I have been writing content professionally since 2020. It's already 2026. 6 freaking years!!

I have always been appreciated as a writer, even back in school essays, and I genuinely thought I wrote well.

Up until 2023.

That’s when AI came into the picture. It was faster. It was easier. It took away the fear of staring at a blank page. Most of the work I was doing professionally became: ask AI to write the draft, then put on my editor's hat and edit the content.

Over the last three years, that's mostly what I've been doing. Reading the same kinds of drafts over and over again. Making sure they read smoother, read better, and conveyed the point we wanted to make. Consuming the same pattern of content again and again.

Eventually, that pattern got ingrained in my head.

Sometimes I look back at my drafts and think, shit, I did a terrible job editing. But the blog is live, it's doing its job, and I don't blame myself too much for it.

What bothers me is when my own writing starts looking AI-generated, even when it isn't.

Recently, I've been working with a mentor and getting feedback on my writing. I feel judged. I feel horrible when every single word gets highlighted with comments like, "This can be better," "This can be improved," or "We don't write it like this."

The thought process is there. The critical thinking is there. The judgment is there.

But the most basic thing, the thing I've loved since childhood, the thing I use to describe myself, ‘a writer’, is suddenly being scrutinized.

It's terrifying.

At the same time, I know it's a good problem to have.

Having someone remind you that ‘This is basic English, and that if you want to become an exceptional writer, you need to stand out.’ You need to have opinions. You need the right flow. It doesn't have to be flowery. It doesn't have to be embellished. It doesn't have to follow patterns.'

It just has to make sense to the reader. It has to generate curiosity if that's the goal. Or entice someone enough to click the product link. That has always been the job of a writer, and it always will be.

This week has been a good reminder that I've become complacent.

I haven't been exercising my mind enough to keep it fresh, to keep the words fresh, to keep the excitement alive. I just fell into the pattern of how everyone else has been talking and writing.

There's only so far you can push yourself.

Having someone else push you is a blessing in disguise, and I am grateful for this ‘character arc’ I am going through.