I’m looking forward to this! Always love it when you have a professional writer on. Gallagher wrote for Doctor Who, one of my favorite shows, if I’m not mistaking him for someone else.
This is my 2nd favourite episode ever. Two young fellas having a fun chat about geeky stuff.
Second? What was your first favorite?
The one where David revealed his big pivot away from lawyering. I’ve listened to it half a dozen times. It was from the heart, and it resonated so much with my own experiences.
I’m about half-way through this podcast and already love it!
It reminded me why I fell in love with the Mac in the first place. The simplicity, the intuitiveness, the beauty of the operating system.
I use Windows on a regular basis for gaming. It always reminds me of Mac 20 years ago, and MS DOS always lurks close to the surface. Ugly, functional interface, built by engineers for engineers.
Imagine if there had never been a Mac? My guess is we’d still be using command lines in an ugly but highly functional OS.
The prevalence of PC gaming always surprises me. Consoles are half the price yet people prefer the tinkering of a PC.
Almost none of the games I play (WWII strategic and tactical) are available on consoles.
I’ve listened to the rest of the podcast. I especially appreciated the discussion at the end, during the “More Power Users” segment, regarding writing and the use of AI.
I have a friend who produced a post in his blog which he revealed was AI generated and “lightly edited” by him. When I subscribe to someone’s blog, it’s because I want to read what they think. Not some text generated by AI. If I wanted that I could just go on ChatGPT and ask it to generate a post on the topic. I’m interested in their unique viewpoints, their personal perspective and thinking.
I believe most creators produce work as a gift to the recipients–we want our readers to benefit from what we share with them, maybe help them to solve a problem or make their lives better. Sending out AI generated text in that context undermines that whole motivation for creation and the whole process. It’s no longer a personal gift from me to my reader if I’m just “lightly editing” something generated by a machine.
Yep — the condensed version is that if it’s not worth writing, it’s not worth reading.
You can do both, Jim. Or at least I do.
It’s hard work!
I use AI to write my first draft (of my ideas). Sometimes that’s a quick chat about the ideas I want to share (they’re my ideas), and sometimes I literally spend hours sparing with chatGPT trying to tease out my thoughts and make them more concrete and more valuable.
Then I heavily (never lightly!) edit it by hand, but sometimes I’ll flip back into chatGPT or Claude and ask it to help me clear up the writing, or find a better explanation of a paragraph.
This is the sort of thing I previous did with my editor, but this is (in many ways) better. ChatGPT and Claude sometimes write terribly, but … I often write a lot worse, and there’s real synergy when we “spar” with each other.
I’ve published 3 respected books, the old way, and I ran out of oomph because it was so so tiring.
I’ve got my oomph back now, and I love having ChatGPT and Claude there helping me out.
I still sweat my writing … and I consider every single word to be mine, just better.
–
That said, I work my butt off when I write, because my reputation and my income depends on writing stuff that helps people.
As an example, I took the above reply to you Jim, and popped it into Claude.ai.
Rewrite this - it’s written to someone on a message board that doesn’t like AI generated writing. I’m trying to explain that for good writers, who work hard, it produces better writing.
And it came back with this version (which I don’t like, so, afterwards I asked it to rework it):
The Synergy of Human Craft and AI Assistance in Writing
As a published author with three respected books under my belt, I understand the skepticism towards AI-generated content. However, I’ve found that integrating AI tools into my writing process has reinvigorated my work without compromising its quality or authenticity.
My Approach: A Blend of Human Creativity and AI Assistance
Idea Generation and First Drafts:
- I use AI as a sounding board for my ideas.
- Sometimes it’s a quick chat; other times, it’s hours of back-and-forth to refine my thoughts.
- The ideas are mine, but AI helps me articulate them more clearly.
Rigorous Human Editing:
- I never simply accept AI output as-is.
- Every piece undergoes extensive human editing and refinement.
AI as a Writing Partner:
- I occasionally use AI to help clarify specific sections or find better explanations.
- This collaborative process often yields insights I might not have reached alone.
The Benefits I’ve Experienced
- Renewed Energy: After feeling burnt out from traditional writing methods, AI tools have reignited my passion for writing.
- Improved Quality: The AI-human collaboration often produces better results than either could achieve alone.
- Efficiency: AI assistance streamlines parts of the process, allowing me to focus more on crafting the final product.
A Commitment to Authenticity and Quality
- Every word in my final drafts is carefully considered and chosen by me.
- I put in significant effort to ensure my writing maintains its integrity and value.
