Writers ain’t gotta use AI if they don’t wanna
If you’ve found a certain tool or service that works for you and makes your life better, COOL—then keep using that thing. This advice applies to AI, Notion, Obsidian, TikTok, WHATEVER. If your tool of choice is a net benefit, then keep on keepin’ on.
But please don’t let peer pressure convince you that you ABSOLUTELY MUST try some new piece of shiny technology. (I’m thinking specifically about generative AI and large language models like ChatGPT, but the point also relates to non-AI tools).
Great writing is a process. It’s often messy—unfortunately, that’s just the nature of the work. Sometimes, it’s only by that messiness that you’re able to make your writing work. The only way out is through.
If you want only to churn out a certain number of words on a given topic, with little to no concern for quality or insight, then maybe leaning on generative AI is the strategy for you. But if you’re looking for the right words to capture your voice, then maybe AI ain’t right for you. And that’s okay, because AI never had to be the tool for you, unless you decided it was so.
Generative AI ain’t all bad for writers
Rather than just crap on AI, I want to take a moment to give credit where it’s due and share some ways in which generative AI has helped me as a writer.
For one, large language models (LLMs) make great proofreaders. Just be sure to ask the LLM what exactly it corrected so you can ignore any bad corrections. (Don’t just blindly accept its changes—it messes up sometimes!)
LLMs are also useful when you can’t word a particular phrase just right, especially when you’re refreshing your resume. You can bang your head against the wall for hours, or you can ask the LLM for help so that you can move on to more pressing matters. The choice is yours.
Choice is the point
That the choice to use AI is yours is the point of this post. You can choose your own adventure in regard to AI and your writing. Don’t let others pressure you into using a tool that might not fit into your writerly workflow.
Your writing is your words. Your voice. Your choice.
Just remember, writers: You ain’t gotta use AI if you don’t wanna.
