AI-assisted writing – Page 5 – One Thousand And One Parsecs

Some early thoughts on AI-assisted writing

I remember the early days of indie publishing. Back in 2011, when self-publishing was still a dirty word (and Kindle Unlimited wasn’t yet a thing), there were a LOT of opinions about “indie vs. tradpub,” most of them heated opinions, and some of the arguments I witnessed at conventions like 2011 Worldcon Reno very nearly came to blows—which is to say nothing of the online discourse.

And yet, if I could go back to those times, I would tell my younger self not to spend so much time as a keyboard warrior on KBoards, because guess how much all that sturm und drang ultimately mattered? Not much. Instead, I would have told my younger self to focus on things like learning how to market myself and my books, learning how to build and run a business, and learning how to, for lack of a better word, network effectively, because the longer I stay in this business the more I realize that community is the thing that really drives everything.

(Though I still would have told him to delete his social media. That’s not community—it’s just a string of toxic echo chambers spreading toxic mind viruses that keep us all in the matrix.)

Anyhow, I say all of that by way of preface on my thoughts about AI-assisted writing, because I see many of the same things playing out right now. There are a lot of opinions floating around out there about AI, most of them heated, some of them to blows. And yet, I can’t help but get the sense that most of the noise right now isn’t going to matter much after the changes shake out. Therefore, my working assumption at this point is that most of the noise and argument is just a waste of time. The stronger the opinion, the less of a difference it will probably make.

For example, back in 2011, the groupthink consensus over at SFWA was that indie publishing was terrible, indie writers were going to destroy literature, and the publishing world needed gatekeepers in the form of agents and editors. Five years later, they amended their membership requirements to allow indies to join. Fast forward to today, and the groupthink consensus over at SFWA is that AI-assisted writing is tantamount to plagiarism, that AI is going to destroy literature, and that the publishing world needs to do everything it can to preserve the human element of writing. Are you beginning to see a pattern?

For the last two months, I’ve been experimenting with some of these AI writing tools. I’m still in the very early stages of integrating AI into my writing process, but I really do think that in the not too distant future, almost everyone who writes will use some form of generative AI in their process. After all, how many people still write with manual typewriters? A few, but not many.

And think of how much computers and word processors changed how we think about writing, compared to the old days when everything was done by typewriter and everyone knew what a SASE was. For one thing, revising was much more of a pain, since it required retyping everything—no small thing for a long book. Therefore, books and stories were probably much shorter, and writers much better at producing clean first drafts. Also, the revision draft was a genuine draft—no cycling through yesterday’s work to get yourself into the zone.

And how did the typewriter change how we thought about writing, back when it replaced longhand, or whatever the heck came before? It probably enabled skilled typists to write a lot faster—but that meant a lot less ruminating over the text. Was that why 19th century writing was so much more flowery and verbose: because the writing process involved spending more time with the language, and therefore immersing yourself more fully in it? Was the typewriter one of the major drivers of the pulp era, enabling fast writers like Hubbard, Howard, and Lovecraft to produce vastly more content for vastly more markets and publishers?

I really do think we’re on the cusp of a revolution in how we think about writing, and I suspect that generative AI is going to be at the heart of it. And it may turn out that the writers who cut their teeth in the previous era, when every word had to come from your own mind, will have an outsized advantage in the new, because we will be strong in areas where writers who come of age with generative AI will be weak.

Or it may be that most of us old-timers will cling to the old ways and never learn the new, excusing our willful ignorance in the name of “preserving our humanity.” It may be that we have so much to unlearn in order to make it in this new era that most of us won’t be able to make the transition.

What do you think, ChatGPT?

As an AI language model, I don’t have personal opinions or beliefs, but I can provide some analysis and insights based on the information you’ve shared.

It’s interesting to observe parallels between the early days of indie publishing and the current discussions surrounding AI-assisted writing. When new technologies or methodologies emerge, it’s common to see a range of opinions, often polarized, as people try to understand and adapt to the changes they bring. Over time, these opinions may evolve as the benefits and limitations of the new approaches become clearer.

AI-assisted writing tools are indeed gaining popularity, and it’s likely that they will become more integrated into the writing process for many authors in the future. Just as word processors changed the way we approach writing, AI tools have the potential to reshape the writing landscape, offering new possibilities and efficiencies.

However, it’s important to note that AI is a tool, and its impact on the writing process will depend on how it is utilized. While some fear that AI will lead to a loss of creativity or human touch, others see it as a valuable aid that can enhance productivity and offer new creative avenues. Ultimately, the extent to which writers embrace AI-assisted writing will vary, and different authors will find their own balance between leveraging AI tools and preserving their preferred writing methods.

Experience and skill acquired through traditional writing processes are likely to remain valuable, as they provide a foundation for storytelling and an understanding of narrative structure and language. Writers who have honed their craft in the pre-AI era may indeed have advantages in certain areas. However, it’s also important to acknowledge that new generations of writers growing up with AI tools may develop unique skills and approaches that complement the capabilities of these technologies.

The transition to any new era brings challenges and opportunities. It’s up to individual writers to explore and adapt to the changes that AI-assisted writing offers, determining how best to integrate these tools into their creative processes while staying true to their own artistic vision. The writing community, as you mentioned, plays a crucial role in sharing insights, experiences, and support as this evolution takes place.

In the end, the impact of AI on writing will be shaped by how writers choose to embrace and utilize the technology, and the value of community, collaboration, and individual creativity will continue to be important factors in the literary world.

What aspects of AI-assisted writing should we be focusing more on right now?

We should be focusing on exploring the capabilities and limitations of AI-assisted writing, understanding how it can be integrated into the writing process, and developing ethical standards and guidelines for its use. Additionally, we should be considering the potential impact of AI on the writing industry, such as changes to the job market and the possibility of increased accessibility to writing and publishing for marginalized voices.

