What has happened to this site?

[j267]

After a hiatus of several years, I decided to post a story. Expecting it to be published in 3 to 4 days, I was surprised when 20 days elapsed so I sent in a note. However, rather than prodding publishing, it was rejected with language that insinuated I had used AI. Not a single word in the text was generated using AI. I used Grammarly and MS Word to review spelling, punctuation, and overuse of passive tense as I have done for years. I'm directed to edit and republish the work but I have no idea what to address nor why I need to. I have to say I find it utterly ridiculous and a sign of lazy site management.

 

[Dark_Logan_]

You used Grammarly

That there could be the nail hit firmly on the head by current reasons not to publish

Grammarly is black listed and will by all evidence flag a story for use of AI

 

[SimonDoom]

This has been a common problem. I encountered this with one of my stories, but after some pushing and prodding I found out it was just a glitch. Keep pushing, send a message with an explanation, and resubmit.

 

[PennyThompson]

I used Grammarly and MS Word to review spelling, punctuation, and overuse of passive tense as I have done for years.

Whatcha drinking, @AwkwardMD ?

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

After a hiatus of several years, I decided to post a story. Expecting it to be published in 3 to 4 days, I was surprised when 20 days elapsed so I sent in a note. However, rather than prodding publishing, it was rejected with language that insinuated I had used AI. Not a single word in the text was generated using AI. I used Grammarly and MS Word to review spelling, punctuation, and overuse of passive tense as I have done for years. I'm directed to edit and republish the work but I have no idea what to address nor why I need to. I have to say I find it utterly ridiculous and a sign of lazy site management.

@Dark_Logan_ is right. Grammarly leaves artifacts in your story that some(like this site) scan for. There are others that don’t. I’ve heard pro writing aid, should be safe.

 

[AwkwardMD]

You used Grammarly

That there could be the nail hit firmly on the head by current reasons not to publish

Grammarly is black listed and will by all evidence flag a story for use of AI

Just to clarify, this is incorrect. Other authors have attested to Grammarly usage and continued publication. I think the point where the rubber meets the road lies in between @AwkwardlySet when he says "I only use Grammarly to" and users like the OP when they say "I only use Grammarly to." I think there's a world of difference in the practical application of "I only"

 

[AwkwardMD]

Whatcha drinking, @AwkwardMD ?

Wish I had a fun answer for this one, but some days I just can't muster the joke.

 

[j267]

Just to clarify, this is incorrect. Other authors have attested to Grammarly usage and continued publication. I think the point where the rubber meets the road lies in between @AwkwardlySet when he says "I only use Grammarly to" and users like the OP when they say "I only use Grammarly to." I think there's a world of difference in the practical application of "I only"

Please elaborate.

 

[Bramblethorn]

After a hiatus of several years, I decided to post a story. Expecting it to be published in 3 to 4 days, I was surprised when 20 days elapsed so I sent in a note. However, rather than prodding publishing, it was rejected with language that insinuated I had used AI. Not a single word in the text was generated using AI. I used Grammarly and MS Word to review spelling, punctuation, and overuse of passive tense as I have done for years. I'm directed to edit and republish the work but I have no idea what to address nor why I need to. I have to say I find it utterly ridiculous and a sign of lazy site management.

Both Grammarly and Word now use AI when suggesting rewrites. If you're only using them to identify problems, that would be within Lit's rules. But if you're accepting wording suggestions, e.g. letting Grammarly rewrite a passage from passive to active voice, that would be use of AI that goes against Lit's rules for stories.

There's also the question of how reliable Lit's AI detection system is, but none of us here can do much about that.

 

[AwkwardMD]

Please elaborate.

It's difficult to be specific (I'd have had to watch you edit your story in real time to be specific), but your rejection would suggest that you have been accepting suggestions that are more complicated than what the site wants you to accept. You are allowing it to rewrite your work, in small pieces, and that renders your story indistinguishable from AI written work.

