Most people know AI can catch typos and grammar mistakes, but I’ve found it’s way more useful than that. I use it to spot logical inconsistencies, accidental POV shifts, and timeline errors—things that even experienced writers can miss.

For me, third-person limited POV is my go-to. I love telling stories from a character’s perspective, where they only know what they see, feel, and assume. Their view of the world is skewed by their own biases, misconceptions, and limited knowledge of events, and I enjoy exploring how that perception shifts over time. But the challenge? It’s easy to slip up. Without realizing it, I might reveal something they couldn’t possibly know—or worse, accidentally jump into another character’s thoughts. That’s where AI comes in.

How I Use AI for More Than Just Grammar

🔥 Catching “Head-Hopping” in Third-Person POV

One of the biggest issues in third-person limited POV is accidentally slipping into another character’s head. It happens more often than you’d think, especially in dialogue-heavy scenes.

For example, I might write a scene from Character A’s perspective, but suddenly, there’s a sentence about how Character B feels anxious—even though A has no way of knowing that for sure. That’s head-hopping, and it can pull readers out of the story.

 => To check for this, I ask AI:

“Does this scene shift perspective without warning?”

“Are there any moments where I accidentally reveal something the POV character wouldn’t know?”

AI helps me flag those sneaky moments where I’ve stepped outside my character’s head, keeping the immersion strong.

🔥 Spotting Logical Mistakes & Timeline Errors

Long stories come with a lot of moving parts. Sometimes I get so caught up in a scene that I skip over small details—like a character teleporting across the room, objects magically disappearing, or time moving in a way that doesn’t make sense.

Example: AI once pointed out a scene where a character was drinking coffee… and in the very next sentence, they were suddenly holding a gun. The coffee never left their hand. It’s a tiny detail, but those are the things that can pull a reader out of the moment.

 => To avoid this, I ask AI:

“Check if all actions logically follow each other in this scene.”

“Does this timeline match up? Are there missing steps?”

It’s like having a continuity checker on demand, making sure everything flows naturally.

🔥 Checking for Overused Words & Weak Phrasing

Ever notice how certain words sneak into your writing way too often? I do. AI helps me catch them.

 => I ask:

“What words do I repeat too often?”

“Which sentences could be more concise?”

For instance, I tend to use “just” and “actually” more than I need to. AI points that out, so I can tighten my prose and keep it crisp.

What I’ve Learned

AI isn’t just a spellchecker—it’s like an assistant editor. It flags POV shifts, missing actions, and awkward phrasing.

It spots small logical mistakes that slip through multiple re-reads. When I’ve read a scene too many times, I start filling in the blanks in my mind. AI doesn’t—it catches what’s actually on the page.

It won’t replace a human editor, but it saves time before I send my work to one. And that means I get more out of my real editor’s feedback.

Try It Yourself!

Next time you’re editing, ask AI to:

“Check for accidental POV shifts in this chapter.”

“Tell me if any actions feel out of order or missing.”

“Find overused words and phrases in this passage.”

🚀 Next up: How Sound Enhances My Writing: Using AI-Generated Audio for Deep Atmosphere (How I Use AI in My Writing Process Post #6)

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