt for a thorough proofread:

Copyediting with AI

Copyediting goes beyond typos to address grammar, consistency, and clarity:

Line Editing for Style

Line editing focuses on how you say things, not just correctness. This requires more careful prompting:

Developmental Feedback

For big-picture feedback on structure and content, AI can offer useful perspectives but requires human judgment to evaluate:

Checking for Specific Issues

Sometimes you need to check for particular problems. Here are targeted prompts:

Jargon Check

Read this text written for [AUDIENCE DESCRIPTION].
Flag any words or phrases that might be:
- Too technical for this audience
- Industry jargon that needs explanation
- Acronyms that aren't defined

For each, suggest a simpler alternative or a brief explanation to add.

Consistency Check

Check this document for consistency in:
- How names and terms are written
- Number formatting (1 vs. one, percentages, dates)
- Capitalization of key terms
- Tense usage
- Point of view (first/second/third person)

List any inconsistencies with their locations.

Tone Check

I want this text to sound [DESCRIBE DESIRED TONE: professional,
conversational, authoritative, friendly, etc.].

Read the text and identify any sentences or phrases that
don't match this tone. For each, explain why it feels off
and suggest an alternative that fits better.

The Two-Pass Method

For comprehensive editing, use a two-pass approach:

Pass 1: Mechanical

Ask AI to focus only on proofreading and copyediting. Fix all identified errors before proceeding.

Pass 2: Stylistic

With clean copy, ask for line editing and developmental feedback. This prevents style suggestions from being cluttered with basic error corrections.

Working with AI Suggestions

Not every AI suggestion is an improvement. Evaluate each recommendation:

Accept When	Question When	Reject When
It catches a genuine error	It changes your voice	It makes your writing generic
It improves clarity without losing meaning	It's technically correct but sounds wrong	It doesn't understand your intent
Multiple options let you choose	It removes intentional stylistic choices	It "over-corrects" informal tone

Practice Exercise

Take a piece of your own writing (300-500 words) and run it through the editing prompts above. Then:

1. Compare AI suggestions against your own judgment
2. Notice which categories of suggestions are most useful
3. Identify where AI misunderstands your intent

Key Takeaways

• Use AI editing in layers: proofreading first, then copyediting, then style
• Be specific about what kind of feedback you want to avoid generic suggestions
• Not every AI suggestion is an improvement - use your judgment
• Tell AI to preserve your voice to avoid generic rewrites
• The two-pass method (mechanical then stylistic) produces cleaner results
• AI editing is a first pass, not a final pass - human review is still essential