First #editinghell manuscript where the client has straight up admitted to using chatgpt to write it.
Fuckin yikes, bro.
Fuckin yikes, bro.
February 28, 2026 at 3:03 AM
First #editinghell manuscript where the client has straight up admitted to using chatgpt to write it.
Fuckin yikes, bro.
Fuckin yikes, bro.
This is basically what the #editinghell company applies to some jobs before they go a human. This 'assistive' process does a terrible job and has no clue how to handle most academic writing. I usually have to undo >50% of its changes. 🙄🤦♀️
September 19, 2026 at 9:41 PM
This is basically what the #editinghell company applies to some jobs before they go a human. This 'assistive' process does a terrible job and has no clue how to handle most academic writing. I usually have to undo >50% of its changes. 🙄🤦♀️
Y'all this one is baaaaaad.
I'm betting if they hadn't done their own AI polishing AND JUST HAD ME WORK ON THEIR RAW TEXT this wouldn't be the PITA it is.
#editinghell
I'm betting if they hadn't done their own AI polishing AND JUST HAD ME WORK ON THEIR RAW TEXT this wouldn't be the PITA it is.
#editinghell
Remember when I said this a week ago?? GUESS WHAT'S IN THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR MY CURRENT #editinghell JOB?!
"we used chatgpt to check/polish this, so plz make it sound less like AI" (paraphrased)
kill me.
"we used chatgpt to check/polish this, so plz make it sound less like AI" (paraphrased)
kill me.
I've only had one (disclosed by the client in the ms) usage of AI in my recent #editinghell jobs, but I've wondered for a while if human language/technical editors are being used to 'beat' the genAI checkers (like, I'm being used to humanize the writing).
It's not great, Bob.
It's not great, Bob.
May 11, 2026 at 1:46 AM
Y'all this one is baaaaaad.
I'm betting if they hadn't done their own AI polishing AND JUST HAD ME WORK ON THEIR RAW TEXT this wouldn't be the PITA it is.
#editinghell
I'm betting if they hadn't done their own AI polishing AND JUST HAD ME WORK ON THEIR RAW TEXT this wouldn't be the PITA it is.
#editinghell
I can now only access science direct journals using Firefox. Chrome just gives a never-ending "r u human?" loop, even in incognito mode.
95% of the time I'm just trying to look at the author guidelines for an #editinghell job. 🙄🤦♀️
95% of the time I'm just trying to look at the author guidelines for an #editinghell job. 🙄🤦♀️
Is everyone else getting human verification screens when they just open a normal journal article url? Not downloading the pdf, just clicking to the article from a TOC email say? I feel like this is new this year, and probably reflects what @carlbergstrom.com is talking about here.
When we talk about the costs that LLMs impose on society we should not forget the fact that nothing works anymore because everyone is so scared of getting their shit scraped.
I can't even use google scholar from my university or starlink because they send too much traffic.
I can't even use google scholar from my university or starlink because they send too much traffic.
September 21, 2026 at 12:15 AM
I can now only access science direct journals using Firefox. Chrome just gives a never-ending "r u human?" loop, even in incognito mode.
95% of the time I'm just trying to look at the author guidelines for an #editinghell job. 🙄🤦♀️
95% of the time I'm just trying to look at the author guidelines for an #editinghell job. 🙄🤦♀️
I decided to turn my three 40,000-word manuscripts into a single completely restructured 100,000-word manuscript. God help me.
(And if anyone catches me making even bigger plans after this, just tackle me. I won’t even fight it.) #AmWriting #WritersLife #EditingHell #PublishingJourney
(And if anyone catches me making even bigger plans after this, just tackle me. I won’t even fight it.) #AmWriting #WritersLife #EditingHell #PublishingJourney
February 24, 2025 at 9:49 PM
I decided to turn my three 40,000-word manuscripts into a single completely restructured 100,000-word manuscript. God help me.
(And if anyone catches me making even bigger plans after this, just tackle me. I won’t even fight it.) #AmWriting #WritersLife #EditingHell #PublishingJourney
(And if anyone catches me making even bigger plans after this, just tackle me. I won’t even fight it.) #AmWriting #WritersLife #EditingHell #PublishingJourney
Dobby: “Harry Potter must not return to chapter three. Harry Potter edits it for eternity!”
😭🔁📖
#WritersOfBluesky #amWriting #amEditing #EditingHell #HarryPotterWriterMode #SendHelpDobby #Draft42 #PlotLoopCurse
😭🔁📖
#WritersOfBluesky #amWriting #amEditing #EditingHell #HarryPotterWriterMode #SendHelpDobby #Draft42 #PlotLoopCurse
May 27, 2025 at 4:57 PM
Dobby: “Harry Potter must not return to chapter three. Harry Potter edits it for eternity!”
