I spent a lot of my life outside the English-speaking world, and this was a small sideline for a while.

I get it wasn't the nicest way to earn a living. My day job was loftier but poorly-paid.

Still, I've got respect for anyone who got by doing this, it can be fun and interesting with the right material, but the clients are often dicks and the money is rubbish. It's quite stressful too, even given the low stakes. I never wanted a bad grade.

My more significant sideline, and the one that ultimately got me into good work, was copy-editing. Also dead by AI.

It's hard not to be bitter about this. I needed those jobs to keep me going whilst I made it in my chosen field. The rich kids in my sector never had to hustle and won't be affected. The folks doing it out of Nairobi, and the state school kids trying to get by overseas will.

A case of AI pulling the ladder.