✍️ Diary of an Author: Writers vs. Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Will AI take your job? A realistic view at the craft of writing and advancements in AI, and the one AI tool that's saved me hundreds of hours.

I’m sure you’ve seen the clickbait-y articles out there, like “I’ve Never Hired a Writer Better than ChatGPT” from places like Forbes.

The shock of headlines like this strikes fear into any writer’s heart, but when you actually read the article — and start to dive into the AI tools themselves — you’ll experience a much different reality.

Technologist Paul Graham — of all people — makes a point about writing I absolutely adore. When asked by a company why hiring good writers is so hard, he replied:

“…good writing is an illusion: what people call good writing is actually good thinking, and of course good thinkers are rare.”

So, what do writers and authors actually need to know about AI?

• Are there any mystical new tools we need to learn how to use to help in our process?

• Are entry-level freelance writers doomed? Do experts need to skill-stack into infinity?

• Are fiction writers and storytellers safe from AI?

I went deep down the rabbit hole and tried dozens of AI-powered writing tools and am here to report back about my findings, what you need to know about AI, things you need to do today to AI-proof your writing business if you’re a freelancer, things to think about in the fiction world, and what’s irrelevant hype you should tune out.

In this long-form deep dive, I’ll discuss:

• What writing jobs are in immediate danger of being replaced

• What writing jobs will always be in high-demand and are AI-proof

• Whether or not fiction writing can be replaced by AI, and what Hollywood writers are so scared of right now

• The one AI tool that has saved me hundreds of hours, and some of the other tools I’m experimenting with.

Let’s get to it: