It was almost three years ago when nobody used to care how often you used an “Em Dash.”
Today, this grammatical punctuation mark is all it takes for someone to go, “Ah! The Em Dash. So this is AI, right?”
You’ve probably felt this too. Unfortunately for writers who write genuine copies, the em dash has become the bane of their authenticity—mistaken as machine-made, even when the heart behind it is human.
Imagine this: you’re sat at your desk, penning a deep, meaningful draft on The Intricacies of Soulful Relationships. You complete writing and polish your draft twice before hitting publish. And suddenly, someone leaves a comment saying, “Feels a bit … ChatGPT-ish.”
“Whyyyyy? Just … whyyy?” you ask yourself. What made that person think like that? Your tone? Your structuring of the draft? Or—is it that one little pain in the neck, Em Dash, that you used correctly, grammatically?
YOU’RE NOT ALONE. With AI-generated content flooding social feeds everywhere, even your most thoughtfully put-together post is subject to scrutiny. It’s no longer about what you say, but whether people believe you’ve actually said it. So what’s really going on with this myth about Em Dash—and does it really deserve the shade?
Because let’s be honest, you’re tired. And so is everyone. The Em Dash isn’t the problem. It’s just a punctuation mark! A symptom. Of a growing fatigue. Of audiences being hyperaware and hyperskeptical. Of content that’s polished but soulless—perfectly punctuated but strangely hollow.
The Em Dash now happens to be “collateral damage.” So if you’re building your personal brand, especially as an entrepreneur or professional—it’s high time you zoom out and ask yourself, “How do we reclaim our voice in a sea of synthetic ones?”
Navigating a New Reality:
- The Real AI-Dectector Isn’t Grammar—It’s Connection
You can’t just “Em Dash” your way into trust. Because people don’t remember perfect punctuation, they remember how you made them feel.
So instead of obsessing your mind over whether your post looks AI-free, just ask yourself:
- “Did what I write connect with my audience?”
- “Was there a thought they hadn’t heard before”?
- “Is my actual life-experience present in this piece?”
You see, the best “AI-detector” isn’t a tool like you might be thinking—or even a tell-tale dash. It’s the human ability to detect relevance and emotion.
If your content resonates with your readers, they will naturally stop questioning your writings and start engaging for real.
- Stop Writing for Algorithms—Start Writing from Awareness
You’ve most probably heard people saying before, “Write for the algorithm.” But here’s a plot twist: The algorithm now prefers what people prefer.
And there you have it. People prefer you. It’s an open and shut case. Nobody wants a robotic, generic, example of a situation. People want to know how you got your hands dirty, which pipes went kaput, and what you did to fix the leaks.
Your language quirks, your perspectives, your pauses, and your imperfections. Everything matters. So if you try to write like a machine to beat the machine? You’ll lose both your edge AND your audience. Instead, write from awareness—of your journey, your audience’s needs, and your values.
Let the structure follow the message, not define it.
- Show the Hand and the Experience Behind the Words
Listen, you don’t have to share your deepest, darkest secrets to the world just to sound human. Nobody asked for that. But you do need to leave your fingerprints.
Meaning, that could look anything like:
- Including a question only someone who has lived that experience would ask.
- Mentioning a specific moment or challenge for relatability.
- Using impactful analogies that help reveal how you think, not how AI paraphrases.
For Example: Instead of saying, “This is important,” try: “This is like locking your front door but leaving the window open.”
AI struggles with specificity, emotions, and memory. So use that to your advantage.
- Take Back Your Punctuation—Make it Yours Again
Let’s talk about our dear ol’ friend, Em Dash. It’s been used, abused, and now—accused of being AI’s signature move. We, as the creatives human beings, need to rescue our friend.
Love it, and use it in abundance—if that’s your voice and style. The Em Dash is like a pause. A breath you take. A way to emphasize without yelling your lungs out.
Say, why must a predictive model get to own it? The punctuation was there before it!
The goal here isn’t to strip away your style out of fear and write for the bots. The goal is to infuse it with substance. Meaning, an Em Dash can’t betray you—if it’s backed by the truth. So write loudly, write with purpose and feeling, and most importantly, write with nuance. Your nuance.
- Build Your Personal Brand Beyond the Post
AI may generate and cough up content after content. But it can’t:
- Show up at an important networking event and listen deeply.
- Offer nuance in a heated debate.
- Deliver a speech/conference that works in real time.
- Follow up after a failed pitch with insight and grace. With humanity.
Your personal brand isn’t what you write—it’s how you show up. So while your next, say, LinkedIn post may carry the scent of a well-structured AI-tool, what matters more is what your audience already knows about you: Your consistency. Your proof of work. Your voice across platforms.
Let that do the heavy lifting.
The Takeaway
This myth about the Em Dash, is wrong. AI didn’t create it. The Em Dash is innocent.
It’s honestly, just a piece of punctuation caught tight in a cultural moment.
And the real issue here? We’ve grown hyper-vigilant in a world of hyper-production.
And we’re all craving one thing, and one thing alone: proof of personhood.
So if you want your personal brand to rise above the noise, don’t dodge the Em Dash because of AI. Double down on the human behind it, and keep going.
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