How to Use ChatGPT to Edit Writing

When you finally finish writing the text, an even more difficult job comes - editing!

How can you do this without spending as much time as you did writing?

The answer is to use ChatGPT to help!

But, how exactly to use ChatGPT to edit writing?

Keep reading to learn the step-by-step process for using this tool to improve and refine your writing effectively!

Let’s dive in!

What Are the Benefits of Using ChatGPT to Edit Writing?

Many people use ChatGPT primarily for generating content rather than editing.

However, if you do that, it usually gives robotic-sounding, repetitive content.

But for editing already written content, there are quite some benefits:

• Improved clarity - ChatGPT helps you improve the clarity of writing your text by suggesting rewriting complex sentences, making the text easier to understand.
• Grammar and spelling correction - It can detect and correct grammatical errors and spelling mistakes and ensure that your writing is polished.
• Consistent tone and style - This tool adjusts the tone and style of the writing to match the desired voice, whether formal, informal, persuasive, or narrative.
• Improved structure -  It can assist you in organizing ideas logically, improving the flow and coherence of the content.
• Time efficiency -  By quickly identifying and correcting errors, ChatGPT saves significant time compared to manual editing.

But there is a catch!

In order to use ChatGPT as an editing assistant, you must also know how to write good prompts.

In addition, it can make mistakes, so don't forget to double-check everything!

Checklist for Good Piece of Writing

Here is a checklist that you should follow after you finish your writing piece:

✅Clarity:

• Is my text easy to read and to understand?
• Are my sentences too long?
• Can the reader easily grasp the point of this text?
• Is the text formatted for easy reading (e.g., short paragraphs, bullet points)?

✅Voice and tone:

• Is the voice used in the text consistent with the brand?
• Does it correspond to the target audience?
• Do I overuse slang and jargon that is hard to understand?
• Can I make readers feel more connected to this text?

✅Authority:

• Do I have an unsupported claim?
• Are my sources credible and reliable?
• Have I provided enough evidence to back up my statements?
• Does the text show expertise?

✅Grammar Mistakes:

• Are there any spelling or punctuation errors?
• Have I used the correct tense and agreement?
• Are my sentences grammatically correct and well-structured?

What is the benefit of a checklist like this?

It makes it easier to organize text and know what prompts to give ChatGPT to make your writing better.

5 Steps to Use ChatGPT to Edit Writing

Let’s go over 5 easy steps to edit content using ChatGPT!

Step 1: Assign a Role to ChatGPT

If you specify a role, such as a:

• SEO expert
• Marketing professional
• Copywriter

you can receive feedback that is more aligned with your specific needs and goals.

As different roles focus on different aspects of writing, you will get a different benefit from each role.

For example, a copywriter role will prioritize engagement and capture the audience's attention.

On the other hand, a marketing professional role might focus on clarity.

💡 Example prompt for assigning the role of SEO expert:

“You are now taking the role of an SEO expert. Your expertise includes keyword research, on-page and off-page optimization, technical SEO, content strategy, link building, and analytics. You understand search engine algorithms and are skilled in increasing organic search visibility and driving high-quality traffic to websites.”

💡 Example prompt for assigning a role of copywriter:

“You are now taking the role of a professional copywriter. You are an expert in creating compelling, persuasive, and engaging content that aligns with the brand's voice and objectives. Your writing style is clear, concise, and adapted to the target audience.”

Step 2: Upload Your Whole Text to ChatGPT

Upload your text to ChatGPT and give it the task of just reading it without adding any corrections.

That way, you and ChatGPT will be on the "same page," and it will be in the "right state of mind" before editing starts.

Since Chatgpt is a conversational tool, write this prompt as you would talk to a friend. Don't use complicated words or phrases.

💡You can use the following prompt:

“Take a look at a piece of writing and run through a list of editing steps. First, here's the text, just review it and don't make any changes until I provide you with the list of steps”

Step 3: Create a List of Steps

Divide the steps you give to ChatGPT into groups.

Make sure to use the prompt to double-check whether the previous steps have been fulfilled in the text and then proceed to the next one.

💡 Try this prompt:

“1: Clarity

• Review the text for clarity issues.
• Highlight confusing parts.
• Don't correct, just highlight problematic sections.
• Recommend an edited text, wait for approval, then move to the next step.

2: Voice and Tone

• Review for consistent voice and tone.
• Highlight inconsistent tone or overuse of slang/jargon.
• Don't correct, just highlight problematic sections.
• Recommend an edited text, wait for approval, then check clarity before moving to the next step.

