Authors & AI SeriesRobot Reporters Need Not Apply:A Journalist’s Stand We’ve been looking at how AI chatbots have been upending fiction writing, but how about in news media? Today we talk with former Wired writer and freelance science journalist Ramin Skibba about the issues that chatbots, as well as business models based on new technologies,…

Authors & AI SeriesTeaching Kids to Write in the Age of ChatGPT What if chatbots result in the next generation never learning to write? It’s a doomsday scenario that we keep coming back to in our series on AI writing tools. If AI can craft essays and compose emails instantly, why would kids bother mastering…

In our quest to cover the mind-blowing benefits AND the nightmare scenarios that AI chatbots are unleashing on the writing world, we called in friend-of-the-podcast and editor Kristen Tate to find out if she’s using AI in her work.

The answer? It depends entirely on her clients’ wishes—and a few hard lines she refuses to cross. But this isn’t just about ethics (though we go there). Kristen gets into the nitty-gritty technical stuff: what chatbots absolutely nail, what they’re garbage at, and her brilliant hack for wrangling conference notes that’ll make you wonder why you didn’t think of it first. Plus, she’s got some hard truths for authors who are way too eager to let AI do their editing dirty work.

If you’re an indie writer or just need some tips to polish your work, this is the episode for you.

Remember, we have a Writers Process meetup every Wednesday. Check us out.

We’ve been putting AI chatbots through creative writing challenges, but what are these systems actually doing when they write?

In this episode, we bring in AI expert Bill Moore. Bill works with AI on the coding side, so we had him apply his technical know-how to literary prompts – including crafting the opening of a bestselling fantasy novel. Along the way, we dive into the thorny ethics of building and using AI systems.

Perfect for non-tech folks who want to understand what’s happening under the hood.

Remember, we have a Writers Process meetup every Wednesday. Check us out.

Is nothing sacred? After exploring how AI might steal our writing jobs, we’re now testing whether these digital usurpers can replicate our podcasting chemistry too. Google’s NotebookLM claims to transform documents into conversations between virtual “hosts,” setting up the perfect showdown with our human-led book discussion format. 

For this AI vs. human battle royale, we revisit our podcast roots with James Gardner’s “The Art of Fiction,” specifically tackling that mind-exploding (and not in a good way) final chapter on plot. With words like “profluence” and “picaresque” not to mentions some painfully retrograde sexual politics, this chapter is a doozy. 

Listen as we compare the artificial hosts’ takes with our own snarky comments (er…insights) and decide for yourself: can cold, calculating algorithms somehow make Gardner’s impenetrable prose not just comprehensible, but actually entertaining? (Spoiler: the results will surprise you.)

Remember, we have a Writers Process meetup every Wednesday. Check us out.

We’ve explored AI as brainstorming allies, critique partners, and research assistants. Now we’re tackling the most contentious question: should writers use AI in the actual writing process? Not the “generate a novel in a week” approach (both ethically dubious and creatively hollow), but rather using AI as an editor whose word and phrasing suggestions you might incorporate into your novel. Is this approach effective? And even if it is, is it ethical?

Join us as we navigate these thorny questions at the intersection of creativity and technology.

Remember, we have a Writers Process meetup every Wednesday. Check us out.

Can AI truly enhance your creativity without taking over? Our previous episodes left us wondering, but in this episode of “Words to Write by,” we interview educator Kate Scott of the “AI for Squishy Humans” newsletter who offers some refreshing answers.

Kate reveals her practical framework for taming AI’s “enthusiastic toddler” tendencies and transforming it into a genuine creative partner. Drawing from her own experience with her just-published indie fantasy novel, Kate demonstrates how she leverages AI for targeted marketing strategies and discovering innovative ways to connect with potential readers. She shares unexpected ways AI can serve writers beyond just generating content—from personalized writing coaches to creative problem-solving tools that actually strengthen your unique voice.

If you’ve been curious but cautious about AI in your creative process, this conversation with Kate on “Words to Write by” explores approachable methods for conquering blank page syndrome and organizational hurdles that might be exactly what you need to hear.

Remember, we have a Writers Process meetup every Wednesday. Check us out.

Can AI truly enhance your creativity without taking over? Our previous episodes left us wondering, but in this episode of “Words to Write by,” we interview educator Kate Scott of the “AI for Squishy Humans” newsletter who offers some refreshing answers.

Kate reveals her practical framework for taming AI’s “enthusiastic toddler” tendencies and transforming it into a genuine creative partner. Drawing from her own experience with her just-published indie fantasy novel, Kate demonstrates how she leverages AI for targeted marketing strategies and discovering innovative ways to connect with potential readers. She shares unexpected ways AI can serve writers beyond just generating content—from personalized writing coaches to creative problem-solving tools that actually strengthen your unique voice.

If you’ve been curious but cautious about AI in your creative process, this conversation with Kate on “Words to Write by” explores approachable methods for conquering blank page syndrome and organizational hurdles that might be exactly what you need to hear.

Remember, we have a Writers Process meetup every Wednesday. Check us out.