😭🔁📖
#WritersOfBluesky #amWriting #amEditing #EditingHell #HarryPotterWriterMode #SendHelpDobby #Draft42 #PlotLoopCurse
😭🔁📖
#WritersOfBluesky #amWriting #amEditing #EditingHell #HarryPotterWriterMode #SendHelpDobby #Draft42 #PlotLoopCurse
My problem is I'm good at spotting common tropes and "solving" the plot. It sets a very high bar. #editinghell
November 27, 2024 at 8:44 PM
My problem is I'm good at spotting common tropes and "solving" the plot. It sets a very high bar. #editinghell
Whoo boy. 55k words edited. Some days you just gotta forget about writing and focus on improving what exists.
#writerlife #editinghell #authorthings
#writerlife #editinghell #authorthings
April 14, 2025 at 4:41 AM
Whoo boy. 55k words edited. Some days you just gotta forget about writing and focus on improving what exists.
#writerlife #editinghell #authorthings
#writerlife #editinghell #authorthings
Remember when I said this a week ago?? GUESS WHAT'S IN THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR MY CURRENT #editinghell JOB?!
"we used chatgpt to check/polish this, so plz make it sound less like AI" (paraphrased)
kill me.
"we used chatgpt to check/polish this, so plz make it sound less like AI" (paraphrased)
kill me.
I've only had one (disclosed by the client in the ms) usage of AI in my recent #editinghell jobs, but I've wondered for a while if human language/technical editors are being used to 'beat' the genAI checkers (like, I'm being used to humanize the writing).
It's not great, Bob.
It's not great, Bob.
May 10, 2026 at 2:36 AM
Remember when I said this a week ago?? GUESS WHAT'S IN THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR MY CURRENT #editinghell JOB?!
"we used chatgpt to check/polish this, so plz make it sound less like AI" (paraphrased)
kill me.
"we used chatgpt to check/polish this, so plz make it sound less like AI" (paraphrased)
kill me.
Almost a week later and I’ve gotten 20% more progress, so we’re just about halfway there!!! One day it’ll be done 😭😭😭
#writing #fanfic #xiaolumi #editinghell
#writing #fanfic #xiaolumi #editinghell
November 14, 2024 at 4:23 PM
Almost a week later and I’ve gotten 20% more progress, so we’re just about halfway there!!! One day it’ll be done 😭😭😭
#writing #fanfic #xiaolumi #editinghell
#writing #fanfic #xiaolumi #editinghell
MDPI is a huge red flag. (Fun anecdotal observation: requests for MDPI journal formatting have dropped off a cliff since I restarted my #editinghell gig...rarely see them anymore)
July 29, 2026 at 9:46 PM
MDPI is a huge red flag. (Fun anecdotal observation: requests for MDPI journal formatting have dropped off a cliff since I restarted my #editinghell gig...rarely see them anymore)
We've reached a new #editinghell low. They want me to commit to editing something without:
- seeing the manuscript file
- knowing how much I'd be paid
- KNOWING THE SUBJECT AREA
These ppl are phenomenally incompetent.
- seeing the manuscript file
- knowing how much I'd be paid
- KNOWING THE SUBJECT AREA
These ppl are phenomenally incompetent.
April 22, 2026 at 8:30 AM
We've reached a new #editinghell low. They want me to commit to editing something without:
- seeing the manuscript file
- knowing how much I'd be paid
- KNOWING THE SUBJECT AREA
These ppl are phenomenally incompetent.
- seeing the manuscript file
- knowing how much I'd be paid
- KNOWING THE SUBJECT AREA
These ppl are phenomenally incompetent.
Begging ppl to not commingle the methods and results in academic writing 🤦♀️💀😭 Now I have to untangle a bunch of sentences and move shit around. #editinghell
August 14, 2025 at 11:07 PM
Begging ppl to not commingle the methods and results in academic writing 🤦♀️💀😭 Now I have to untangle a bunch of sentences and move shit around. #editinghell
@cd-mcneill.bsky.social There is always more work to be done!
Saga: “Hey, I finished all those edits!”
ME: adds 100 more tasks
🚛💥 Task avalanche incoming.
#ttrpg #editinghell #indiegamedev #einsolsrazor #writerproblems
Saga: “Hey, I finished all those edits!”
ME: adds 100 more tasks
🚛💥 Task avalanche incoming.
#ttrpg #editinghell #indiegamedev #einsolsrazor #writerproblems
September 18, 2025 at 1:22 PM
@cd-mcneill.bsky.social There is always more work to be done!
Saga: “Hey, I finished all those edits!”
ME: adds 100 more tasks
🚛💥 Task avalanche incoming.
#ttrpg #editinghell #indiegamedev #einsolsrazor #writerproblems
Saga: “Hey, I finished all those edits!”
ME: adds 100 more tasks
🚛💥 Task avalanche incoming.
#ttrpg #editinghell #indiegamedev #einsolsrazor #writerproblems
Editing is where a story comes to life and an author questions their ability to do so. #editinghell #writingcommunity
a man wearing sunglasses says i 'm stuck in hell in front of a microphone
ALT: a man wearing sunglasses says i 'm stuck in hell in front of a microphone
media.tenor.com
October 21, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Editing is where a story comes to life and an author questions their ability to do so. #editinghell #writingcommunity
Today is NOT THE DAY to fuck with me on field-specific hyphenation. AND NO ONE USES "EMPLOYING"....IT READS AS TRYING TOO HARD TO SOUND SMART.
