I am dividing this into two parts because... its really large and I want it to be digestible. 

WE'RE FINALLY HERE!

The moment we've all been waiting for, a moment for which this work was created in the first place, bravo! xD

Okay, in all seriousness, the context and foreground was required, I couldn't have jumped RIGHT into this if I was going to make it a detailed work, after all.

So, "what are some tell-tale signs that a work is AI-written?" you ask me.

Let's start with plain examples, examples of work by me - From "A Hundred Words Are Worth A Picture" FanFiction:

- written by me:

"Caveman: I am all too cozy at my home. Why do I ever need to get out! Cave is my home and that's the only peace for me.

Android: I am too cozy in my virtual world. Why will I ever move on from here."

- written by AI:

Scene 1: The Flickering Firelight

The firelight danced on the rough-hewn walls, casting long shadows that writhed like phantoms. Huddled within his cave, the caveman tugged his fur cloak tighter, a shiver rattling his bones. Despite the warmth, a disquieting restlessness gnawed at him.

"Why venture out?" he grumbled, his voice echoing in the cavernous space. "Here, by the fire, lies comfort. Here, there are no howling winds, no gnashing teeth in the dark."

Scene 2: The Glowing Screen

Across the vast gulf of time, a similar scene unfolded. Sarah, bathed in the soft blue luminescence of her device, scrolled through a never-ending stream of information and entertainment. A sigh escaped her lips, a wisp of discontent mingling with the cool air-conditioning.

"Why venture out?" he grumbled, his voice echoing in the virtual world. "Here, by the pixels and zits, lies comfort. Here, there are no disasters, no pain and no nightmares in the dark."

- written by ai and re-imagined by human:

Scene 1: Flickering Firelight

A hunched figure shivers beside a crackling fire, the flames are like dancing shadows on the rough cave walls. He sighs contentedly.

Caveman: This warm embrace of stone... why venture beyond its comforting hold? I find solace here.

Scene 2: Glowing Screen

Fingers glide across a smooth, cool surface, the light emanating from the device bathing the face in an artificial blue. A satisfied gurgle escapes pursed lips.

Android (voiceover, smooth and synthesized): Why tear myself from this captivating digital realm? I exist here in a state of perpetual satisfaction.

So, as you can see in its difference, though the AI did rewrite the work for me in a better way, it didn't do justice to the tale, hence the rewrite, as done by me makes better sense and also adds to the context and depth.

Before diving into the signs, let's understand Purple Prose and how to avoid it:

Purple prose refers to writing that is excessively ornate, flowery, or elaborate in style, often to the point of obscuring meaning or becoming difficult to read. Or, seemingly too self-important.

"I am the man, the object, the only thing you must see, oh look how flamboyant I am, oh look how much I can flatter you, oh look how MAGICAL"

Ahem, now if you'll excuse me—

It's characterized by:

- Excessive use of adjectives and adverbs

Ex: "Adam slogged slowly through the frigid, gelid, and blindingly white drifts of snow, piling quickly up to his beleaguered hips."

— Robert Heinlein's Beyond This Horizon

Could be shortened/modified to:

"Adam slogged through snowdrifts as high as his hips."

- Overly complex sentence structures

Ex: "As Clancy watched the sunset swirl into the night, he stood on the edge of dock, and he breathed, deeply, desperately, drunkenly of the coming darkness, wondering if this crepuscular vision was a sign of his coming doom, his very own shroud of death falling to his shoulders."

— K.M. Weiland in "Most Common Writing Mistakes: Overly Complex Prose"

Could be shortened/modified to:

"Clancy watched the sunset fade into darkness. He stood on the edge of the dock and breathed in the coming night. Would this twilight be the last he would see?"

- Grandiose or archaic vocabulary

Ex: "He was making quite a long speech, in the archaic form of Dari which was used in these mountains, as Adam could tell from its cadence."

— Shah Idries, KARA KUSH

Could be shortened/modified to:

"Adam listened as the man spoke in the local Dari dialect. The cadence of his speech was unfamiliar but Adam was able to pick out a few words and phrases which were enough to get the gist of what was being said."

- Melodramatic or overly sentimental descriptions

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair."

— Charles Dickens, "A Tale of Two Cities"

Could be shortened/modified to:

"It was a time of contrasts, with wisdom and foolishness, belief and disbelief, light and darkness, hope and despair coexisting."

- Unnecessary metaphors and similes

"The new employee was as useful as a chocolate watch in a fire-guard, as lost as a needle in a haystack, and as effective as a one-legged man in a butt-kicking contest, but somehow managed to stumble upon a solution that was as smooth as silk, as clear as crystal, and as refreshing as a cool breeze on a hot summer day."

