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On September 7, 2024, Kasie flew solo and followed up on an article in this week’s Morning Brew about NaNoWriMo not rejected AI-generated manuscripts. Here are the show notes:

Theme for the day

When and How to use AI

Agenda

• Quick Catch Up – flying solo! Taking calls!
• Morning Brew news re: NaNoWriMo
• AI arguments
• When and How to use AI

Segment 1

In this week’s Morning Brew was a story titled, “NaNoWriMo didn’t condemn AI. Writers revolted.” The story concerns the organizers of the annual internet event saying it was “classicist and ablest to condemn AI” (link). The program, a 30-day frenzi of drafting that asks writers to produce 50,000 words to “win,” issued a statement that amounted to saying anyone who condemns AI is ablest and classicist. Bad things, apparently. The statement caused outrage, lost the organization two board members and a sponsor and made semi-national news in the community.

Let’s unpack it.

Segment 2

According to the Authors Guild, these are best practices regarding authors and AI:

• Use AI for brainstorming, editing, and revising
• Rewrite any AI-generated text in your own voice before incorporating it in your piece
• Disclose to both your publisher and the reader the extent to which you’ve used AI and incorporated its outputs in your work
• Respect others’ work – do not use AI to copy style, and understand AI my be using others’ work verbatim which could lead to accusations of plagiarism
• Thoroughly review and fact-check all AI-generated work – honestly, this step is probably harder than just writing it yourself
• Show solidarity with other creatives in the conversation related to AI – illustrators, etc.

Segment 3

You should learn to recognize AI. It’s got the markings of a classic novice work. Check out this AI-generated blog post:

​​As technology evolves, AI tools have become invaluable for writers, offering everything from grammar checks to brainstorming sessions. However, using AI responsibly requires a nuanced approach. Here are key strategies to harness AI’s potential while maintaining the integrity of your craft.

1. Augment, Don’t Replace

AI can handle repetitive tasks, like grammar corrections or formatting, freeing writers to focus on creativity and original thought. Use AI for these supportive roles rather than allowing it to take over the core aspects of writing, such as developing unique ideas and personal voice. Your distinctive style and perspective are irreplaceable.

2. Verify Facts and Sources

AI tools can generate vast amounts of information quickly, but they are not infallible. Always cross-check facts and sources to ensure accuracy. Misinformation or poorly researched content can undermine your credibility. Treat AI as a starting point for research, not the final authority.

3. Maintain Ethical Standards

Be transparent about your use of AI, especially when it comes to generating content or ideas. If you’re using AI for significant portions of your work, disclose this to your audience. Ethical transparency builds trust and ensures that your contributions are seen as genuine.

4. Nurture Your Creativity

AI can offer suggestions, but it can’t replace the human touch in creativity. Use AI to explore new angles or overcome writer’s block, but always infuse your work with personal insights and emotional depth. Your unique voice should guide the final piece.

5. Continuous Learning

AI tools are continually evolving, so stay updated on their capabilities and limitations. Engaging with new technology thoughtfully allows you to leverage AI effectively while safeguarding the quality and authenticity of your writing.

By integrating AI responsibly, writers can enhance their productivity and creativity without compromising their individuality or ethical standards. Embrace these tools as allies, but let your own voice and integrity lead the way.

Does it read like the section above it? The one I paraphrased from Authors Guild? That’s probably because AI doesn’t make anything new, it combs the internet for relevant data and then presents it as if it were new. But it’s not.

Google has started prioritizing its AI results above search engine results. Now if you Google, “How can I use AI to write my novel?” you’ll get ads for Grammerly and UndetectableAI.com as well as links to YouTube videos by The Nerdy Novelist who walks you through how to use AI in your work.

But should you? Is it cheating?

Segment 4

Since we already kind of did the “how” with Author’s Guild and our own AI-generated blog post, let’s use Segment 4 to focus on “when.”

When is a good time to use AI?

Check out this blog post by Christopher Penn who unpacks different types of writing that may be more (or less) conducive to the AI tools. Says Penn, “When considering AI for writing tasks, it’s important to align the purpose and nature of the content with the capabilities of the models.”

Creative vs. Commodity – creative writing is expression of human experience and emotion, it’s poetry and storytelling. Commodity writing is a status update to your boss or client, a summary of a meeting’s minutes, a proposal for work. The example Penn gives is art in a hotel.

So if you’re working on something bland like a white paper that summarized academic research into positions for political actors, then sure, AI can do the mediocre work of disseminating a lot of information into a summary. But if what you’re doing needs complexity and originality, then don’t settle for AI. Do it yourself.