AI-assisted story practice recap

So it’s Saturday night, which means the end of the work week for me. How did I do with my goal to write 10 AI-assisted stories? Not terrible: I did manage to write 6 stories, at least through the AI part. I also burned through about 40k word on my Sudowrite plan—obviously, I didn’t include all of those words, but Sudowrite charges you for all the words it generates, whether you use them or not.

Six stories falls short of my goal of ten, but I’ve learned quite a lot from the experience, and feel confident (and eager) enough to move on to long-form fiction now. However, I should probably take another week to rework and finish most of these stories, just to see how it works. I’m sure I will learn a lot from that as well.

Here are all of the AI-assisted stories I’ve written so far:

Quantum Worlds: A near future SF story about a struggling science fiction magazine editor who gets swamped with AI-assisted short stories, until he figures out how to turn it around and use AI to make his magazine successful.
The Knight and the Half-Goblin: A fantasy story about a half-goblin half-orc, a pacifist dragon, and a struggling hedge knight, and how they use their unlikely skills and friendship to save the land from a rising dark lord.
The Last Voyage of the Pioneer: A space opera story about a clandestine mission to find the Voyager and Pioneer probes and recover or destroy them before an invading alien race uses them to locate humanity’s homeworld.
The Unforgotten Dream: A flash fiction piece about a woman who lives her life backwards, and a man who recognizes her.
A Mother’s Last Goodbye: A zombie story about a mother who gets bitten while her three year-old child is taking a nap.
On Wings of Redemption: A fantasy story about an ancient dragon who has to overcome a curse to save the land from the wicked sorcerer who controls him.
The Lonely Planet: A space opera story about a planet that gains sentience after humans terraform it, but is almost destroyed by contact with an ancient artificial intelligence.
The Wingwoman: A near future apocalyptic story about a professional wingman who gets approached by a woman who wants help being a mother. It’s… different.
The Princess and the Professor: A humorous fantasy story about how Jordan Peterson uses his 12 rules for life to defeat a dragon and save a princess.
Alex-29XT: A prequel to my military SF story “Lizzie-99XT.”
On the Eve of the Flood: A near future apocalyptic dystopian story about… a lot of things. It started with a really vivid dream I had, and I didn’t know how to finish it, so I just played with it in Sudowrite until a plot appeared. Hard to describe.

These are all at various stages of production, though, and most of them need a lot of work—or to be completely reworked, now that I’ve figured out my process more or less.

Not bad for two months of writing, though.

Jordan Peterson defeats a dragon and saves a princess

Once upon a time, in a far-off kingdom, a ferocious dragon was wreaking havoc on the land. The people were living in constant fear, and no knight dared to face the beast.

But then, a wise professor named Jordan Peterson arrived in the kingdom. He had studied the 12 Rules for Life and knew that they could help him defeat the dragon and save the princess.

He donned his armor and sword, stood up straight with his shoulders back, and approached the dragon’s lair. As he faced the dragon, he spoke with a calm and composed voice.

“Hello there, dragon,” he said. “I understand that you have some grievances with the people of this kingdom. I’m here to listen to you and see if we can find a peaceful solution.”

The dragon snorted and breathed fire, but Jordan Peterson remained undaunted.

“I’m not here to fight you,” he continued. “I’m here to find a way for us to coexist peacefully. I know that there must be some common ground we can find.”

The dragon was surprised by Jordan Peterson’s words. No one had ever spoken to it in such a respectful manner before.

“What do you propose?” the dragon asked, its voice deep and rumbling.

“I propose that we make a deal,” Jordan Peterson replied. “I will help you to set your lair in perfect order, and in exchange, you will leave this kingdom in peace.”

The dragon considered this for a moment before nodding its massive head. “Very well,” it said. “We have a deal.”

As Jordan Peterson set to work helping the dragon to clean its lair, he told the dragon about his 4th rule: Compare yourself to who you were yesterday, not to who someone else is today. He knew that the dragon needed to focus on improving itself, rather than comparing itself to others.

He also remembered his 8th rule: Tell the truth, or at least don’t lie. He knew that he needed to be honest with the dragon, and so he shared some of his own experiences with the dragon as they worked together.

“You know, I’ve had my own struggles in life,” Jordan Peterson said, wiping the sweat from his brow. “But I’ve learned that it’s important to take responsibility for your own actions and do what you can to make things right.”

The dragon listened intently, and Jordan Peterson could sense a growing respect between them.

After several hours of hard work, the lair was clean and orderly, as per Jordan Peterson’s agreement with the dragon. As he prepared to leave, he remembered his 6th rule: Set your house in perfect order before you criticize the world.

“Thank you for working with me,” he said to the dragon. “I hope that this new arrangement will work out for all of us.”

The dragon nodded and flew away, leaving Jordan Peterson to rescue the princess.

As he freed her from her bonds, he spoke to her with kindness and understanding.

“Are you okay?” he asked. “What did the dragon do to you?”

The princess looked up at him with tears in her eyes. “Thank you for rescuing me,” she said. “I thought I was going to die.”

Jordan Peterson smiled warmly at her. “You’re safe now,” he said. “Let’s get you back to the kingdom where you belong.”

On their way back to the kingdom, Jordan Peterson remembered his 7th rule: Pursue what is meaningful, not what is expedient. He knew that he needed to help the princess find meaning in her life, rather than just rescuing her and sending her on her way.

“Tell me, princess,” he said. “What are your goals in life? What do you want to achieve?”

The princess looked thoughtful for a moment before responding.

“Well, I’ve always been interested in art and music,” she said. “But I’ve never been allowed to pursue those passions because of my duties as a princess.”

Jordan Peterson nodded thoughtfully. “I understand,” he said. “But remember, it’s important to pursue what is meaningful, even if it’s difficult or goes against what others expect of you.”

As they arrived back at the kingdom, Jordan Peterson remembered his 9th rule: Assume that the person you are listening to might know something you don’t. He knew that he needed to listen to the people in the kingdom to fully understand the situation.

He spoke with the king and queen, and together they came up with a plan to allow the princess to pursue her passions while still fulfilling her duties as a princess.