3: Authority

• Review for unsupported claims.
• Check for evidence to support statements.
• Assess the text for expertise.
• Highlight issues, recommend edits, wait for approval, then check previous steps before moving to the next step.

4: Grammar Mistakes

• Review for spelling, punctuation, and grammar errors.
• Highlight mistakes.
• Correct errors and check previous steps for any issues.”

After this part, you will get a recommendation of edited text.

Step 4: Edit the Copy and Share it With ChatGPT

When you correct the text following the ChatGPT's recommendations, you can upload it again.

That way, it can tell you if you achieved what you were supposed to, and you can move on to the next step.

If you don't want to edit the text yourself, you can use the version that ChatGPT suggested and move on to the next step.

After evaluation, it will proceed to the next step:

Step 5: Repeat the Process for Every Step

After every edit you make, repeat the process and you are good to go.

Don’t forget to proofread the content you get from ChatGPT as it sometimes can make mistakes.

4 Alternative Steps for Using ChatGPT to Edit Writing

In addition to the first method, there is another way you can use ChatGPT to edit writing.

Step 1. Edit Paragraph by Paragraph

This editing method is different from the first because it edits section by section rather than the entire text.

Which one to choose?

It is a matter of preference and choosing which method is easier for you.

However, whatever you choose, with good prompts, you can achieve the desired result.

Step 2. Specify the Purpose of Your Writing

If you want ChatGPT to adapt the edits to your needs, give it context in addition to the task. Explain the purpose of your text or the audience it is intended for.

That way, you will get more effective and useful answers.

💡 Try this prompt:

“Editing AI-generated material is a complex process that necessitates a combination of technological expertise and human ingenuity. While AI can generate large amounts of text quickly, it is critical to ensure that the content fulfills high quality, coherence, and relevancy standards. Here's a detailed guide on efficiently editing AI-generated content.’’ - This article is intended for a general audience and should be easy to understand. Improve its readability and coherence.

Step 3. Request ChatGPT to Evaluate Itself

When you notice that ChatGPT doesn't quite follow your instructions, request that it criticize its own work.

The most effective way is to ask how it would improve the text it gave you.

💡 Use this prompt:

“How would you improve the text you gave me? Go through each sentence individually and tell me how you would fix it. Focus on engagement and readability.”

Step 4. Ask Follow-Up Questions

After ChatGPT offers edits, you may not fully understand why some changes were made. Asking for clarification might help you learn and decide whether to accept or reject these changes.

💡 You can ask follow-up questions in the following manner:

"Can you explain why you made this change?"

"Can you suggest a better way to phrase this sentence?"

"Is there a way to make this argument stronger?"

To Wrap Up

Whatever method you choose, remember that you shouldn’t rely solely on ChatGPT and always double-check its output.

Keep in mind that the quality of the response depends on the quality of the prompts you give it.

Now, imagine a tool where you don't have to write prompts for every little thing but can solve tasks with just a few clicks.

We have just the tool for you!

Meet TextCortex!

TextCortex - Convenient Alternative

Unlike ChatGPT, TextCortex is primarily designed to help you improve your writing skills, and that's exactly what makes it a great alternative.

It is an AI tool that has numerous features designed to:

• Make everyday work easier
• Provide ideas for content
• Fix mistakes
• Improve the quality of your text

These are the key features:

🚀 Zeno Chat - TextCortex is also a conversational tool, so you can talk with Zeno Chat, give it tasks, get answers to your questions, or generate images.

🚀 Digital Persona - Just like with ChatGPT, you can assign a role to TextCortex. Instead of writing prompts, choose a persona with one click or create your own.

🚀 Web search - Unlike ChatGPT, with TextCortex you can search the web, Twitter, YouTube, patents, and many more sources and get citations.

🚀 Rewriting tool - Instead of writing a prompt, with this feature you can click to choose whether you want your text to sound simpler, or more fluent.

🚀 Expanding tool - You can turn one sentence into a whole paragraph.

🚀 Paraphrasing tool - Paraphrase texts without losing their original meaning.

🚀 Summarization tool - Summarize long texts, pages, or documents with the file upload option.

🚀 Tone changer - Choose among 10+ tones in which you want to rewrite your text -from persuasive to calm.

🚀 Knowledge Base - Save all your documents, articles, or research in one place and skip all the multi-tab hassle.

🚀 Note editor - When writing, you can edit the text, create pictures, and many other things without tab switching.

Doesn't that sound like the perfect writing assistant?

It does to me!

Sign up today and edit writing or create content much easier and faster!