it wasn’t AI—just real writing
A lot of authors use the em dash (—) in their novels, and no—it’s not because of AI. Writers have been using it long before AI even existed. It’s simply part of good writing and something you learn when you study grammar, pacing, and storytelling. The em dash can: • add a dramatic pause, • show interrupted dialogue, • highlight a sudden shift in emotion or thought, • or emphasize an important part of the sentence. So when you see an em dash in a story, it’s completely normal. It’s not an “AI thing”—it’s just a writing tool that helps make sentences flow better and feel more natural. ------ Before I even learned how to write properly, I was already working on Chapter 2 of TBIATE without really knowing the right way to craft a story. I didn’t understand the basics yet—how to structure scenes, what details mattered, or even who I could ask for help. I was writing alone, with no one to guide me through off-scenes or suggest what needed improvement. I was just a beginner with ze...