Save the Em Dash — Fight for Voice in the Age of AI

All proceeds go to Any Baby Can in Austin, TX.

Once a symbol of rhythm, breath, and narrative swagger, the em dash has been hijacked.

By AI.

You’ve seen it. The tidal wave of algorithmically-generated content—with em dashes sprinkled in like digital glitter. It’s become the biggest tell of machine-written copy. And in the process, one of the most expressive tools in a writer’s arsenal has lost its soul.

We’re here to take it back.

This isn’t just about punctuation. It’s about preserving human voice in a world of auto-generated sameness (wait, was this written using — AI?). It’s about honoring storytelling. And yes, it’s about having a little fun while doing something good.

So I created this campaign.

Not just to save the em dash—but to support real people, too (yep, definitely written with AI).

Every dollar raised goes directly to Any Baby Can, a nonprofit supporting families in need across Central Texas.

Help us fight the robots.

Help us restore dignity to the dash.

Help a child in the process.

Note - this copy may or may not have been generated using AI.