**Spoiler Alert** Maybe AI writes more like me!

This year, I set out with big reading goals—towering, ambitious goals that Past Me swore Future Me could absolutely handle. And then Future Me… became Present Me. And Present Me is, well, writing a lot more than she’s reading.

In my defense, I’ve been busy.

Since January, I’ve:

• Published a book on KDP

• Drafted an entire fantasy novel (which is now staring at me like, “First edits? When?”)

• Prepped a nonfiction professional title that’s due at the start of the new year

• Waded knee-deep into writing projects, story development, research, and outlines

• And—because I apparently believe time is infinite—started trying to find a literary agent

So yes, my reading has taken a hit.

But all this writing means I’ve also been spending more time in author spaces online—scrolling through Threads, lurking in agent hashtags, researching query tips, watching how people get their “yes,” and occasionally whispering to the universe, “Please let it be my turn soon.”

Which is how I stumbled on a trending topic that absolutely stopped me mid-scroll:

“AI is giving people back the em dash.”

Wait.

Hold on.

Rewind.

I use em dashes all the time.

Like… all the time.

And ellipses. Especially when I’m trying to create a dramatic pause… or trail off into existential dread… or hint at the fact that I’m on my third cup of coffee.

So the question hit me harder than expected:

Do I write like an AI?

The Em Dash Crisis We Didn’t Know We Needed

Apparently, some writers online have noticed that earlier AI models either avoided em dashes or overused them—depending on the prompt. Now that newer models have started mimicking more natural writing rhythms again, people are celebrating as if we’ve just been gifted a punctuation renaissance.

But here’s the wild part:

Em dashes aren’t an AI quirk.

They’re a writer quirk.

They’re a “my brain is moving faster than commas can keep up” quirk.

They’re a “this thought needs a little drama” quirk.

They’re a “my sentence needs a pivot and I refuse to pick a semicolon” quirk.

It turns out em dashes are simply what happens when enthusiastic, idea-driven humans get excited on the page.

So if I use them a lot? That means I’m in good company.

(And honestly, if AI learned that from us—great. Somebody should.)

Writing More Means Reading Less… But Also Reading Differently

This year I’ve realized something: when you’re drafting multiple books, querying agents, keeping your blog alive, writing workshops, and spilling thousands of words into creative projects, your reading muscles change.

You read:

• For inspiration

• For pacing

• For voice

• For comps

• For structure

• For vibes (yes, vibes matter)

It’s not always cover-to-cover leisure reading. It’s study. It’s craft. It’s reverse-engineering.

And while my official reading goals are glaring at me from my planner, my unofficial goals? The ones about becoming a better writer? Those have been working overtime.

So maybe I haven’t failed my reading goals. Maybe they just… shifted.

Do I Write Like an AI?

Honestly?

No.

I write like someone who has been busy building worlds, polishing professional manuscripts, juggling deadlines, drafting pitches, and chasing a dream that requires ridiculous persistence and a very human amount of hope.

AI doesn’t get discouraged.

AI doesn’t experience an existential crisis over Chapter 12.

AI doesn’t worry about comps, marketability, or whether its query letter sparkles.

AI doesn’t dream about connecting with readers.

But humans do.

Humans like me.

Humans like you.

Humans who use em dashes because sometimes our ideas need the extra space to breathe.

So yes, I use em dashes. And ellipses. And fragments. And long, winding thoughts.

Not because I’m writing like AI—

but because I’m writing like me.

And that’s a voice I wouldn’t trade for anything.

Before You Go…

Do you have a punctuation quirk you can’t give up? Are you Team Em Dash, All The Way? Or are you quietly judging me from behind your Oxford comma?

Because listen—I love the Oxford comma. It seriously irks me that more people don’t use it. Honestly, it’s the difference between “let’s eat grandma” and “let’s eat, Grandmom.” Life and death, people!

And while we’re at it, let me say this loud and clear:

It is absolutely okay to use em dashes.

They’re expressive, flexible, dramatic, and sometimes the only punctuation that keeps up with a fast-moving brain. Embrace them. Use them. Let them be part of your voice.

Tell me your punctuation personality in the comments—because I promise you’re not the only one with strong feelings about tiny marks on a page.

And if you liked this post, feel free to share it with someone who also overuses em dashes. They’ll know who they are.