We see an em dash — like this — and assume AI, actually LLM, wrote it. That might be true sometimes, but dashes have long been part of literary technique, well before LLMs existed. We’ve used them for emphasis, interruption, and rhythm for centuries.
Might as well quote the greats — and bookmark it for later.
- Emily Dickinson:
Are you – Nobody – too?Source - Mark Twain: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Source
- F. Scott Fitzgerald: The Great Gatsby Source
LLMs didn’t invent the habit. They learned it — from us. From polished, human writing — then went a little overboard.
How to use them: https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/em-dash-en-dash-how-to-use