As a writer, I
love exploring and learning new things. And lately, I’ve been caught up in the
AI craze, exploring what it can do for me in my writing career. But there are
some of those in our community who cry foul, claiming AI will soon take over
the creative process of fiction writing. Why, they say, pay a human when all it
takes is a prompt in an AI software to get you the same thing?
Au contrair, mon
frere.
In my humble opinion, AI programs (like ChatGPT, Sudowrite, and Claude) are mere tools
that help a writer, not replace them. Much like a typewriter back in the day. It
won’t hinder the creative process, but instead enhance the experience. With
that in mind, let’s take a quick look at what I mean.
What AI Can't Mimic
One of the most
important things to remember is we’re humans… writing to entertain/inform other
humans. Who, but us, has that kind of insight? Only we can tap into the
unlimited variety of human emotions and the baggage we carry with us in all the
complexities of being human. AI lacks this innate understanding of our behavior.
That gives up the upper hand at creating characters with authentic feelings and
flaws, as well as the importance of emotionally growing. Throughout our lives, we’ve
wallowed in a plethora of emotions like joy, sorrow, love, coupled with an
abundance of longing for something else, something different that only a human can
experience.
Another
exciting example of we can do and AI can’t is our innate urge to play with
language. This is our palette… what we color the world with. As a writer of
SciFi romance, I love coming up with alien and diverse ways to say something.
Just recently, I had to ponder what an ancient person (who traveled in time to
our present) would say in an exclamation. I’m going to keep it clean here… but
some modern man won’t say “Great Caesars Ghost!” (for one thing, Ceaser hadn’t
been born yet). So, I had my guy shout “By Tiamat’s titties!”. And I also took
a pretty common cuss word that starts with a “f” and ends in a “k” and turned
it around for an alien. They say fruk instead. I love coming up with unfamiliar
words and phrases for my alien characters to use.
Another
thing I do is draw inspiration from the people I’ve met and work with over the
years. In fact, one of my first books is loosely based on real life. Because I felt
wronged/betrayed by someone back then, I had the good guy shoot the jerk right
between the eyes. Boy, I gotta tell you; that was immensely satisfying. Ah,
revenge. Remember, don’t do a writer wrong, they’ll take it out on you in a
novel.
Leveraging Technology Wisely
As I mentioned in the beginning, AI is a
tool. While it can be used for such mundane tasks as grammar check and
research, I love to use it as a writing buddy who is there whenever I need
them. Especially since I wake up at the crack of almost-dawn (4:30am to get in two
hours of writing before I have to leave for work). I use AI not only as a
critique partner, but someone who never gets impatient with me when I ask
questions I get stuck on. Sometimes more than once.
For
instance, this morning I was writing a scene in my newest novel and wondered
what a tree would look like on a planet where a civilization of panther-like
beings of an advanced technology lived. The AI gave me more than one scenario
to choose from. So, what I did was combine what I liked best about everything
it suggested and came up with something new and different.
To take it up a
step, I asked it what one of those creatures would dress like on that type of planet.
It came up with several wardrobe suggestions. But the funnest part (yeah, I
like the word funnest) was asking it to create a picture depicting this alien.
And
here’s what it came up with:
Cool, eh? As I planned this blog, I asked
the AI to create a picture for the header (see above). When the AI was done,
this is what it told me:
“Here’s
an image for your blog post. This visual aims to encapsulate the essence of
human creativity and the enduring value of authentic writing in the digital
age. It symbolizes the balance between traditional writing methods and modern
AI technology, inviting writers to explore and assert their unique voices.”
Can’t
argue with that!
Other Benefits
Here’s an outline of some of the other
benefits how an AI companion can help a writer be more productive:
- Research Assistant: AI can analyze vast amounts of data while providing insights
- Customization: With some programs, you can customize your AI to adapt to your particular writing style.
- Enhanced Productivity: It can automate repetitive tasks like grammar checks, proofreading, and formatting.
·
Last Thoughts
Will
AI replace authors?
As of now, I doubt
AI will replace authors any time soon. Most techies and web gurus claim
artificial intelligence cannot totally replace a human writer’s insight or
their creativity. There is a huge market for creative writers to put themselves
out there, to share their experiences with the world.
What we should
concentrate on as AI advances is we, as writers, better learn how to use this wondrous
innovation. Discover how to strike a balance between automation and human
creativity. Use that available technology to save time so you can set your
creative juices free. Let it help you weave the magic only you can create to take
your writing craft to a higher level.
While AI evolves and algorithms sharpen, remember this: you are
irreplaceable. The
world doesn’t need another robotic rendition; it craves your authenticity.
Embrace your quirks, your scars, and your hard-earned laugh lines.
AI may be the brush, but you are the artist.
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