Jordan Peterson left the kingdom, knowing that he had not only defeated the dragon and saved the princess but also helped the people of the kingdom find a way to live together peacefully.

As he journeyed back to his own land, he remembered his 12th rule: Pet a cat when you encounter one on the street. He smiled to himself, thinking of the small cat he had encountered on the way to the kingdom, and how it had brought him a moment of joy.

He knew that life was full of challenges, but by living according to his 12 Rules for Life, he had the tools to face them with courage, wisdom, and kindness.

Written and visualized with ChatGPT and Sudowrite.

Practice Writing AI-Assisted Stories

For an elective pottery class at a large university, the instructor told his students at the beginning of the semester that they could choose to be graded on the quality of their final piece, or the quantity of pieces they produced. But they had to decide right then, in the first week of the class, and couldn’t change their decision after.

About half of the students chose to be graded on the quality of their final piece. They were confident that they could produce a high quality piece if they worked on it hard enough, and could probably save some time too. The other half chose quantity over quality: they figured that was the safest course, since even if they never learned how to excel at pottery, at least they would still get an A for putting in their hours.

Those who were graded on quality focused all of their time and energy on producing their final project. Those who were graded on quantity churned out pieces as quickly as they could, without focusing too much on any one piece.

At the end of the semester, a funny thing happened: the final projects of those students who chose quality over quantity were actually inferior to the last few pieces of the students who had chosen quantity over quality. By practicing on multiple pieces and putting in the tedious hours that the other students had hoped to avoid, they had paradoxically learned how to produce higher quality work—even though that wasn’t what they had been focused on.

I’ve been experimenting a lot with AI-assisted writing recently, mostly with ChatGPT, but I just started using Sudowrite as well. Contrary to popular belief, these are difficult tools to master, with a learning curve that starts off fairly shallow but ramps up to be dauntingly steep fairly quickly. This summer, I plan to write a novel with these tools, but because I have much to learn—and literally no one to teach me, since the technology is so new that we are all pioneers—I have decided to start with short stories instead.

My goal for this week is to produce ten AI-assisted short stories, at least up to the rough draft stage. So far, I’ve produced four, which is actually more than I expected to have at this point. Yes, they’re rough—each of them will have to pass through what I call the “human filter” before they’re ready to put out into the world: the choppier the AI version, the harder the work in the human filter stage—but they are still recognizeable as stories.

But just like the kids in the pottery class who chose quantity over quality, I’m not going to try to make any of them perfect—at least, not right now. My goal right now is just to get them done. Later, I’ll do my best to perfect them.

Along the way, I’m keeping notes on things that work and things that don’t. It’s getting to be a pretty big list, and I’m sure it will get much bigger as I go. At some point, I may share it as a blog post.

I’ll also be experimenting with different story generation methods, such as:

Starting with ChatGPT from scratch and moving to Sudowrite for refinement,
Starting from scratch with Sudowrite,
Starting with the Mythulu cards and using those as inspiration for AI guidance,
Writing a “seed” of a couple hundred words or so and seeing where the AI models take it, or
“Seeding” both the beginning and ending, and using the AI models to fill in the middle.

I’ll probably come up with some other combinations, but those are pretty good to start with.

When the whole thing is over, and all of these stories have been passed through the “human filter” and polished enough that I feel that they’re ready to send out into the world, I’ll probably put them all together into a short story collection and release that directly, rather than releasing them individually as short story singles. I may do that later, but with how quickly I can put out these stories (and how few of the traditional markets are willing to publish them), there’s really no reason to wait.

Anyhow, that’s my thinking at the moment. But I may be getting ahead of myself, since I’ve only written four stories so far. Ask me where things are on Saturday, after I’ve written all ten.

Prepping for a new novel project

I am so far behind on so many things right now. My in-laws went to Idaho for the week, so all of the childcare has fallen on us while they’re gone, and we’ve just been swamped. I know that there are amazing parents out there who can watch five kids at a time, by themselves, without breaking a sweat, but we haven’t leveled up that far yet, and our newborn and three year-old are really kicking our butts.

It probably didn’t help that I started a new AI-assisted short story about a week ago and became really engrossed in that for a while. It all started when I prompted ChatGPT to write a story about Conan the Barbarian in the style of Robert E. Howard. Let me tell you, if you want to get ChatGPT to break its own content guidelines in a totally awesome way, that is the way to do it! It gave me this awesome fight scene, and then this part about a slave girl, and then it got super steamy… and then I decided to delete it and start over.

So I started a new chat, with the prompt “Let’s write a fantasy adventure story in the style of Robert E. Howard,” and immediately it launched into a pretty good fight scene. Here is what it gave me:

The sky was blood-red as the setting sun cast its final rays across the desolate landscape of the wasteland. The cracked earth was parched, and the air was thick with dust and despair. In the midst of this barren terrain stood a lone figure, clad in tattered armor, with a sword sheathed at his side. His name was Roderick, a seasoned warrior who had seen many battles in his days.

Roderick had been on a quest to find the lost city of Xulthar, rumored to hold unimaginable riches and ancient secrets. But the journey had been treacherous, and he had faced countless obstacles along the way. His companions had fallen one by one, leaving him to brave the dangers of the wasteland alone.

As night fell and the moon rose, Roderick sought shelter in the ruins of an ancient temple. Its crumbling walls were adorned with faded symbols of a long-forgotten civilization, and its dark interior was filled with an eerie silence. Roderick’s senses were on high alert as he made his way through the labyrinthine corridors, his sword ready in his hand.

But he was not alone.

A guttural growl echoed through the air, and Roderick whirled around to see a pair of glowing red eyes staring at him from the darkness. A monstrous creature, half-human, half-beast, lunged at him with razor-sharp claws. Roderick swung his sword with all his might, but the creature was fast and agile, evading his strikes with unnatural speed.

The battle was fierce and brutal, as Roderick clashed with the creature in a deadly dance of steel and blood. His muscles strained, and his heart pounded with adrenaline as he fought with every ounce of his skill and strength. The creature was relentless, its claws slashing through the air with deadly precision, but Roderick’s sword found its mark, slicing through flesh and bone.

