Facing Up To Artificial Intelligence

Sharing is caring!

On The Table Read Magazine, “the best entertainment eBook magazine UK“, while artificial intelligence is increasingly integrated into productivity apps, Hank Quense believes that the question for writers is whether to embrace its potential to streamline tedious tasks and free up time for creative work, or to ignore it and hope it fades away.

Written by Hank Quense

https://writersarc.com/

AI is all the rage these days. You simply can’t get away from it. AI is even now built into productivity apps like Craft, Fabric and Taskade. The questions we writers face now is this: Do we ignore AI and hope it’ll go away or do we jump in and see how it can help us?

AI Possibilities

I’m in favor of exploring AI possibilities and I have done so for some time now. My explorations have led me to conclude that constructively using AI can increase the amount of time writers can spend on creative activities by cutting down on the repetitious and tedious work we all have to do. How does this happen?

I asked my AI program (Perplexity.AI) the title question and this is part of the response (the AI responses will use italics to separate it from my writing):

• Streamlining the Writing Process: One of the primary benefits of AI for fiction writers is its ability to accelerate various aspects of the writing process. AI-powered tools like Sudowrite and Novelcrafter can assist with idea generation, character development, and plot outlining. These tools can quickly produce multiple story concepts, character traits, or plot twists, providing writers with a wealth of inspiration to choose from and refine.

• Research and World-Building: AI can significantly reduce the time spent on research, a crucial but often time-consuming aspect of fiction writing. Tools like Perplexity.ai offer quick, citation-based searches, allowing authors to gather accurate information on specialized topics efficiently. This is particularly useful for writers working on historical fiction or science fiction, where detailed world-building is essential.

• Enhancing Creativity: Contrary to concerns about AI replacing human creativity, many writers find that AI tools actually enhance their creative process. By using AI for brainstorming and idea expansion, authors can overcome writer’s block and explore new narrative possibilities. For instance, J.F. Penn, an award-winning author, uses AI to plan complex timelines and create detailed sensory descriptions, which helps her stay in a creative flow.

I think the AI response does a good job of answering the question.

AI Concerns

But let’s turn to another concern writers and others have about using AI. There is the fear that AI will replace writers altogether by writing complete stories from a single idea.

I asked my AI program this query: How do I respond to the fear that AI will replace writers because it can write an entire story from a single idea?

The response is rather lengthy (AI’s tend to be wordy):

• Emphasize the Human Touch: AI lacks the essential qualities that make human-written stories resonate with readers:

• Personal experience and emotions: Writers infuse their work with their own life experiences, thoughts, and emotions, creating a depth that AI cannot match

• Unique voice and perspective: Every writer has a distinct style and viewpoint that sets their work apart. AI can mimic styles to some extent but cannot develop its own authentic voice

• Creativity and innovation: Humans have the ability to connect ideas in novel ways, generating truly original concepts that AI cannot replicate

AI has significant shortcomings when it comes to creating complete, meaningful stories:

• Lack of understanding: AI doesn’t truly comprehend the content it generates, leading to potential inconsistencies or logical errors in longer narratives

• Ethical considerations: AI-generated content may inadvertently include biased or unfair information, requiring human oversight to ensure accuracy and inclusivity

• Authenticity concerns: Readers value genuine human-created content and may feel deceived if presented with AI-generated work without disclosure

Conclusion

In conclusion, I’ll ask the AI to summarize the gist of this article:

AI has emerged as a powerful tool for fiction writers, offering innovative ways to streamline their workflow and free up more time for creative pursuits. By leveraging AI-powered writing assistants and tools, authors can enhance their productivity and focus on the aspects of storytelling that truly require human creativity and imagination.

Find more from Hank Quense now:

Quense’s latest nonfiction book is titled, The Author’s AI Toolkit and it will be available on March 1, 2025. It’s now ready for pre-order at: https://amzn.to/4aAW3uE

Amazon author page: https://amzn.to/4jCaRgz

Donate to support The Table Read Magazine
We strive to keep The Table Read free for both our readers and our contributors. If you have enjoyed our work, please consider donating to help keep The Table Read going!

 

Sharing is caring!