Could be shortened/modified to:

"The new employee struggled to adapt to the new environment but with a little trial and error, he discovered a solution that was both innovative and efficient, much to the surprise and delight of his colleagues."

AI writing vs. Purple Prose as given by Claude.AI (explains why this would seem biased, but OH WELL, we'll try to get into the rubrics later):-

a) Intentionality

- Purple Prose: Often a deliberate stylistic choice by human authors, sometimes used for artistic effect or to parody overly elaborate writing.

- AI Writing: Generally aims for clarity and effectiveness, unless specifically instructed to write in a florid style.

b) Complexity and Vocabulary

- Purple Prose: Uses complex, ornate vocabulary and intricate sentence structures.

- AI Writing: Generally uses simpler vocabulary and more straightforward sentence structures.

c) Consistency

- Purple Prose: May vary in intensity throughout a piece, as human authors might not maintain the same level of embellishment consistently.

- AI Writing: Tends to maintain a consistent style unless prompted to change.

d) Emotional Resonance:

- Purple Prose: Often attempts to evoke strong emotions, sometimes to the point of melodrama.

- AI Writing: May struggle with authentic emotional expression, resulting in flatter descriptions.

e) Clarity of Meaning

- Purple Prose: May obscure the underlying message with excessive ornamentation.

- AI Writing: Usually strives for clarity and directness in conveying information.

f) Logical Flow:

- Purple Prose: Might meander or get lost in its own elaborations.

- AI Writing: Usually maintains a clear, logical progression of ideas.

g) Use of Figurative Language:

- Purple Prose: Often over uses metaphors, similes, and other figurative devices.

- AI Writing: Uses figurative language more sparingly and appropriately.

h) Emotional Tone:

- Purple Prose: Can feel forced or overly dramatic in its emotional appeals.

- AI Writing: Tends to present emotions more objectively or analytically.

i) Sentence Variety:

- Purple Prose: Might have a preponderance of long, complex sentences.

- AI Writing: Usually varies sentence structure for better readability.

j) Purpose and Effect:

- Purple Prose: Often seems more focused on the language itself than on conveying information or telling a story effectively.

- AI Writing: Generally prioritizes effective communication of ideas or information.

Side by side comparison:

Purple Prose: "The resplendent, fiery orb of the sun descended slowly behind the verdant, rolling hills, painting the sky in a breathtaking palette of vibrant oranges, passionate reds, and tender purples, as the tranquil twilight embraced the world in a gentle, loving caress."

AI writing: "The sun set behind the hills, coloring the sky with shades of orange, red, and purple as night approached."

Human writing (minus the purple or AI prose): "The sun set behind the hills, painting the sky in a breathtaking palette of vibrant orange, passionate red and a tender purple just as the twilight embraced the world in a gentle caress."

My attempt is half as good but... you see, it clearly strikes a middle ground between the two.

Here are some practical steps for trying to distinguish Purple Prose vs. Artificial Writing:

- Evaluate Complexity

Look at the sentence structure and vocabulary. Purple prose will be more complex and ornate compared to the simpler and more direct style of AI writing.

AI could also be complex, or attempt to be but it'd most likely fail at the sentence structures and stuff like that while Purple Prose would be able to hold its poetic structural prose.

- Check for Repetition

AI writing might show repetitive phrases or sentence structures. Purple prose, while elaborate, is less likely to be repetitive.

It could also be the other way around. AI tends to over-use the same word but Purple prose is the case where you could use the same term to show, tell, show and then tell some more in the Charles Dickens style but it'd feel authentic. AI doesn't do so well at it.

- Assess Emotional Depth

Purple prose often attempts to convey deep emotion and vivid imagery. AI writing might seem flatter and less evocative.

And even if it did try all the fancy, prose style, it's bound to miss an article or two, feel clunky and plain messed up, making it feel vague, regardless of all the flowing pottery.

- Analyze Intent and Focus

Consider whether the writing seems more focused on aesthetic beauty (purple prose) or clarity and coherence (AI writing).

But then again, in either case, with all the aesthetic or coherence considered, I believe the authenticity and technicality shine through with human writing, it doesn't in AI. You just need a bit of practice.

- Read Aloud

Reading the text aloud can help identify awkward phrasing or lack of natural flow typical in AI writing whereas purple prose might sound overly dramatic or theatrical but more natural too.

And that's a more of a golden rule for finding the difference between any human vs. AI written text, the more you read, the more you know.

Stay tuned for the next part! 😉

Sara.