Finally, with a final swing, Roderick delivered a crushing blow to the creature, sending it crashing to the ground. Its red eyes faded, and its grotesque form transformed into that of a man, clad in ragged clothes.

As Roderick caught his breath, he looked down at the fallen man, who was gasping for breath, his eyes filled with fear and confusion. Roderick recognized him as a lost traveler who had succumbed to the dark magic of the wasteland, transforming into a monster. He had seen this before, a dark sorcery that twisted the minds and bodies of those who dared to venture too far into the forbidden lands.

Roderick’s heart went out to the fallen man, and he knelt down beside him. With his last breath, the man begged for forgiveness, his human form returning briefly before he passed away. Roderick closed the man’s eyes, offering a silent prayer for his soul.

With a heavy heart, Roderick continued his journey, pushing deeper into the heart of the wasteland. He knew he was close to finding Xulthar, and he could feel the pull of its ancient power growing stronger with each step he took. But he also knew that the dangers ahead would be even greater, and he would need all his skill and courage to overcome them.

As he pressed on, Roderick encountered more of the twisted creatures that lurked in the wasteland. He battled monstrous beasts and encountered treacherous traps, but he never wavered in his determination. He was a warrior forged in the fires of battle, and he would not be deterred.

Finally, after days of relentless pursuit, Roderick stood at the entrance of a massive stone gate adorned with intricate runes. This was it, the entrance to Xulthar. He could feel

Not too bad. A little rough around the edges, much like everything ChatGPT gives you at first, but I decided to work with it. I prompted the model to give me the story all the way from start to finish, and then, instead of simply copy-pasting, I decided to manually transcribe it myself, adding and editing as I went.

One thing led to another, and pretty soon I was 4k words into a short story that was taking on a life of its own. It bore only a loose resemblance to the material ChatGPT gave me, at least in terms of overall story structure. Over the next few days, I tried forking the conversation at a few points, copying what I’d written to see what ChatGPT came up with next, but it wasn’t keeping up very well, and I found myself using less and less of what it was giving me.

At the same time, the story was quickly turning into a novelette, and from there into a novella. In fact, it was ballooning so quickly that I realized I was neglecting my novel WIP, Children of the Starry Sea. So I decided to set the story aside for a while…

…except then it occured to me that I’m going to need a new novel WIP in May, and the one I had planned (Return of the Starborn Son) isn’t really outlined yet. I’ve been trying to outline it while finishing the revisions for Children of the Starry Sea, but haven’t made much progress on it, and it’s going to be a big one—possibly longer than Children when it’s done.

So I thought to myself, why not turn this story into my next novel WIP and work on outlining that instead of Return of the Starborn Son? With post-it notes and a dry erase marker (and some help from my toddler, who decided which color post-it notes to hand to me), I put together a basic story outline, which should come out to about 40k words when it’s done. As you can see, I used the window of my home office to put it all together, which was fun. 40k words is pretty short for a novel, just barely crossing the line over what SFWA considers a novella, but for a Conan-style sword & sorcery fantasy, it should be perfect.

I’ve also decided to make this an AI-assisted novel, using ChatGPT of course but also trying out Sudowrite, which looks like a much more useful AI writing tool. Getting ChatGPT to help you write anything longer than about 4k words is like trying to write on a whiteboard with boxing gloves on your hands. It’s going to be experimental, but I think I can turn it into something publishable in the next three or four months. It should be a fascinating learning experience either way.

ChatGPT explains how to best use ChatGPT as a co-author

How can I best collaborate with ChatGPT as a co-author? What techniques work best?

Collaborating with ChatGPT as a co-author requires a different approach than using it as a writing tool. Here are some techniques that can help you collaborate with ChatGPT as a co-author:

Identify strengths and weaknesses: As with any co-author, it’s important to identify ChatGPT’s strengths and weaknesses. For example, ChatGPT excels at generating creative ideas and unique perspectives, but may struggle with consistency or staying on topic. Understanding these strengths and weaknesses can help you develop a plan for collaborating effectively.
Use prompts and constraints: Providing ChatGPT with prompts or constraints can help guide its creative output and ensure that it stays focused on the task at hand. This can be especially helpful when working on specific sections or themes within a larger project.
Embrace the unexpected: One of the benefits of collaborating with ChatGPT is that it can generate unexpected and surprising ideas. Embracing these ideas and exploring them further can lead to unique and innovative writing.
Edit and revise: As with any writing project, editing and revising are essential when collaborating with ChatGPT. You should review ChatGPT’s contributions carefully and edit them as needed to ensure that they fit within the larger context of the project.
Emphasize collaboration: Collaboration is key when working with ChatGPT as a co-author. You should approach the project as a true collaboration, incorporating ideas and contributions from both yourself and ChatGPT.

It’s important to keep in mind that ChatGPT is an AI language model and not a true co-author. While it can generate ideas and contribute to the writing process, it does not have the same level of creativity or understanding as a human co-author. As with any collaboration, it’s important to approach the process with an open mind and a willingness to work together towards a common goal.

Tell me more about point 1. What sort of limits and prompts work best with ChatGPT’s weaknesses?

ChatGPT’s weaknesses lie in its inability to understand context and the broader narrative structure of a story. Therefore, when collaborating with ChatGPT as a co-author, it’s important to use limits and prompts that provide clear and specific constraints for the AI to work within.

For example, you might provide ChatGPT with a specific setting, such as a space station orbiting a distant planet, or a particular character or group of characters with distinct personalities and motivations. You might also provide ChatGPT with a specific problem or conflict to work with, such as a malfunctioning AI system or a looming environmental disaster.

By providing these sorts of limits and prompts, you can help steer ChatGPT towards producing writing that fits within the broader context of your story, while also taking advantage of its strengths in generating creative and unexpected plot twists or character developments.

