Waxing Philosophical About AI

To use AI? Or not to use AI? That is the question often on the minds of writers these days. And I'm not here to say one way or the other whether anyone should use it or not, or even pass judgment on whether its good or bad because - how the hell I am supposed to know what is good for others? But I am here to provide some food for thought for those writers considering it.

As I gain more awareness around the power of AI and what it can do, I find myself thinking back to over 30 years ago when I first started out as a writer.

I remember the pain of those early days. I was all vision and no skill. I could see so clearly the stories I desperately wanted to write. But no amount of vision and desire could overcome the fact that I was still years from having developed the necessary skills or process to execute those complex, nuanced stories on the page.

But the pain didn't end there.

There was also often a lack of wisdom needed to complete the stories. My visions tended to come in the form of stories that I, myself, still needed to grow into, in order to understand or write about it in any sort of meaningful way. They needed to be lived with. Explored to their depths. Wrung out for all its meaning.

And then on top of all that, I also had the added pain of desperately wanting to prove to the doubters in my life (of which there were plenty) that I truly could write those stories I envisioned. In fact, I wanted to prove that not only could I write them, but that I could write them so well I could become the darling of Hollywood once having done so. And I wanted to do it quick.

So with all that self imposed pressure bearing down upon me, if younger me had had the option of using AI to help me "just get it out" I think I would have jumped on it. I would have been thrilled to have AI help me speed up the whole process. And that gives me a little shiver...

Why? Because having the wisdom of the years to look back on, it was inside those years of struggle to find my process, to understand my stories, to continuously plumb the depths of my heart, to learn how to sit with the pain of not knowing until I did, that I learned every important lesson I needed to learn about not just writing but, life.

Those years forced me to become adept at critical thinking. Made me a master at dealing with my inner/outer critics. And challenged me to listen to my gut and truly know what my heart wants. Skills I use everywhere, all the time.

Looking back I wouldn't trade a single second of it, even the most painful parts, for anything in the world.

Does this mean I think we need to suffer for our art? I don't know. I'd like to think not. But I do know that in creation, there is a lot of not knowing until we know. And that the time in between the not-knowing and the knowing is where a lot of the creative muscles get built, brains get rewired and where a lot of the magic happens.

And yes, it's also where a lot of the suffering is (depending on the degree of resistance on the part of the creator). So my guess is it's the part many writers might be tempted to use AI to speed up. But in the speeding up, I wonder how many valuable lessons of a writer getting to know themselves, and their unique voice, will be missed?

So this is where I wax philosophical about AI. To use or not to use? And I guess my thought is: use, but with as much caution and wisdom as your years can help you muster, knowing that it can come with a cost.

I have already started to see some wonderful uses. Like right know, for e.g. I am helping a 95 year man write his Memoir. I am doing weekly interviews and having AI throw out a real time transcript of the interview, and that is ridiculously helpful. Especially since I intend to quote him a lot. But if I was one of those people that needed to write down what people are saying, in order for it to land and more actively listen, would it actually be helpful?

I have also seen writers use it to help them with their marketing, which seems to be a real boon, considering so many writers struggle with selling themselves in a compelling manner. But if I was a person that didn't know who I was yet. If I was someone highly influenceable and prone to letting others define me, would it be helpful? Or would even AI be putting ideas in my head, before I had the discernment to know what my heart wants to say yes or no to?

I have also seen many ADHD students of mine use AI to help give order to all their creative chaos. And I think it is wonderful to see them come alive and finally find a way to corral their wild creative hearts. But if they were also the type to then feel responsible for carrying out every creative idea they've ever had (which I highly doubt any of us are really meant to do), might it start to feel like yet more clutter? A burden?

And I am sure there are some out there actually using AI to essentially write their stories for them (like I might have done when I was young). Which we can do. We can be AI's editor, instead of the other way around if we like. But is there any real joy, pride or connection to the final product's delivery, if done like that? How much of you is really even in there? What can you feel proud of? How do you suppose the book tour or the behind scenes talk back is going to go?

I think the bottom line is, the one thing we most definitely can't outsource, no matter how good the tech gets, is the feelings that live inside our own hearts. We still need to live and feel our experiences, and decide how we feel about them, which, of course, is what usually compels us writers to write and express in the first place.

And even when/if we use AI to help get those stories out, there is still a part of us that has to read what AI wrote, and say, yes, this is precisely what I want to express. This is my voice. Or no, this is not it at all.

And the only part of us that can properly answer that question is, again, that well-studied heart. So there's no getting out of diving into and exploring that vast and perplexing part of ourselves that requires so much of our time in order to know. But the good news is, the time spent is worth every penny.

So use AI. But be mindful of using it in a way that doesn't allow you too many shortcuts. Because sometimes the long road is exactly what the heart needs in order to develop into something truly unique and special. And with the future we're heading into, I suspect understanding our unique and authentic voice will become our greatest asset.

***Holly Payberg-Torroija is a writing coach and partner at Humans on The Verge where she guides writers through her signature curriculum, Loving The Process. To find out more about her programs and upcoming retreats click HERE.