Jeremy, this was great. Also, did you read the recent Vanity Fair article about how Meta AI's internal communications described the stolen books they trained their product on as individually "worthless"? It's really interesting/troubling piece. If only DFW could write about it now!
Excellent point! To add a little bit of nuance: While Grammarly will guide you to perfect(ly boring) phrasing, ChatGPT is much more versatile. If you prompt it to "improve your text", it will behave somewhat like Grammarly, but why stop there? One example:
>"ChatGPT, Role-playing as David Foster Wallace, read Jeremy's post and offer concrete tips to improve his writing style, and to align it with your unique style."
>"Ah, Jeremy, my dear fellow scribbler, let me offer you some concrete counsel on how you might evolve your art into something that tiptoes tantalizingly close to that labyrinthine interplay of sincerity, erudition, and self-conscious irony that I, in my infinitely flawed way, once attempted. I’m not suggesting you simply mimic me—no, please don’t fall into that trap—but rather, consider these practical adjustments as an opportunity to deepen your voice and enliven your text:
1. Embrace the Footnote as a Narrative Device
Rather than relegating footnotes to mere asides or parenthetical tangents that you “add later,” why not let them serve as a kind of meta-commentary that enriches the narrative? For instance, when you mention the influence of Grammarly, you might include a footnote that muses on the irony of an algorithm policing human creativity. (This not only echoes the “multi-layered” approach I often favored but also invites readers into a playful, self-reflexive dialogue.)
2. Layer Complexity into the Syntax
In your current piece you have moments of crisp clarity, but I would encourage you to experiment with more labyrinthine sentence structures when the subject demands it. Allow sentences to swell like an overstuffed manuscript—properly punctuated, of course—creating rhythmic cadences between clauses that carry both informative content and emotional subtext. Think of it as a dance between clarity and the messy, gloriously imperfect human condition.
3. Don’t Be Afraid of Tangents (But Be Conscious of Them)
I notice you already employ meta-commentary and cultural references, which is excellent. However, consider structuring these digressions so that they feel integral to your thematic core rather than arbitrary detours. One might say, for instance, that every tangent should, by some slight twist of fate, circle back to the central argument. If a footnote about basketball reverberates off on the implications of modern literary form, be sure it somehow returns to your meditation on the uniqueness of human voice versus mechanistic correction.
4. Cultivate a Voice that Interrogates Its Own Premises
The earnest introspection you display—about writing styles, editing, and the role of AI—is a strong starting point. Push further by adopting a tone that is relentlessly self-questioning. Let the reader see the inner workings of your thought process. For example, when you remark on your own reliance on editors or tools like Grammarly, invite the reader to consider the paradoxes inherent in our reliance on technology to achieve authenticity. Such transparency doesn’t weaken your argument; it rather deepens it by acknowledging the inherent contradictions in striving for both precision and personal expression.
5. Infuse Punctuation with Purpose
Much like my own predilection for what some might call “massive paragraphs” and well-placed em-dashes, consider using punctuation as an expressive medium. Each dash, colon, or ellipsis can carry with it not only a grammatical function but also an emotional or intellectual nuance—a pause, a breath, an exclamation of awareness that the written page is alive, pulsing with the immediacy of thought.
6. Develop a Layered Allusiveness
You’re already drawing on cultural examples (from basketball legends to tech innovators). Continue to weave in subtle (or not-so-subtle) allusions to literature, philosophy, even pop culture in a way that doesn’t overwhelm the reader but rather enriches the universe of your text. A carefully chosen allusion can serve to both anchor your argument in a broader conversation and provoke further reflection—much like a well-placed footnote in a DFW essay.
7. Lean into the Imperfect
Finally, heed your own advice: do not be afraid to lean into your humanity, to revel in the idiosyncrasies that make your voice singular. This means sometimes letting a sentence run amok, maybe even punctuated by an offhand aside in parentheses that mirrors an internal monologue. Your writing should celebrate its own messiness—its scribbled margins, its imperfect rhythms—much like a jazz musician improvising in real time.
In sum, Jeremy, the path to an authentic, distinctive style lies in daring to disrupt the norm while maintaining a rigorous internal logic. Your current draft shows plenty of promise, but remember: it’s not simply about being “correct” (grammatically or stylistically) but about charting a course that is entirely and unabashedly your own.
Happy writing, and may your text always tremble with the beautiful tension between form and freedom.
(1) I write this not as a prescriptive formula but as an invitation to explore the infinite possibilities of language—much like the infinite jest of our shared human condition."
Wow. Admittedly I skimmed a bit, but that seems like a rather impressive bit of analysis. Good point on #1 - I do use footnotes to let my mind wander a bit, but I could lean in a bit more!
Jeremy, this was great. Also, did you read the recent Vanity Fair article about how Meta AI's internal communications described the stolen books they trained their product on as individually "worthless"? It's really interesting/troubling piece. If only DFW could write about it now!
