My AI and digital tools policy
Last updated 23 April 2026
As an editor working with fiction and non-fiction writers, I am aware of and concerned about the impact of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude and Copilot in creative industries.
Honesty and transparency are vital to the editor–author relationship, and I believe in taking the same approach to discussions around AI, generative AI and digital tools.
I would like my clients to know that I don’t use any generative AI tools in my editing or writing processes, and at this stage I’d prefer not to work with authors who are using these tools to write their novels.
However, I want to be transparent with clients that I do use digital tools in my business, and some of these use forms of AI or offer AI features that may be running in the background while I use the software.
Here’s a more detailed look at my policy on generative AI and how I’m using other digital tools in my business.
Ethical concerns
I’ve thought a lot about the impact of generative AI since it burst into our world in recent years. While I can see that it offers the potential to do a lot of good in many spaces, I don’t think the arts is one of them.
Here is an overview of my concerns so you can understand the thinking that has informed my current position:
The environmental impact of generative AI is one of my most pressing concerns. While exact figures are unclear, we know that large language models like ChatGPT chew up electricity and water and emit carbon at staggering rates, while mining rare earth elements for microchips. And no, renewable energy wise, we are not yet keeping up with demand.
I also worry about harmful biases in generative AI, which is built on data that are inherently misogynistic, homophobic, racist and violent. This study shows how AI images amplify gender and racial stereotypes; these biases are also reflected in text outputs. There is a real risk of these dangerous attitudes being embedded further into our culture with generative AI at the helm.
Most of all, I’m angry and hurt that artists, who are already earning peanuts (the average income of an author in Australia is $18,200), have had their work stolen by tech billionaires to train large language models that spit out low-quality imitations in seconds. To me, using large language models to create, write or edit books is participating in that theft.
This theft is one of the reasons that, at this time, works composed by generative AI may not be subject to copyright in full or part, depending on the laws in your country. Because of this complicated copyright situation and the increasing reader distrust and rejection of AI-generated creative work, authors who have used generative AI to write their books may find that publishing houses are not willing to take the risk in signing them as a result, or worse, pull their books from publication when accusations of AI involvement are raised.
Personally, I value the process of writing just as much as the finished product. It’s in the hard work of forming our ideas and putting them into beautiful strings of words that we derive joy, expand our skills, grow our brains and connect as humans. I hope, too, that the authors I work with value my process of engaging deeply with their stories, bringing all my humanness to the page to pinpoint themes, analyse character growth, celebrate their efforts and gently encourage them to dig deeper.
My policy on editing generative AI-derived manuscripts
Given my ethical concerns about generative AI tools and my professional obligations to my clients, I do not wish to work on manuscripts that have been partially or wholly written or revised by generative AI. In the spirit of mutual transparency, I also ask that authors disclose to me if they have used AI in their creative process.
If you are using generative AI to compose your work, I may not be the editor for you.
In saying that, I’m aware that generative AI may be a useful accessibility tool for many people. For that reason, if you have used generative AI in the conception or planning of your novel, but have written the work yourself, I may be open to working on your manuscript. I’m also open to a discussion around how you’ve used AI tools if you feel that they have supported your ability to write but you have retained creative control.
If you’d like to work with me but aren’t sure how your use of AI fits in my policy, feel free to contact me for a chat about it – this is a fast-evolving space and I’m open to learning more about how people are navigating the use of these tools.
I’m committed to staying abreast of news and developments in this space.
My use of generative AI in the editing process
Please be assured that as an editor, I do not use generative AI tools to edit your work in any way. I take confidentiality, privacy and creative expression seriously and I do not use generative AI tools to edit, rework, restructure or rephrase your prose, or to complete editing-adjacent tasks such as creating chapter summaries, character lists or timelines. Except for the purpose of secure storage and backup (eg Dropbox storage, see below) I will never upload your file to a third-party site without your express permission.
It may also interest you to know that I don’t use AI-assistive tools such as Grammarly or ProWritingAid in my editing process. I rely on my experience, training, online resources and a raft of reference books for help when I get stuck with a thorny editing issue.
My use of generative AI in the writing process
As a writer, all my work comes from my own brain! I don’t use ChatGPT or other generative AI tools to brainstorm, plan or write my freelance articles for magazines, blog posts for my website or social media posts for Instagram. Nor do I use Grammarly or ProWritingAid.
This is a human-powered, genAI slop-free space!
The digital tools I use in my work
While I don’t use generative AI, I do use a variety of digital tools in my business. Here’s what’s in my tech stack and how I navigate AI features within these tools.
I use Word (Microsoft 365 subscription for Mac) for writing and editing. I have the ‘Classic’ subscription and I have switched off ‘Connected Experiences’ so there is no Copilot feature in the documents. I don’t currently use the Microsoft Cloud for storage, preferring to store files locally on my device and on Dropbox (see below).
This is an industry standard consistency checking software that I use to ensure an extra level of quality when copyediting. It’s an authorised plugin to Microsoft Word. As I’m a Mac user, I have the Cloud version of PerfectIt, which sends the document to the cloud and deletes it after checking. It is not stored and no one but myself has access to the file at any time. PerfectIt does not use any form of AI.
If you’d prefer me not to use PerfectIt on your project, please let me know.
MacWhisper and iPhone Voice Memos
The only AI tools I use in my business are transcribing tools. These rely on speech-recognition algorithms for quick and accurate transcription of audio recordings. I use an app called MacWhisper on my laptop to transcribe interviews; the advantage of this desktop app is that all data remains on my device. I manually review all transcripts to ensure accuracy.
I also use the Voice Memos feature on my iPhone for voice notes, which are transcribed automatically within the app. I often voice note myself to write blog posts and brainstorm structural edits when I’m out and about driving or walking (this is when I’m most likely to have a brainwave about your plot!). My notes are deleted after I finish working on your project.
A cloud-based storage platform. I save my working files to my computer locally and to Dropbox for ease of use when travelling and to ensure that I don’t lose anything important should my computer or software crash! Here’s more on Dropbox’s security.
I also use Dropbox Sign to collect digital signatures from clients signing their contracts. While Dropbox has introduced some AI-powered features, such as search and organisation tools, they are optional and I don’t use these.
I use this free software to proofread typeset PDFs of books. This version offers an AI assistant feature, however, I don’t use it. Files are saved locally on my computer and Dropbox.
I use Zoom for interviews and meetings with clients. I only record client meetings if you would like a copy of the recording afterwards. In that case, I share the file with you only. This includes an automatic transcript of the meeting.
For interviews, I record the meeting (with permission) and use the audio file to create my own transcription using MacWhisper.
Online booking tool that syncs to my calendar and is integrated with Zoom so clients can book directly at times that suit us both.
An email marketing and newsletter platform for sending out my fortnightly editing newsletters. I use the basic free version.
Online resources
I use a variety of online resources when editing. These are the ones I use regularly:
Australian Government Style Manual
Google and Ecosia – these are the search engines I use for fact-checking. I avoid the AI summary in Google as I find it too unreliable. Ecosia (a search engine that raises money via advertising to plant trees) also has an AI search mode that I don’t use.
Summing up
I remain committed to human-powered editing and writing. I will continue to stay abreast of developments in the AI space and how it affects writers, editors and the creative industries.
I hope this has given you clear insight into my stance on generative AI and digital tools. If you have any questions or concerns about how this affects our work together, please feel free to contact me.