Simon Willison1 min readintro
How To Write With An LLM
Summary
Simon Willison argues that LLMs should be used as copyeditors, not as writers, and proposes a strict rule never to reuse any phrase they suggest. He shares a prompt for building a personal LLM proofreading tool.
- Never copy any exact phrase an LLM suggests; treat it as a copyeditor, not a writer.
- Use LLMs for fact‑checking, spelling, grammar, and synonym suggestions only.
- Keep a reusable prompt to turn an LLM into a personal proofreading assistant.
- The rule preserves your voice and avoids the characteristic “LLM smell” in your prose.
Writers and engineers who rely on LLMs for content creation should care to preserve their voice and avoid over‑reliance on AI‑generated phrasing.
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