Brave New Bookshelf Episode 48: The Human-AI Editing Partnership with Erin Servais of AI For Editors

By Danica Favorite September 19, 2025

In this episode of Brave New Bookshelf, we sit down with Erin Servais, founder of AI For Editors and a leading voice in reshaping the future of editing. Erin has built a career helping editors around the world adopt AI as a supportive partner in their work—without losing the creativity and judgment only humans bring.

Meet Erin Servais: Innovator in Editorial AI

Erin launched AI For Editors in 2023 to teach editors how to integrate AI tools into their workflow. In just a short time, her courses have reached participants in more than 20 countries. Through her second business, Servais Strategic Business Solutions, she also develops customized AI training programs for organizations across publishing and beyond. Her work highlights the growing importance of AI literacy in today’s creative industries.

"The AI cannot read your mind. So if you just say edit this piece of text, it doesn't really know what to do."

Steph Pajonas, on the importance of clear prompts.

Why AI + Human Editors Work Better Together

Erin stresses that AI isn’t here to replace editors. Instead, it takes on the repetitive and time-consuming parts of the job—such as pulling out character lists, checking for consistency, or building timelines—so editors can stay focused on creativity, nuance, and decision-making. The result: faster processes without sacrificing editorial quality.

Tools Erin Recommends for Editors and Authors

NotebookLM – Perfect for developmental editing. It can quickly generate timelines, setting references, and character lists from a manuscript, freeing up time for deeper analysis.
ChatGPT Reasoning Models – Useful for line editing. Erin applies them to specific challenges—like reducing vague phrasing or cutting clichés—by addressing one issue at a time.
Custom GPTs – Tailored models designed for particular editorial needs. Erin even uses them to simulate “ideal readers,” providing early feedback before a human editor steps in.

Keeping Transparency and Control

A recurring theme in Erin’s approach is maintaining editorial oversight. She encourages editors to validate every AI suggestion, whether by asking AI to produce change tables or by using tracking tools such as editGPT. This ensures that the final manuscript reflects both efficiency and integrity.

"We are still extremely integral to the editing process. When verifiably human people use AI for editing, that means that they're letting the machines excel at what machines are good at, while reserving humans for what humans are good at."

Erin Servais, on the human role in AI editing.

Key Lessons for Authors and Editors

AI should amplify—not replace—human creativity.
NotebookLM speeds up developmental analysis by automating data extraction.
Reasoning models help refine writing at the line-by-line level.
Always confirm and track AI-driven changes to stay in control.
Custom GPTs can be powerful allies for feedback and specialized editing tasks.

Resources from the Episode

Want more insights on the evolving role of AI in publishing? Listen to this episode of Brave New Bookshelf on your favorite podcast platform.