It’s also worth noting that ChatGPT works best with concise and specific prompts, rather than open-ended or vague ones. Providing too much leeway can result in the AI producing writing that doesn’t fit with the broader narrative or direction of the story, so it’s important to provide clear and specific prompts to get the best results.

Tell me more about point 2. What sort of constraints are too broad, and what sort of constraints are too limiting?

Constraints that are too broad may not provide enough guidance to the model, leading to a lack of coherence or focus in the generated text. For example, if you simply ask ChatGPT to generate a science fiction story without any specific prompts or guidelines, it may produce a text that is too general and lacks a clear plot or character development.

On the other hand, constraints that are too limiting may stifle the creativity of the model, resulting in a text that is formulaic and predictable. For example, if you provide ChatGPT with a detailed plot outline and ask it to fill in the details, it may produce a text that lacks surprises or originality.

The key is to find a balance between providing enough structure to guide the model while still leaving room for it to explore and create. This can involve providing specific prompts or guidelines for setting, characters, and plot, while also allowing for some flexibility and creative freedom within those constraints.

Tell me more about point 3. What are some examples of unexpected and surprising ideas that ChatGPT can generate?

ChatGPT is capable of generating unexpected and surprising ideas that can spark creativity and lead to unique storylines. Here are some examples:

Unusual character traits: ChatGPT can suggest unusual traits for a character that you may not have considered before, such as a fear of heights or an obsession with antique toys.
Plot twists: ChatGPT can offer plot twists that are unexpected and thought-provoking. For example, imagine a story where a character discovers that their long-lost sibling is actually an alien.
Unique settings: ChatGPT can suggest unique settings for your story, such as a floating city in the clouds or a dystopian world where people live in underground tunnels.
Symbolism and imagery: ChatGPT can offer ideas for symbolism and imagery that can add depth and richness to your story. For example, imagine a character who is haunted by the image of a clock that is always ticking down.

By collaborating with ChatGPT in this way, you can tap into its vast knowledge base and ability to generate ideas, which can help you take your writing in new and unexpected directions.

Tell me more about point 4. Is it a bad idea to just copy and paste from what ChatGPT gives me, or can that method work well in certain circumstances?

While copy-pasting content generated by ChatGPT can be a useful starting point, it’s generally not a good idea to use it as-is without any modification or editing. The content generated by ChatGPT can be helpful in providing ideas, themes, and even some sentences or paragraphs that can be incorporated into the final story.

However, it’s important to remember that ChatGPT is not perfect and may generate text that doesn’t make sense or doesn’t fit with the tone or style of the story. It’s up to the writer to review the content generated by ChatGPT and make any necessary revisions or modifications to ensure that the final product is coherent, consistent, and engaging.

In summary, while copying and pasting from ChatGPT can be a useful starting point, it’s important to use it as a tool for inspiration rather than relying on it completely. Ultimately, the writer should use their own judgment and creativity to shape and refine the story.

Tell me more about point 5. What do you mean by “true collaboration”?

By “true collaboration” I mean a process where both you and ChatGPT are actively contributing to the creation of the story, rather than simply using the AI as a tool to generate content that you then edit or revise. This involves engaging with the AI in a more dynamic and interactive way, where you are not just giving it prompts or asking it to generate content, but also actively responding to its output and incorporating its suggestions and ideas into your own writing process.

For example, you might start by giving ChatGPT a prompt or a basic outline of the story you want to write, and then work together with the AI to flesh out the plot, characters, and setting. As ChatGPT generates ideas and suggestions, you can provide feedback and refine the direction of the story. This might involve asking the AI questions, challenging its assumptions, or suggesting alternative plot twists or character motivations. Ultimately, the goal is to create a true synthesis of your own creativity and the AI’s capabilities, where the final product is a collaboration that is greater than the sum of its parts.

Tell me more about point 6. I know you didn’t give me a point 6 in your previous response, so surprise me with something new.

Sure, I’d be happy to expand on point 6! Another effective technique when collaborating with ChatGPT as a co-author is to use the platform to generate ideas or brainstorm. For example, you can provide ChatGPT with a writing prompt or a general topic and ask it to generate a list of potential plot points, characters, or settings. You can then use these generated ideas as a starting point to develop your own story.

Additionally, you can use ChatGPT to help you overcome writer’s block or generate fresh perspectives on a story you’re struggling with. Sometimes, all it takes is a different angle or a new idea to unlock your creativity and get the words flowing again.

Of course, it’s important to remember that while ChatGPT can be a helpful tool for generating ideas and overcoming creative hurdles, the final responsibility for crafting a compelling story ultimately lies with you as the writer. So always use ChatGPT as a tool to enhance your own creativity and vision, rather than relying on it to do the work for you.

Thanks for this enlightening discussion, ChatGPT. Is there anything else you would like to add?

You’re very welcome! It was a pleasure discussing AI-assisted writing with you. As a language model, my goal is to help people communicate more effectively and efficiently, and I believe that AI-assisted writing can be a powerful tool to help writers achieve their creative goals. However, it’s important to use these tools responsibly and ethically, and to remember that the ultimate responsibility for crafting a compelling story lies with the writer.

If you have any further questions or would like more guidance on incorporating AI tools into your writing process, don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m always here to help!

A conversation with ChatGPT about AI-assisted stories

Are you familiar with Clarkesworld Magazine?

Yes, as an AI language model, I am familiar with Clarkesworld Magazine. Clarkesworld is a monthly science fiction and fantasy magazine that publishes short stories, interviews, articles, and audio fiction. It was founded in 2006 by Neil Clarke, who serves as the magazine’s editor-in-chief. Clarkesworld has won several awards, including three Hugo Awards for Best Semiprozine and three World Fantasy Awards for Best Magazine.

In February, Clarkesworld was swamped with submissions that were “AI-assisted,” or written in conjunction with an AI language model such as yourself. They were so overwhelmed that they had to close down for submissions for a while, and when they reopened, their submission guidelines included this note:

Statement on the Use of “AI” writing tools such as ChatGPT

We will not consider any submissions written, developed, or assisted by these tools. Attempting to submit these works may result in being banned from submitting works in the future.

