I used to feel ashamed of using AI to proofread my writing. Whether it was a LinkedIn post, a tweet update, or this newsletter — it felt like cheating.
But AI keeps getting better. It learns my style, remembers context, and shapes sentences closer to how I’d write them myself. (or I wish I did)
I haven’t sent drafts to friends yet. Maybe I should. But I respect their time. Proofreading costs energy, and I don’t know if every draft deserves it. So I ask AI.
Internet Diet is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
Sometimes I even dig into examples from writers I admire. Recently, I’ve been admiring PostHog’s blog. Their copy is funny, honest, and human. That’s the tone I want to master.
The truth is, I don’t want to spend hours fixing typos or rearranging sentences. I want to dump my thoughts and let GPT-5 smoothen the flow. Then I read it through and keep only what still sounds like me.
Paul Graham writes that you shouldn’t stress about flow early on. The key is getting ideas onto the page. Once you have raw material, you can rearrange, add layers, and sharpen. He also says: “Fixing sentences that sound bad seems to help get the ideas right.” Editing isn’t decoration — it’s part of the thinking.
That’s how I see AI. Not a ghostwriter. A proofreader that helps me think clearer.
My Process
Write fast. I spend 15–20 minutes dumping ideas. Usually something hits me while I’m busy. I write until I stop or start repeating.
Structure. I ask AI to shape it into a Substack-style post with sections.
Expand. I have AI act as an interviewer, asking questions I hadn’t considered. I write under those prompts.
Merge. AI blends my answers back into the draft.
Cut. I read through and delete anything that feels unnatural.
Spice. Sometimes I borrow principles from writers I admire — like Dilbert’s blog post here.
This cycle makes editing playful instead of painful.
What Helps Me Practice
I use GYM for writers, where 750 Words helps me doing reps to push me forward. Writing 750 words every day forces me to dump ideas without editing myself. That’s where I learn to just write or get into the flow.
Julian Shapiro explains that writing has two modes: creating and editing. Mixing them makes you worse at both. That’s exactly why AI proofreading works for me — it lets me stay in creator mode longer. Then, when I’m ready, I switch into editing before publishing.
And here’s the secret: you don’t need sophisticated prompts. If you just ask questions in plain language, you’ll get the feedback you need.
Respect for the Reader
That’s why I don’t see AI proofreading as cheating. It’s the opposite. It’s my way of showing respect to anyone who takes time to read what I write.
Publishing unedited text would be disrespectful to you. And I want you to read this, so trust must be built through respect.
And if Paul Graham can ask Patrick Collison or Jessica Livingston to review his essays, you can ask ChatGPT and not feel ashamed about it.
Internet Diet is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.