I’m surprised at how many times I’ve been asked if I use ghostwriters (I don’t). Maybe I shouldn’t have done that; maybe it’s a pretty common practice in the security industry. Recently, another question has been added to this one: Do you use AI to assist with writing? Definitely not.
I firmly reject the use of ghostwriters or AI. Over the course of my career, I have declined numerous requests to have my name appear on something I haven’t written. If my name is on something, you know it’s me. If there’s one thing the security field doesn’t need, it’s AI helping to amplify talking points that are already repeated so loudly, without any practical approach to addressing these points.
Maybe some will think I’m a relic or a fool. Who knows. I believe there are good reasons why I don’t use AI for my writing.
1. You can talk about what you write
It’s awkward when someone questions you about something they’ve allegedly written and you can’t speak intelligently about it. Even more awkward is when you can speak at a high level on a topic and then when you’re asked further questions: Inability to redirect effectively In a way that shows you understand the material. Luckily, those who write don’t have this problem. We have to know what we’re talking about.
When one begins to write, it requires truly understanding a topic: thinking about it, analyzing it, organizing one’s thoughts around it, and then putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) for the first time. This requires an investment of time and energy, but it will pay off big dividends in the future when one is called upon to publish, speak, or otherwise engage on a particular topic.
2. I like to put emotion into my work
One of the things that makes the human brain special is our ability to experience emotions. Sometimes emotions cloud our decisions, slow us down, and lead us off course. But more often than not, emotions are just a part of who we are. Human emotional capacity Optimism can be a force for good. Compassion may motivate someone to help others. Emotional stress may motivate someone to solve a problem that is troubling them. Optimism may inspire someone to work hard for a cause they believe in. Of course, the examples are numerous.
The point is, human writers can make choices that appeal to the reader’s emotions in order to achieve their authorial goals. A world filled with AI-generated text seems to me to lack that emotional weight.
3. Try to have a sense of humor
American philosopher William James is quoted as saying, “A sense of humor is nothing but a dance of common sense.” This is a powerful quote in keeping with James’ belief that those who lack a sense of humor also lack common sense. The ability of human writers to infuse (or attempt to infuse) humor into their writing may essentially be the ability to infuse common sense into their writing. In addition to this, humor, when used appropriately, Capture your reader’s attentionHumor can help explain certain principles and emphasize certain points, and it can also help you address challenges and deal with them better.
Given this, it’s not surprising that comedians are some of the most intelligent, witty, and analytical people out there. The world of writing without humor doesn’t seem like a very fun world to me.
4. Writing is a skill. If you don’t use it, you’ll forget it.
Many people, including myself, consider themselves Physically good shapeIt’s well-known that muscles atrophy if they aren’t used regularly. The same is true for various parts of the brain. If we become reliant on our navigation system and completely disregard our sense of direction, we become disoriented. If we don’t regularly interact with people face-to-face, our ability to do so decreases. Similarly, if we don’t write regularly, writing becomes less comfortable for us.
I occasionally review the writing of others, and it’s usually clear who has practiced writing and who hasn’t. I have no intention of surrendering the art of writing to mercenaries or machines.
5. People know the difference
Finally, most people can tell if what they are reading was written by a ghostwriter or an AI. In my experience, people are usually disappointed when they realize that what they are reading was not written by the thinkers they expected to read. This is unfortunate for us, but it is an important lesson: as far as I know, writing is always better when it comes from the purported source.
Technical writing talent and AI both offer interesting opportunities. While each option is certainly an appropriate approach in some cases, I don’t think writing under someone else’s name is one of them. History will probably consider me a relic of the past, but I personally intend to continue writing my own work without the aid of ghostwriters or AI. I think my readers understand and appreciate that, or at least I owe it to them to do so.