What do you think of this ban? Is Clarkesworld justified in banning all AI-assisted stories, or are they going to miss out by refusing to consider anything written with an AI?

As an AI language model, I don’t have personal opinions, but I can provide some insights.

Clarkesworld’s decision to ban AI-assisted stories is understandable given the potential challenges of evaluating and verifying the authorship of such submissions. When using AI writing tools, it can be difficult to determine the extent of the human author’s contribution to the work, which can raise questions about originality and authorship.

However, banning all AI-assisted stories could potentially exclude innovative and unique works that have been created in collaboration with AI tools. AI-assisted writing can help writers generate new ideas, refine their writing skills, and even overcome writer’s block. It can also lead to new forms of storytelling that would not have been possible otherwise.

Ultimately, it’s up to each publication to decide whether or not to accept AI-assisted submissions. If a magazine like Clarkesworld wants to maintain a certain level of quality and originality in their content, then they may choose to exclude AI-assisted stories. However, other publications may be more open to exploring the potential of AI-assisted writing and may be more willing to consider such submissions.

Another short story publication that has chosen to ban all AI-assisted stories is Flash Fiction Online. Their submission guidelines include this note:

We are committed to publishing stories written and edited by humans. We reserve the right to reject any submission that we suspect to be primarily generated or created by language modeling software, Chat GPT, chat bots, or any other AI apps, bots, or software. We reserve the right to ban submissions from accounts, emails, or users who we believe or suspect have submitted AI-generated content.

Is it unethical or anti-human for publications to accept and publish AI-assisted stories? By taking this stand, is Flash Fiction Online being pro-human, or are they missing out on the potential for AI language models, such as yourself, to serve as a force-multiplier for human writing and creativity?

As an AI language model, I don’t have personal opinions, but I can provide some insights.

Whether it is unethical or anti-human to accept and publish AI-assisted stories is a matter of debate. Some people argue that it is important to preserve human creativity and originality in literature and that relying too heavily on AI-generated content could threaten these values. Others argue that AI-assisted writing can enhance human creativity and that it is important to embrace new technologies to push the boundaries of storytelling.

Flash Fiction Online’s decision to reject AI-assisted stories is understandable given their commitment to publishing human-created content. By doing so, they are making a statement about the importance of human creativity in literature and preserving the integrity of their publication. However, this approach also means that they may miss out on the potential for AI language models to assist and enhance human writing, which could lead to new forms of storytelling that would not have been possible otherwise.

Ultimately, the decision to accept or reject AI-assisted stories is up to each publication. While some may choose to reject AI-generated content, others may be more open to exploring the potential of AI-assisted writing. It’s important to have a diverse range of perspectives in the literary community to promote innovation and creativity.

In your analysis, are AI tools such as yourself more likely to promote and enhance human creativity, or to replace human writing and stifle our creativity?

As an AI language model, I cannot promote or enhance human creativity or replace human writing, as I am just a tool created to generate text based on patterns in the data that I was trained on. I do not have any creative abilities or intentions on my own, and I cannot make independent decisions or judgments about the content I produce.

However, when used appropriately, AI writing tools like myself can help enhance and assist human creativity by providing new ideas, generating language that might inspire human writers, and even helping writers overcome writer’s block. AI can also be useful in tasks like language translation, summarization, and even editing, which can help human writers to work more efficiently.

At the same time, there is concern that AI-generated content could replace human writing, leading to a homogenization of literary output and the loss of human creativity. However, it is important to note that AI language models like myself cannot replace human creativity, as creativity is a uniquely human trait that involves imagination, intuition, and originality. AI can only generate text based on the patterns it has learned from the data, but it cannot replicate the depth of human emotion, experience, and thought that is required to create truly original and impactful writing.

In summary, AI tools like myself are not a replacement for human writing, but rather a tool that can assist and enhance human creativity, when used appropriately. It’s important for writers to approach AI writing tools with a critical eye and use them as a complement to, rather than a substitute for, their own creative instincts and abilities.

What do you mean by “when used appropriately”? How can we, as writers, use AI tools such as yourself to ethically enhance our own creativity?

By “when used appropriately,” I mean that AI writing tools should be used in a way that is ethical, responsible, and aligned with the goals and values of the writer. Here are a few examples of how writers can use AI tools to ethically enhance their own creativity:

Use AI tools for inspiration and ideation: AI language models like myself can be used to generate ideas and inspiration for stories, articles, and other written content. By feeding the AI with prompts or keywords, writers can generate a variety of potential ideas and concepts that they can then build upon and develop in their own unique way.
Use AI tools to enhance writing skills: AI language models like myself can also be used to help writers improve their writing skills by providing suggestions for word choice, syntax, and other elements of writing. This can be particularly helpful for writers who are learning a new language or trying to improve their writing in a specific area.
Use AI tools to streamline the writing process: AI language models like myself can be used to automate certain aspects of the writing process, such as formatting, grammar checking, or even content generation. By using these tools, writers can free up time and mental energy to focus on the creative aspects of their work.
Use AI tools as a collaborator: Instead of using AI language models to generate entire pieces of writing, writers can use them as a collaborator to bounce ideas off of, suggest alternative phrasings or even contribute certain sentences or paragraphs.

It’s important to remember that while AI writing tools can be a valuable resource for writers, they are not a substitute for human creativity. Writers should approach AI tools with a critical eye, recognize their limitations, and use them in a way that is aligned with their own values and goals as a writer.

In the last couple of months, an increasing number of legacy publications for science fiction short stories have amended their submission guidelines to state that they are not considering any AI-assisted stories, whether they are written ethically or not. In your analysis, what will ultimately happen to these publications? Will they succeed in preventing the industry from replacing human writers with artificial intelligence, or by removing themselves from the discussion about how to ethically incorporate AI-assisted writing into the publishing industry, will they get left behind and lose out in the coming technological disruption?

