Artificial Intelligence: Making Waves in Writing Communities

By Malerie Thiel, Isabella Whiley, Brittany Holness and Kelsey Liddell

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been introduced into many areas of day-to-day life, and there has been increasing controversy surrounding its rise to prevalence in the writing and reading communities. The stance often taken is that if an author has utilised AI for any assistance with creating their work, then this should be disclosed. It has also been noted that AI takes away from the writing process, snuffing out human creativity. Due to this significant aspect of creative writing, the impact of AI and the continuous growth of its use, discourse on the topic will be long-standing. This feature will discuss the concerns and the possible opportunities AI presents with a deeper exploration of the implications of AI for aspiring writers and, on a larger scale, in the publishing industry.

A former favourite of online writing communities, internet competition NaNoWriMo has seen controversy in recent weeks after announcing sponsors that promote the use of generative AI. Short for National Novel Writing Month, NaNoWriMo is a non-profit organisation that challenges novelists to write fifty thousand words throughout November, sharing daily word counts to encourage each other and meeting locally for “write-ins.” However, the inclusion of new sponsors Dabble and ProWritingAid in 2024 has former participants seeking alternate options. Published authors and industry hopefuls alike remain wary of AI in artistic spaces, questioning the effect of generative software on writing authenticity and creativity and raising issues of copyright infringement for writers and artists whose work has been used to train AI systems. NaNoWriMo’s first official statement on the matter declared that denouncing AI could be both classist and ableist. When this prompted more backlash, the statement was replaced with one that removed the accusations but maintained a neutral stance on AI. Now, some writers are proceeding with the #50kin30days challenge using different software, such as WriteTrack and TrackBear, while others are finding encouragement in Facebook groups and Discord communities. 

Young writers, especially students, are already feeling AI's potential impact on their developing literacy and creativity skills. Recent data from the National Literacy Trust reveals a decline in creative writing levels among younger generations, with fewer children engaged in story crafting and expressive writing. Currently, fewer than three in ten (28.7%) children aged eight to eighteen enjoy writing in their free time, and only one in nine (11.1%) write something daily outside of school. Over the past fourteen years, writing enjoyment levels have dropped by 18%, with a 5.9% decrease just in the past year. This trend correlates with an increased reliance on AI tools that simplify the writing process, allowing students to generate essays or creative content with minimal effort. According to a UK Parliament report, such tools can hinder the development of critical thinking and storytelling skills, which are vital for educational and future career success. 

Concerns are also growing about the educator-student dynamic as automated interactions replace traditional teaching. In response, the UK government recently invested up to £2 million in AI tools for the Oak National Academy, an online learning platform, to develop new resources for teachers, including AI-powered lesson plans and classroom quizzes. As educational institutions face these technological shifts, they must balance AI’s potential benefits with the need to foster independent literacy skills that young writers will carry into adulthood.

Although many focus on the damaging effects of AI, as important as it is to be wary of these tools, it is also interesting to consider the positive aspects of the technology. There are now opportunities for writers to use these features as a brainstorming tool, supporting them through the early stages of creation or during a slump when inspiration is difficult to access. Aside from the creative elements, using AI for grammatical guidance or as a language enhancer can be incredibly useful. Sites such as Sudowrite or NovelCrafter support writers through all stages of writing; respectively, features such as Story Bible or Storyboard help during those early stages, motivating beginners with achievable structures to follow. However, it is important to acknowledge that whilst everything can be useful in small doses, writers need to strike a balance to use these tools as support, rather than for forming their entire creative basis. Reviews of these sites have consistently reiterated that while helpful, AI is unable to mimic true human detail and imagination. These tools can be accessed positively, their increased relevance being established in modern society, as long as they do not begin to overshadow writers’ original voices. 

Artificial intelligence acts as a double-edged sword for authors and, as a result, the wider publishing industry. It brings forth many challenges but also could be a tool for creative writing, as outlined above. Generative software will continue to impact the writing industry as it advances and becomes more widely adopted in the world at large. In this regard, it is crucial that with the ever-changing technological advancements, balance and guidelines are introduced to protect the integrity of writing spaces. With the changing writing culture, readers should remain cautious but open to the possibility of this technology and ensure that AI is used responsibly. However, the human touch has a lasting appeal due to the vast amount of creativity it has brought to storytelling and will continue to do so in the future.