 

[j267]

It's difficult to be specific (I'd have had to watch you edit your story in real time to be specific), but your rejection would suggest that you have been accepting suggestions that are more complicated than what the site wants you to accept. You are allowing it to rewrite your work, in small pieces, and that renders your story indistinguishable from AI written work.

LOL...you have no clue and yet you're fast to jump to conclusions. FYI - I use the FREE version of Grammarly, so it doesn't offer to rewrite anything. Commas, spelling errors, etc. are all I get and of my 75 stories at least 25 followed the exact same process. So, my friend, it isn't me using AI suggestions, it's a failure on the Literotica side.

 

[AwkwardMD]

LOL...you have no clue and yet you're fast to jump to conclusions. FYI - I use the FREE version of Grammarly, so it doesn't offer to rewrite anything. Commas, spelling errors, etc. are all I get and of my 75 stories at least 25 followed the exact same process. So, my friend, it isn't me using AI suggestions, it's a failure on the Literotica side.

I know what Lit's AI detector is looking for, and I know what it means when it finds it. Write your own story, edit it yourself or with the help of a human editor. This is the only way to get your work published on Literotica.

 

[PennyThompson]

etc

 

[j267]

Yes, that's the point. The AI detector is failing and if you think in the world 2026 there is only going to be human editing, I suggest you go buy a rotary phone.

 

[AwkwardMD]

Yes, that's the point. The AI detector is failing and if you think in the world 2026 there is only going to be human editing, I suggest you go buy a rotary phone.

Okay.

 

[MrPixel]

LOL...you have no clue and yet you're fast to jump to conclusions. FYI - I use the FREE version of Grammarly, so it doesn't offer to rewrite anything. Commas, spelling errors, etc. are all I get and of my 75 stories at least 25 followed the exact same process. So, my friend, it isn't me using AI suggestions, it's a failure on the Literotica side.

So, my friend, the last time you published here was over two years ago. Shit changes. In this case, shit changed a lot. That you used Grammarly routinely then didn't trip AI detection because there was no AI detection at the time. Site administrators have since wised-up to the ways of the world, and wish, with good reason, to tightly screen for machine-written and machine-modified content.

I would go so far as to suggest if you resubmitted your "25", a few, or some, or even all would be kicked back for AI use.

Grammarly, no matter how you think or tell us how you're using it, is a well-known offender. It's simple - manually write, edit and proofread, or don't expect to publish here.

 

[ThatNewGuy]

You have a lengthy publishing history here (15+ years) and an enormous amount of followers. If I were you, I'd either send Laurel a private message (click the mail icon in the blue banner and search for the member laurel) or resubmit the story with a note in the Notes to Admin field.

Explain that you feel your story was falsely rejected for AI. Explain that the writing style and editing process are the same as those used in the many other stories you have successfully submitted. Ask for her help resolving this false positive. You could also ask her if she could help you understand what triggered the false positive so that you could keep an eye out for it in the future.

If you search the forum, you'll find many other threads bemoaning similar AI rejections. Keep in mind, though, that the writing world has changed quite a bit since you last published, and the site's admins are no doubt inundated with tons of AI-generated content. Some automation is necessary in the initial triage. However, a polite note from an established author and long-time contributor may help to cut through some of the red tape and get the issue resolved. It's worth a shot.

Best of luck.

 

[PapaRomantic]

LOL...you have no clue and yet you're fast to jump to conclusions. FYI - I use the FREE version of Grammarly, so it doesn't offer to rewrite anything. Commas, spelling errors, etc. are all I get and of my 75 stories at least 25 followed the exact same process. So, my friend, it isn't me using AI suggestions, it's a failure on the Literotica side.

If you know the answer, why did you ask the question?

 

[ElectricBlue]

I used Grammarly and MS Word to review spelling, punctuation, and overuse of passive tense as I have done for years.

There's the clue.