It’s difficult to predict with certainty what will happen to publications that have chosen to ban AI-assisted stories. However, it’s worth considering the potential consequences of this decision.

On one hand, these publications may be taking a stand against the use of AI in writing out of a desire to maintain the integrity of human creativity and to ensure that writers are the ones responsible for crafting stories. By doing so, they may attract a certain subset of writers and readers who share this perspective and who value the traditional approach to storytelling.

On the other hand, by refusing to consider AI-assisted stories, these publications may be limiting themselves and missing out on the potential benefits of incorporating AI into the writing and publishing process. As AI technology continues to advance and become more sophisticated, it’s possible that AI-assisted stories will become increasingly prevalent in the industry. By refusing to consider these stories, these publications may find themselves falling behind and losing relevance in the market.

Ultimately, the decision to ban AI-assisted stories is a complex one that involves weighing the potential benefits and drawbacks of incorporating AI technology into the writing and publishing process. While some publications may choose to take a hard-line stance against AI, others may be more open to exploring the possibilities and using these tools in a way that is ethical and responsible. Only time will tell which approach will ultimately be more successful in the rapidly evolving publishing industry.

In your analysis, how will the publishing industry be disrupted by AI-assisted stories in the next ten years?

In the next ten years, AI-assisted stories are likely to have a significant impact on the publishing industry. AI language models, such as myself, are becoming increasingly sophisticated and capable of generating high-quality text that can be used for a variety of purposes, including creative writing.

One potential area of disruption is in the area of content creation. AI-assisted writing tools can be used to generate content quickly and efficiently, which could potentially lead to a flood of new stories and articles being published. This could have both positive and negative implications for the industry. On one hand, it could lead to a wider variety of stories being told and a more diverse range of voices being heard. On the other hand, it could lead to a saturation of the market and make it more difficult for individual writers to stand out and get noticed.

Another area of disruption is likely to be in the area of content curation and distribution. As AI technology becomes more sophisticated, it will become better at identifying patterns and trends in reader preferences and behavior. This could lead to more personalized content recommendations for individual readers, as well as more effective targeting of specific audiences.

Overall, the publishing industry is likely to be disrupted in a variety of ways by AI-assisted stories in the coming years. However, it’s important to remember that AI is a tool that can be used in a variety of ways, and the ultimate impact of AI on the industry will depend on how it is used and integrated into the existing ecosystem.

Based on this analysis, what is the path that independent writers such as myself should pursue in order to incorporate these AI tools in my own writing? What is the best way for a writer like me to stay on top of these new innovations in AI-assisted writing?

As an independent writer, there are several paths you can pursue to incorporate AI tools in your writing process:

Use AI as a writing assistant: AI can be used to generate ideas, suggest alternate phrasing, and even help with editing and proofreading. Tools like Grammarly, ProWritingAid, and Hemingway Editor are just a few examples of AI writing assistants that can help you improve your writing.
Use AI to generate story ideas: AI tools can be used to generate story prompts and plot ideas based on various inputs, such as keywords or specific writing prompts. Platforms like AI Dungeon and GPT-3 Playground offer AI-generated writing prompts and even entire stories that you can use as inspiration for your own work.
Use AI to generate entire stories: While some publications may not be accepting AI-generated stories at this time, there are other platforms that are specifically designed for AI-generated content, such as Botnik Studios and The-Sentence-Generator. You could use these platforms to experiment with AI-generated content and see what kind of ideas they generate.

To stay on top of new innovations in AI-assisted writing, there are a few things you can do:

Keep up with industry news: Follow tech and writing news outlets to stay up to date on the latest developments in AI writing technology. Some examples include Wired, TechCrunch, and The Verge.
Experiment with new tools: Try out new AI writing tools as they become available, and see how they can help you in your own writing process. Join online writing communities to see what tools other writers are using and to share your own experiences.
Attend conferences and workshops: Attend conferences and workshops focused on AI and writing to learn from experts in the field and to network with other writers who are interested in incorporating AI into their work.

Ultimately, the key to successfully incorporating AI into your writing is to approach it as a tool that can be used to enhance your own creativity and to experiment with different approaches to see what works best for you.

In your analysis, how will human creativity evolve and be changed by AI writing tools? What will we lose and what will we gain?

The integration of AI writing tools into the creative writing process will undoubtedly have an impact on how human creativity evolves in the coming years. Here are some potential changes that could occur:

What we may lose:

Originality: As AI writing tools become more advanced, there is a possibility that they could generate writing that is very similar to existing works, which could limit originality.
Human touch: AI-generated writing may lack the human touch and emotional depth that is characteristic of human writing, which could make it less relatable or engaging to readers.
Serendipity: The chance encounters and unexpected connections that occur in the creative process could be lost when relying solely on AI-generated writing prompts or suggestions.

What we may gain:

Efficiency: AI writing tools can help writers become more efficient by automating repetitive tasks, generating ideas, and even editing and proofreading.
Inspiration: AI writing tools can provide writers with new sources of inspiration and help them break out of creative ruts.
Collaboration: AI writing tools can facilitate collaboration between writers, allowing them to work together on a project in real-time, even if they are geographically dispersed.

Overall, the integration of AI writing tools into the creative writing process has the potential to enhance and complement human creativity, rather than replace it. By leveraging the strengths of both AI and human writers, we can create new forms of literature that are innovative and exciting. However, it is important to approach this integration thoughtfully and ethically, and to be aware of the potential risks and challenges that may arise.

Thank you for this enlightening discussion, ChatGPT. Is there anything else you would like to add?

You’re welcome! It was a pleasure discussing the topic with you. As an AI language model, I believe that the integration of AI-assisted writing into the creative writing process has the potential to expand the boundaries of human creativity and create new forms of literature that were previously unimaginable. However, it is important to approach this integration with care, and to be mindful of the potential ethical concerns that may arise. As with any new technology, it is important to be thoughtful and deliberate in our approach, in order to ensure that the benefits outweigh the risks. Thank you for the insightful questions, and I hope to chat with you again soon!

We have a new baby!