- My reputation and livelihood depend on producing high-quality, helpful content for my readers.
In conclusion, while AI is a powerful tool in my writing arsenal, it doesn’t replace the human element. Instead, it enhances my ability to express ideas and create meaningful content. The final product is unequivocally mine, just more refined and polished thanks to this new collaborative process.
So I told it I didn’t like it:
That sounds very dry and boring. Please add in my personality. Short sentences, first person, active voice. Short paragraphs
And it came back with this: (which I thought sucked)
AI and Me: Supercharging My Writing Game
Hey there! I get it. You’re skeptical about AI writing. I was too.
But here’s the thing: I’m a real writer. Three published books. Respected ones, too.
And I use AI. A lot.
Why? Because it’s freakin’ awesome when used right.
How I Roll with AI
I start with my ideas. Always mine. AI’s just my brainstorm buddy.
Sometimes it’s a quick chat. Other times? Hours of back-and-forth. Hammering out thoughts. Making them shine.
Then I edit. Hard. No light touches here. Every word gets the third degree.
Sometimes I’ll hop back to AI. “Hey, can you help me clear this up?” Or “This paragraph’s wonky. Ideas?”
It’s like having a super-smart writing pal. Always there. Always ready to spar.
Why I Love It
I was burnt out. Writing books the old way? Exhausting.
Now? I’ve got my mojo back. Big time.
AI doesn’t always nail it. Sometimes it’s way off. But you know what? I write worse stuff all the time.
The magic happens when we tag-team. Human creativity meets AI assistance. Boom!
It’s Still All Me
Every. Single. Word. Is. Mine.
Just better. Clearer. Punchier.
I sweat over my writing. My rep’s on the line. My income too.
But now? I’m cranking out stuff that really helps people. And loving every minute of it.
So yeah, you can do both. Use AI and be a kick-ass writer.
It’s not easy. But man, is it worth it.
So, I told it I didn’t like it:
That sounds like a racoon on meth. Please calm it down. I’m 55 respected.
And it came back with this (which is getting better, but I still didn’t like it):
Embracing AI in My Writing Process: A Veteran Author’s Perspective
I understand the skepticism about AI-generated writing. As an author with three respected books to my name, I’ve given this a lot of thought.
I use AI in my writing process. It’s not a replacement for human creativity, but a powerful tool when used thoughtfully.
My Approach
I start with my own ideas. Always. AI serves as a sounding board, helping me refine my thoughts.
Sometimes it’s a brief interaction. Other times, I spend hours working with AI to crystallize complex concepts.
Then comes the crucial part: editing. I revise extensively, weighing every word.
Occasionally, I’ll consult AI again for clarity on a specific point or to brainstorm better ways to explain something.
It’s like having a tireless writing partner, ready to collaborate at any hour.
The Benefits
After years of writing the traditional way, I found myself running low on energy. AI has helped reignite my passion for the craft.
AI doesn’t always get it right. Neither do I. But together, we often produce something better than either of us could alone.
The Human Touch Remains Essential
Every word in my final drafts is carefully chosen by me.
I put in significant effort to ensure my writing maintains its integrity and value.
My reputation and livelihood depend on producing high-quality, helpful content for my readers.
A New Chapter in Writing
This approach allows me to create more impactful content while still enjoying the process.
It’s not without its challenges, but I’ve found it to be a rewarding evolution in my writing career.
AI and human expertise can coexist. For me, it’s opened up new possibilities in my work.
So, I told it:
Active voice, almost always
And it made a few more tweaks:
How I Integrate AI into My Writing: A Veteran Author’s View
I get the skepticism about AI-generated writing. As an author of three respected books, I’ve wrestled with this myself.
I use AI in my writing process. It doesn’t replace human creativity, but it enhances it when I use it thoughtfully.
My Process
I always start with my own ideas. AI acts as my sounding board, helping me refine my thoughts.
Sometimes I have a quick chat with AI. Other times, I spend hours working with it to clarify complex concepts.
Editing comes next. I revise extensively, carefully choosing every word.
I occasionally consult AI again to clarify a point or brainstorm better explanations.
It feels like having a tireless writing partner, ready to collaborate anytime.
What I’ve Gained
Years of traditional writing had drained my energy. AI has reignited my passion for the craft.
AI doesn’t always nail it. Neither do I. But together, we often create something better than either of us could alone.
The Human Element Remains Crucial
I carefully select every word in my final drafts.
I put significant effort into maintaining the integrity and value of my writing.