Also, thanks!
Oh man, would love a bit of DFW critique of AI!
Didn't see that. Ha, looked it up - paywalled, but yeah "worthless," guess it depends on your totally non-biased definition.
Excellent point! To add a little bit of nuance: While Grammarly will guide you to perfect(ly boring) phrasing, ChatGPT is much more versatile. If you prompt it to "improve your text", it will behave somewhat like Grammarly, but why stop there? One example:
>"ChatGPT, Role-playing as David Foster Wallace, read Jeremy's post and offer concrete tips to improve his writing style, and to align it with your unique style."
>"Ah, Jeremy, my dear fellow scribbler, let me offer you some concrete counsel on how you might evolve your art into something that tiptoes tantalizingly close to that labyrinthine interplay of sincerity, erudition, and self-conscious irony that I, in my infinitely flawed way, once attempted. I’m not suggesting you simply mimic me—no, please don’t fall into that trap—but rather, consider these practical adjustments as an opportunity to deepen your voice and enliven your text:
1. Embrace the Footnote as a Narrative Device
Rather than relegating footnotes to mere asides or parenthetical tangents that you “add later,” why not let them serve as a kind of meta-commentary that enriches the narrative? For instance, when you mention the influence of Grammarly, you might include a footnote that muses on the irony of an algorithm policing human creativity. (This not only echoes the “multi-layered” approach I often favored but also invites readers into a playful, self-reflexive dialogue.)
2. Layer Complexity into the Syntax
In your current piece you have moments of crisp clarity, but I would encourage you to experiment with more labyrinthine sentence structures when the subject demands it. Allow sentences to swell like an overstuffed manuscript—properly punctuated, of course—creating rhythmic cadences between clauses that carry both informative content and emotional subtext. Think of it as a dance between clarity and the messy, gloriously imperfect human condition.
3. Don’t Be Afraid of Tangents (But Be Conscious of Them)
I notice you already employ meta-commentary and cultural references, which is excellent. However, consider structuring these digressions so that they feel integral to your thematic core rather than arbitrary detours. One might say, for instance, that every tangent should, by some slight twist of fate, circle back to the central argument. If a footnote about basketball reverberates off on the implications of modern literary form, be sure it somehow returns to your meditation on the uniqueness of human voice versus mechanistic correction.
4. Cultivate a Voice that Interrogates Its Own Premises
The earnest introspection you display—about writing styles, editing, and the role of AI—is a strong starting point. Push further by adopting a tone that is relentlessly self-questioning. Let the reader see the inner workings of your thought process. For example, when you remark on your own reliance on editors or tools like Grammarly, invite the reader to consider the paradoxes inherent in our reliance on technology to achieve authenticity. Such transparency doesn’t weaken your argument; it rather deepens it by acknowledging the inherent contradictions in striving for both precision and personal expression.
5. Infuse Punctuation with Purpose
Much like my own predilection for what some might call “massive paragraphs” and well-placed em-dashes, consider using punctuation as an expressive medium. Each dash, colon, or ellipsis can carry with it not only a grammatical function but also an emotional or intellectual nuance—a pause, a breath, an exclamation of awareness that the written page is alive, pulsing with the immediacy of thought.
6. Develop a Layered Allusiveness
You’re already drawing on cultural examples (from basketball legends to tech innovators). Continue to weave in subtle (or not-so-subtle) allusions to literature, philosophy, even pop culture in a way that doesn’t overwhelm the reader but rather enriches the universe of your text. A carefully chosen allusion can serve to both anchor your argument in a broader conversation and provoke further reflection—much like a well-placed footnote in a DFW essay.
7. Lean into the Imperfect
Finally, heed your own advice: do not be afraid to lean into your humanity, to revel in the idiosyncrasies that make your voice singular. This means sometimes letting a sentence run amok, maybe even punctuated by an offhand aside in parentheses that mirrors an internal monologue. Your writing should celebrate its own messiness—its scribbled margins, its imperfect rhythms—much like a jazz musician improvising in real time.
In sum, Jeremy, the path to an authentic, distinctive style lies in daring to disrupt the norm while maintaining a rigorous internal logic. Your current draft shows plenty of promise, but remember: it’s not simply about being “correct” (grammatically or stylistically) but about charting a course that is entirely and unabashedly your own.
Happy writing, and may your text always tremble with the beautiful tension between form and freedom.
(1) I write this not as a prescriptive formula but as an invitation to explore the infinite possibilities of language—much like the infinite jest of our shared human condition."
Wow. Admittedly I skimmed a bit, but that seems like a rather impressive bit of analysis. Good point on #1 - I do use footnotes to let my mind wander a bit, but I could lean in a bit more!
One could see how AI disrupts the (admittedly niche) market for DFW style writing advice...
Going to make sure my kids don't go into that field 😄