Look Under the Towel

This article was reprinted from RedHotCopy.com

The other night I made a batch of sausage balls for a potluck.

You know the kind...Bisquick, sausage, and cheese. Super simple and super delicious.

Anyway, it was getting late. So I left them on the counter to cool with a towel draped over them, and went to bed.

The next morning I walked into the kitchen, lifted the towel, and was totally grossed out.

The entire pan was swarming with ants! 🤢

I have no idea who sent out a group text that breakfast was served, but I haven’t seen that many ants in forever.

Welp…obviously those weren’t going to the potluck.

So I thought, “Well, maybe I can at least salvage some for the dogs.”

I scooped a few into a bowl and microwaved them for a full minute.

When I opened the door, those little suckers were STILL ALIVE! Apparently ants laugh in the face of microwaves.

So, instead of getting zapped, the ants got an unexpected swim in the sink.

And the dogs got sausage balls without creepy-crawly protein.

What struck me most about those sausage balls wasn’t so much that the ants got into them.

It was that I didn’t know they were there until I lifted the towel.

That’s what I see happening with AI copy, too.

Most people don’t look twice once it’s generated.

They get a draft, skim it (maybe change a word or two), and then hit publish.

They don’t really notice the predictable phrasing or the “not X, but Y” pattern.

Because nothing screams, “Hey! This sentence is fake!”

Readers may not know exactly what’s wrong.

They just feel like something sounds...off.

But good editors notice.

They know to lift the towel and inspect the draft before anyone else sees it.

They spot what crept inside, remove what doesn’t belong, and preserve everything that still works.

Editing is a very different skill than writing.

It’s all about judgment. And that’s something that can be learned. But it doesn’t happen without guidance and effort.

Editing is becoming one of the most valuable skills in marketing today.

Your copy doesn’t need another prompt.

It needs a better editor.

Keep it rodeo,
Lorrie “Lo” Morgan

P.S. I still can’t believe those ants survived the microwave. If they ever learn copywriting, we’re all in trouble.

P.P.S. I don’t save all my good writing for Substack. I also send out an email with tips and tactics about copywriting several times a week. Some of my best stuff is in there. You can sign up at www.redhotcopy.com. I’d love to have ya!