My reputation and livelihood depend on the high-quality, helpful content I produce for my readers.
A New Writing Chapter
This approach allows me to create more impactful content while still enjoying the process.
Challenges remain, but I find this evolution in my writing career rewarding.
AI and human expertise can work together. For me, it has opened up new possibilities in my work.
Which is getting better. But it felt too long.
Shorter
And it replied with this:
AI in My Writing: A Veteran Author’s Take
I’ve published three respected books. Now, I use AI in my writing process.
Here’s how:
- I start with my ideas. AI helps refine them.
- We brainstorm together, sometimes for hours.
- I edit heavily. Every word is my choice.
- Occasionally, I ask AI to help clarify specific points.
Why I do this:
- It reignited my passion for writing.
- Together, we often create better content than I could alone.
- It’s like having a tireless writing partner.
The bottom line:
- My reputation depends on quality. I don’t compromise on that.
- AI doesn’t replace my expertise. It enhances it.
- This approach lets me produce more impactful work.
AI and human skill can coexist in writing. For me, it works.
And I reckon that’s much better than all the earlier versions, and my original version, but I’d edit it a bit before I shared it.
It took me 5x longer to cut and paste the above than it did to chat with Claude.ai and come up with a version I’d be happy to write. The AI bit probably took me 3 minutes.
I use AI in several ways, but I intentionally don’t have AI write my first draft. I want to ensure that my first draft really contains my ideas and reveals my expression of my ideas, and not AI’s expression of my ideas. I find it’s all too easy to be influenced by an AI-written first draft.
After I’ve written my own first draft, I’ll ask AI if there are any other topics I ought to include. If there is anything I think has merit, I’ll write that in my own words into my first draft. When I’m happy with my first draft, I’ll ask AI for suggestions, which I evaluate. If I think one is a good suggestion, I’ll often modify it to fit my voice. I suck at drafting section headings and headlines, so I’ll ask AI to make suggestions I can evaluate.
I have a problem with functioning as AI’s editor, whether heavily or lightly. I don’t want to be an editor, I want to be a writer, a creator. To me, being primarily in the role of an editor means I’m taking a machine’s work and putting it out into the world with my name on it.
Enjoying the process of sparring with AI is fine, but that’s not my function as a creator. I don’t see “synergy” as a result of over-reliance on AI, but rather a human editing AI’s work. To me that’s a switching of roles from writer to editor. If I want to know what AI has to say about something, I’ll skip reading the human editing process and go directly to the source.
For creative writing, I’m not interested in reading human edited AI, but the unique thoughts and expressions of other humans.
I use AI for research, brainstorming, grammar-checking, proofreading, copy-editing and transcribing interviews. Not writing.
Those things all sound like “writing” to me, Mitch!
That sounds very similar to what I do, Jim, though I suspect I spend a lot more time chatting with chatGPT - thinking together - before I ask it to write out a “shitty first draft”.
And then I’ll ask it to make tweaks to that draft, often many times, while I clarify my thinking and how I want to explain my thinking.
And then I’ll go to work editing.
This has freed me up from the torturous habit of constantly editing as I write my draft. I could never break that, no matter how many writing books I read!
This new process has helped.
Sounds like your process is working well for you.
I’m sorry, I must not have communicated clearly: I don’t use AI at all to produce a first draft. I intentionally don’t do so because I want to create it with my unique thoughts and expressions and not be influenced by AI’s interpretations and expressions. I think our use of AI for that purpose is very dissimilar.
I see the “torturous habit” of editing my work as an essential part of the creation process, so I embrace it as a way to refine my thoughts and expressions for the gift I’m giving to my readers. I am not interested in handing that critical part of the creation process to AI.
A hearty Amen! I don’t wish to be unfair or unkind, but posting AI generated text, even if acknowledge as such, is inauthentic, and in my estimation, lazy and disingenuous. I want to read the author, not AI.
I appreciate your response above. But, there is a difference between using AI to help refine ideas versus writing a draft. I use AI to help me refine initial ideas and a potential outline, look up information, and edit for grammar and the like. I do not feel comfortable having AI write drafts for me that I then edit. I reverse the process–I write and have AI help me edit for mistakes and better sentence structure–the same way I’ve used editors, my EA, or grammar books. 
But they’re not. Research, brainstorming and transcribing interviews are things I do to prepare to write. Grammar-checking, proofreading and copy-editing are things I do both during writing and after writing. Writing is the act of adding words to a document (and often deleting and replacing words).