What gets flagged these days for suspected use of AI are exactly the same things folk would have identified three or four years ago when people came asking, "How can I improve my writing?" The answers being, use active writing, mix up your sentence lengths, liven up your style, etc. etc. In other words, change your style. Back then, that was considered "good writing advice."

These days, people baulk at the notion of that, and blame the detection tools, whatever they might be. Very often though, when you unpack it all, and like it or not, the common factor is either Grammarly, or a fairly pedestrian style in the first place.

 

[Dark_Logan_]

Just to clarify, this is incorrect. Other authors have attested to Grammarly usage and continued publication. I think the point where the rubber meets the road lies in between @AwkwardlySet when he says "I only use Grammarly to" and users like the OP when they say "I only use Grammarly to." I think there's a world of difference in the practical application of "I only"

Well there’s a whole rejection note that in isolation specifically forbids the use Grammarly

Furthermore it’s not an application I’ve ever utilised… but I’ve still received said specific rejection. Which might speak volumes on the review process

But who am I to beg to differ?

 

[BobbyBrandt]

You used Grammarly

That there could be the nail hit firmly on the head by current reasons not to publish

Grammarly is black listed and will by all evidence flag a story for use of AI

BS.

I used Grammarly every time I write and have never had a story rejected for AI.

The key is to let it identify mistakes, but not correct them for you. If it sees that you have typed "there" instead of "their", fix it yourself.

Never let it correct tense mistakes or phrases for you. Don't let it "generate" anything and you should be fine. The site's stated AI policy specifically accepts the use of tools such as Grammarly when used correctly.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

Lit's AI detector isn't great as far as I can tell, and there is a huge amount of submissions. There are going to be false flags for sure. And of course, it doesn't help that our admins are adamantly silent, well, about everything.

I use Grammarly free as well, but even if my last story took longer to get published, I'm yet to have a rejection.

There is a lot of guessing we resort to here, but it might be that the artifacts left by Grammarly are a problem for the detector.

My best advice is, when Grammarly underlines some mistake, not to click on the underline and let Grammarly correct the spelling error, but to type the correction yourself. It might help.

When it comes to your current story, I'm not sure how to help you. Maybe try to remember the places where Grammarly corrected you and retype them yourself. I don't know if that will help, we are all just guessing here.

 

[BobbyBrandt]

LOL...you have no clue and yet you're fast to jump to conclusions. FYI - I use the FREE version of Grammarly, so it doesn't offer to rewrite anything. Commas, spelling errors, etc. are all I get and of my 75 stories at least 25 followed the exact same process. So, my friend, it isn't me using AI suggestions, it's a failure on the Literotica side.

It's possible that the site works for some but not others.

That bodes the question, "Why?"

What are the differences between your use of Grammarly and that of others who consistently use it without rejection? I've explained how I use it successfully, as have several others. It's your choice whether or not to consider this information.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Lit's AI detector isn't great as far as I can tell, and there is a huge amount of submissions. There are going to be false flags for sure. And of course, it doesn't help that our admins are adamantly silent, well, about everything.

This will really really annoy you, but in the last fifteen minutes I've had a PM exchange with Laurel about a story edit glitch - we've exchanged PMs about a fix. All in less than an Oz day, what's more.

I suspect your problem is, you're in the wrong time zone. You need to be tomorrow, like me.

Carry on .

 

[TheLobster]

My best advice is, when Grammarly underlines some mistake, not to click on the underline and let Grammarly correct the spelling error, but to type the correction yourself. It might help.

When it comes to your current story, I'm not sure how to help you. Maybe try to remember the places where Grammarly corrected you and retype them yourself. I don't know if that will help, we are all just guessing here.

What's the technical mechanism that Grammarly might use to leave behind traces that it has been used? Assuming you submit your story as text in the submission form, not as a Word file or something, since a proprietary format can hide all sorts of metadata we're not aware of.

The only way I can think of is Unicode watermarking using unprintable characters, but Grammarly itself claims it does no such thing.