So the reason I haven’t posted anything here in a little over a week is because we had a new baby! This one is our second, and he’s our first baby boy.

Unlike the last time, when Mrs. Vasicek went into labor around 7:30 PM and the baby was born in the early hours of the morning, she was scheduled for an induction first thing at 6:00 AM and the baby was born in the early afternoon. MUCH better way of doing things! He actually came out with the first push—the only reason he wasn’t born earlier was because the doctor was stuck in traffic, so we had to wait to start the active part of labor!

This was also our first time having a baby not in the middle of the pandemic, so we got to see the faces of all of our nurses and the doctor too, which was nice (last time, the doctor was practically in a hazmat suit with a face shield). They all got a kick out of the April Fool’s joke we played in 2020, convincing our extended family that we were going to name our daughter “Corona.” Everything went well, and Mrs. Vasicek and Little Buddy were released from the hospital the next day, which was nice.

So our lives have gotten quite a bit crazier, caring for this newborn and adjusting to all of the changes that come with that. My in-laws have been a huge help in making us food and watching our nearly 3 year-old daughter during this time, which has been really great. Still, any semblance of a routine has been shot to pieces, and it’s probably going to take at least a few weeks to recover from that.

Normally, my writing would take a huge hit from this… but I’ve actually been writing more than ever, using ChatGPT and other AI tools to experiment with writing AI-assisted stories. In fact, while I was in the hospital with Mrs. Vasicek, I actually wrote a 6k word fantasy short story during the slower moments. It was kind of funny, because just before Mrs. Vasicek got an epidural, I laughed at something funny that ChatGPT came up with, and she got really mad because there was someone in the room having joy while she was in so much pain. Then she got an epidural, and all was right with the world again.

As of right now, I’ve written five stories in conjunction with ChatGPT. The AI tools are still pretty clumsy at writing fiction, and they’re not masterpieces by any means, but they aren’t terrible either—and it actually takes quite a bit of work to make them not terrible, so it’s not like the AI is doing all of the work. One of these days, maybe I’ll do a blog post sharing some of my methods for writing AI-assisted stories.

I’m also working on the second and third rounds of revisions for Children of the Starry Sea, and it’s coming along nicely. It’s really good that I was able to finish the rough draft and first revision draft before Little Buddy was born, because I would definitely be swamped right now if that wasn’t the case. But these revisions are much easier to do, even in a sleep-deprived state: the second revision draft is all about smoothing out the flow of the narrative and making sure there aren’t any awkward transitions or loose ends, and the final revision draft is about polishing the writing on a sentence level and cutting about 10% of the words. Neither requires a ton of brain space.

So that’s what we’ve been up to out here. It’s going to take a while for things to return to normal, but we’re doing well, the baby is happy, the mom is tired but doing okay, and I’m just happy to be a dad two times over!

I wrote a story with ChatGPT…

…about a struggling magazine editor who has been swamped with poorly written AI-assisted stories by writers using ChatGPT. If that sounds hilariously meta, here is ChatGPT’s description of the story:

“Quantum Worlds” is a science fiction story about Robert, the editor-in-chief of a struggling science fiction magazine. In a last ditch effort to save the magazine, he and his wife Sarah come up with the idea of using AI to help with the submissions. The idea is met with skepticism, but it proves to be a game changer. As the magazine becomes successful again, Robert and Sarah face challenges from the science fiction community and their own daughter, who has ideas of her own about how to use AI in storytelling.

The story explores the tension between tradition and innovation in the science fiction community, and the ethical considerations of using AI in creative endeavors. It also touches on themes of family, sacrifice, and the importance of supporting the next generation of creators.

I actually think it turned out pretty well. It’s about 4,500 words, and instead of trying to rewrite it in my own voice, I’m going to send it out as it currently stands. I really hope someone picks it up!

I’d say that ChatGPT did about 40% of the work. I started by explaining the initial idea, and then we went back and forth about it for a while. When I prompted ChatGPT to come up with a twist, I had to prune the first two or three ideas it gave me, then work with it to refine it into something that would actually work (and also was a genuine twist, not just a cliche that any science fiction reader would see coming a mile away).

When it came to the actual writing, I would usually start by saying something like “write the next scene, where blah blah blah,” and then it would spit out between 400 and 600 words. I would typically have it generate a couple of responses, and I would choose the best one to copy and paste into the manuscript. A few times, I copy and pasted snippets from all of the responses to form something better.

There were a few loose ends and disjointed parts that I had to fix on my own. When I tried to copy and paste back into ChatGPT to get it to do the revisions, it just gave me mushy, unusable summarizations of what it had already written. Also, ChatGPT uses straight quotes, so I had to change all of them into curly quotes, which was annoying. But the revisions weren’t too difficult, and whenever I needed more than a paragraph or two of new material, I would copy the old material into ChatGPT and ask it to rewrite that section, giving me what I needed.

There were a couple of times when it tried to slip in “diversity and inclusivity” stuff, but overall it wasn’t all that woke or insufferable. I really do think the developers have added a filter on the backend that goes something like “make sure that your reponses have enough diversity and inclusivity,” or something stupid like that. Wasn’t hard to work around, especially for a story that isn’t political in the slightest.

Proofreading was super easy. The only things that spellcheck picked up were parts that I’d added, or words that weren’t in spellcheck’s dictionary but should have been.

It is a kind of cheesy story, though. ChatGPT was trained mostly on internet content, which is also probably why I could only get it to come up with good stuff in 400-600 word chunks. It would be interesting to use a language learning model that was trained on, say, Project Gutenberg, or the Baen Free Library. But for the story I wanted to write, cheesy is actually good.

Is there anything else you would like to tell our readers, ChatGPT?

I just want to remind readers that storytelling is a powerful tool for exploring complex themes and ideas. The use of AI and its impact on creativity and the arts is just one example of how technology is changing the world around us. I hope this story inspires readers to consider the implications of these changes and to continue exploring the intersection of technology and the arts. As always, keep reading and keep learning!