The number of completely incompetent employees/contractors at the #editinghell company is mind-boggling. GTFOH with this review.
The number of completely incompetent employees/contractors at the #editinghell company is mind-boggling. GTFOH with this review.
January 29, 2026 at 8:49 PM
Today is NOT THE DAY to fuck with me on field-specific hyphenation. AND NO ONE USES "EMPLOYING"....IT READS AS TRYING TOO HARD TO SOUND SMART.
The number of completely incompetent employees/contractors at the #editinghell company is mind-boggling. GTFOH with this review.
The number of completely incompetent employees/contractors at the #editinghell company is mind-boggling. GTFOH with this review.
POV: You're on edit #47 and need to "just tweak the flow" 🤖
#WritingLife #EditingHell #WriterProblems
#WritingLife #EditingHell #WriterProblems
August 5, 2025 at 2:28 AM
POV: You're on edit #47 and need to "just tweak the flow" 🤖
#WritingLife #EditingHell #WriterProblems
#WritingLife #EditingHell #WriterProblems
Still in my academic #editinghell freelance gig....75-80% of the papers I read should not be submitted.
February 4, 2026 at 6:32 PM
Still in my academic #editinghell freelance gig....75-80% of the papers I read should not be submitted.
I already edited this #editinghell job once.
How did it get....worse? It wasn't that bad before but now it's a mess. 🤦♀️
And they undid a looot of my changes, so they re-fucked their own language/grammar.
Stellar job, buds. 💀
How did it get....worse? It wasn't that bad before but now it's a mess. 🤦♀️
And they undid a looot of my changes, so they re-fucked their own language/grammar.
Stellar job, buds. 💀
March 19, 2026 at 9:13 AM
I already edited this #editinghell job once.
How did it get....worse? It wasn't that bad before but now it's a mess. 🤦♀️
And they undid a looot of my changes, so they re-fucked their own language/grammar.
Stellar job, buds. 💀
How did it get....worse? It wasn't that bad before but now it's a mess. 🤦♀️
And they undid a looot of my changes, so they re-fucked their own language/grammar.
Stellar job, buds. 💀
Ah yes, nothing like editing and formatting 14k words of manuscript (that required moving EXTENSIVE methods and figure descriptions out of the results) and the client is pissed you fixed the capitalization of a journal name and requested access dates for the website references. 🙄💀🤦♀️ #editinghell
August 9, 2026 at 7:01 PM
Ah yes, nothing like editing and formatting 14k words of manuscript (that required moving EXTENSIVE methods and figure descriptions out of the results) and the client is pissed you fixed the capitalization of a journal name and requested access dates for the website references. 🙄💀🤦♀️ #editinghell
Why would you write a paper in which you generate some complex data/results....but DON'T DESCRIBE ANY OF THE RESULTS OR INTERPRET THEM???
WELP. Not my circus, not my monkeys on that front. I can only suggest what to do. #editinghell
WELP. Not my circus, not my monkeys on that front. I can only suggest what to do. #editinghell
November 10, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Why would you write a paper in which you generate some complex data/results....but DON'T DESCRIBE ANY OF THE RESULTS OR INTERPRET THEM???
WELP. Not my circus, not my monkeys on that front. I can only suggest what to do. #editinghell
WELP. Not my circus, not my monkeys on that front. I can only suggest what to do. #editinghell
REALLY tired of literally the most incompetent ppl in existence reviewing my #editinghell jobs. "X comment is missing" MY GUY IT IS THE FIRST COMMENT ON PAGE 2 ARE YOU BLIND.
July 27, 2025 at 10:33 PM
REALLY tired of literally the most incompetent ppl in existence reviewing my #editinghell jobs. "X comment is missing" MY GUY IT IS THE FIRST COMMENT ON PAGE 2 ARE YOU BLIND.
The #editinghell company is subcontracting some AI-adjacent work (prompting, annotation, etc) and the pay is literally $8/hr.
Fucking laughable. Gross.
Fucking laughable. Gross.
February 24, 2026 at 5:43 PM
The #editinghell company is subcontracting some AI-adjacent work (prompting, annotation, etc) and the pay is literally $8/hr.
Fucking laughable. Gross.
Fucking laughable. Gross.
#editinghell jobs hitting a new low....subject of this one was covered in-depth so long ago that I learned it in undergrad. 🤦♀️💀
This is not novel. Why is it being submitted anywhere.
This is not novel. Why is it being submitted anywhere.
May 22, 2025 at 9:31 PM
#editinghell jobs hitting a new low....subject of this one was covered in-depth so long ago that I learned it in undergrad. 🤦♀️💀
This is not novel. Why is it being submitted anywhere.
This is not novel. Why is it being submitted anywhere.
Got my book Playlist on. Getting ready to revise the first 11 chapters because im punishing myself and rewriting them entirely! #romantasy #writing #editinghell
July 6, 2025 at 11:58 PM
Got my book Playlist on. Getting ready to revise the first 11 chapters because im punishing myself and rewriting them entirely! #romantasy #writing #editinghell