Dusting for Fingerprints

The one clue AI almost never leaves behind.

Operator: “9-1-1. What’s your emergency?”

Me: “I’d like to report a crime scene.”

Operator: “What seems to be the trouble?”

Me: “Everywhere I look, I see flat-lined copy with no pulse. There are bodies everywhere. It’s a massacre.”

Operator: “Stay where you are ma’am. We’ll get a detective over to you right away.”

When the detective arrives, he kneels by one of the bodies.

“Hmmm. This is an unusual case.

There are clues everywhere. Perfect grammar. Symmetrical sentence structure. Generic observations.”

He slips on a pair of gloves and grabs his fingerprint powder.

“But whoever did this didn’t leave a single fingerprint.”

Suddenly I got a flash of realization…

I’d been looking at the aftermath of this SAME crime for months. Articles, posts, emails…they’d all been stripped of their personality.

Who could the perp be?

All evidence pointed to AI. This crime spree exploded when it came onto the scene and suddenly everyone believed they could write brilliantly. Very suss.

But could that really be the whole story?

I put my detective hat on.

AI couldn’t have acted alone. It had to have an accomplice!

Sure, AI might murder the personality, but without a human to help, that lifeless copy would just be sitting in a cache, read by no one.

The writers didn’t revive the personality when they had the chance.

Because nothing happens until a human hits “publish.”

Now, AI doesn’t usually write bad copy. It creates very proficient output that’s scrubbed so clean, anyone could’ve written it.

I call it “Same Surgeon Syndrome.”

Because it looks like everyone visited the same plastic surgeon and came out looking identical.

That’s why editing is so crucial.

You don’t start by correcting grammar and punctuation.

You dust for fingerprints.

Here’s a little test to see if you’re an unwitting accomplice...

Take your name off the last article you wrote. Then anonymously give it to someone who knows you well.

Would they know who wrote it?

I know a lot of people couldn’t pass that test. Myself included until this avoidable crime became impossible to ignore.

What makes people recognize your writing aren’t usually the polished parts.

It’s your fingerprints. Your way of arranging words that’s unique to you. The details in your stories that AI couldn’t possibly fill in.

Dirtying up the draft a little makes it sound like you instead of what everyone else is copy/pasting.

Let’s look at Exhibit A, and dust for fingerprints.

Victim: Substack Note

Cause of Death: Same Surgeon Syndrome

Crime Scene:

My morning coffee helps me start the day with focus and energy.

Sounds are crisper.

Thoughts come quicker.

Words flow cleaner.

Evidence Collected

• No fingerprints

• Generic observation

• Staccato sentence structure

Case Status: Refer to the AI Nip/Tuck Operation

After Surgery:

At 5am, coffee isn’t a luxury around here. It’s what gets me through feeding the chickens, the horses, and enough writing to stay ahead of my husband, who thinks civilized mornings should start closer to 10.

Outcome:

Pulse detected.

Let’s look at Exhibit B….

Victim: Product Description

Cause of Death: Same Surgeon Syndrome

Crime Scene:

Our insulated travel mug is designed to keep beverages hot or cold for hours. Its durable stainless steel construction, leak-resistant lid, and comfortable grip make it the perfect companion for work, travel, or everyday use.

Evidence Collected

• No fingerprints

• Generic product claims

• Could belong to any brand

Case Status: Refer to the AI Nip/Tuck Operation

After Surgery:

This mug has foiled my cat’s gravity checks over a thousand times. She’ll still shove it off the counter. But thanks to its ultra-tight seal, the mug wins every time. Double-wall stainless steel keeps my water ice cold on scorching Arizona afternoons and my coffee hot long enough to survive the morning chores.

Bonus points: it doesn’t leak all over the truck.

Outcome:

Victim revived.

Are you seeing the pattern here? Let’s look at one more…Exhibit C.

Victim: Slice of Life Moment

Cause of Death: Same Surgeon Syndrome

Crime Scene:

Grocery shopping is an important part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Planning ahead and making a list can help you save time and money while ensuring you always have the ingredients you need.

Evidence Collected

• No fingerprints

• Generic observation

• Could’ve been written by anyone

Case Status: Refer to the AI Nip/Tuck Operation

After Surgery:

It happened again. Yesterday, I walked into the grocery store for milk. Yet somehow I came home with birdseed, three kinds of cheese, dog treats, and everything except the milk.

Every. Single. Time.

Outcome:

Fingerprints restored.

The goal isn’t to erase AI. It’s to erase the evidence.

Case closed? Far from it. I still see dead bodies littered everywhere without fingerprints.

The only way to battle this crime spree is for all of us to act. Pay attention to what your AI partner gives you. Then go over it with a fine-toothed editing comb and restore your fingerprints.

Together we can overcome this epidemic and restore original voices again.

Because people don’t remember perfectly polished. They remember nonconformity. So don’t be afraid to dirty up your drafts and put your fingerprints back in.

Keep it rodeo,
Lorrie “Lo” Morgan

P.S. I just released my brand-new skills workshop that teaches the exact editing process I use to put the fingerprints back after AI finishes its first draft. It’s called The Nip/Tuck Operation and it takes place over two 90 minute sessions on July 21st and 22nd. If you’ve been wondering how to combat sounding like everyone else, check it out.