Conversational AI, powered by large language models (LLMs), is increasingly being used by film, TV, and fiction writers at various stages of the creative process. While to some, it may seem counterintuitive – or even sacrilegious – to invite artificial intelligence into such a uniquely human activity, many writers, including Toby Wagstaff, are interested in exploring ways this technology can complement and enhance their ability to tell human stories. Toby’s experience with both writing and conversational AI offers insights into how this technology is reshaping the realm of art and the imagination.
Strengths of AI in Early Stages of Writing
Brainstorming and Ideation
It’s a cliché that there’s nothing scarier than the blank page, and AI can be a great tool for getting a writer over that first big hurdle. While writers working with a partner or in a writers’ room have ready access to collaborators to bounce ideas off, those of us with nothing for company but a laptop and crippling self-doubt can really benefit from getting an outside take – even a synthetic one – on our early concepts and ideas. According to Toby, one of conversational AI’s biggest strengths is its ability to assist in brainstorming and generating ideas. Try asking it for a few “what happens next” scenarios, or ideas for character quirks to liven up brief interactions or exposition.
AI’s great at generating multiple options, from conventional choices to far-fetched experimentation, and the best thing is it doesn’t get its feelings hurt no matter how many times you tell it “nah, not that – keep thinking!” Nine times out of ten it’s the human writer who makes the breakthrough, but AI can help you get there more quickly, and have more fun on the way.
Drafting: A Fast Track to the First Draft
How much time do you spend putting down “the bad version” of a scene just so you have something to work with? AI can be a real time-saver for banging out a rough sequence or dialogue before you yourself can fully articulate it. It’s not very likely to give you the perfect solution the first time out, but let’s face it, neither is your brain. Toby says that if creative writing is like mining your brain for precious metals, AI just helps you get down more quickly to where the rich veins of ore can be found.
Potential and Pitfalls at the Polishing Stage
Voice and Voices
Writing is not just putting words on a page; it’s about expressing a writer’s distinct voice, style, and view of the world. AI, which relies on patterns and data, struggles to replicate the distinctive features which give individuals their signature style.
For this reason, Toby suggests that while AI spit-balling can help get your ideas off the ground, writers need to think a little differently about how to use it in the revision stages. Overreliance on AI-generated content can lead to a piece feeling inauthentic, generic, or lacking depth. The human writer should always be the last hand to touch any piece of dialogue, or key story beat to ensure the work retains its human integrity and spark.
That’s not to say AI can’t help at all in refining the human writer’s work. Just like how middle schoolers can fool their teachers by telling AI to write their paper to “sound like an 8th grader”, so the creative writer can get ideas on how to differentiate characters from one another by setting clear parameters for the model when experimenting with dialogue. Are you a 40-year-old with a philosophy degree trying to sound like a 25-year-old social media addict? Run a few lines of dio through AI, you might be surprised what it knows about how people sound.
Refining Themes and Subtext
AI can struggle with the subtler elements of storytelling, such as theme development and subtext. While it can suggest sequences and spew out iterations til the cows come home, it’s not so deft at weaving these elements into a meaningful whole. Toby points out that themes emerge through a subtle alchemy of character, dialogue, and narrative nuance — areas where human intuition and experience play a significant role.
Balancing AI Assistance with Human Creativity
While AI can be a powerful tool, at its best even something approaching a muse, the human writer must ensure that the final product reflects a real, grounded voice and vision.
To maintain this balance, Toby advises writers to:
- Let AI inspire their work, but avoid the temptation to imitate its suggestions.
- Take time to revise and personalize any AI-generated content to maintain originality and preserve a unique voice.
- Be wary of reliance on AI in the later stages of writing.
- Keep their vision and imagination at the forefront throughout the writing process.
Combining AI Insights With Human Creativity
Conversational AI is transforming the creative writing process by offering new capabilities, from idea generation to drafting. While AI presents opportunities for efficiency and innovation, it also comes with risks that everything will slowly start to sound the same. Toby Wagstaff‘s insights highlight the importance of using AI thoughtfully, ensuring that it enhances rather than diminishes the unique human elements that make writing a deeply personal art form.
