FIVE ROLES OF AI IN MY WRITING PROCESS: A PERSONAL DEEP DIVE

As writers, we’re constantly seeking tools to help us craft better stories, organize our thoughts, and bring our visions to life on the page. For me, AI has become an invaluable writing partner—not a replacement for my creativity, but a supportive assistant that helps me work through the challenges of the writing process.

In this post, I’ll share how AI fills five distinct roles in my writing workflow and how it can help new writers develop into authors by following an AI-assisted workflow through each stage of the process.

MY WRITING CYCLE

My personal writing workflow consists of the following:

1. Brainstorming

2. Researching

3. Planning

4. Writing

5. Editing

Consider your:

• Knowledge: What do you know that others don’t?

• Skills: What skills do you already bring to the writing process?

• Abilities: What can you accomplish with your current schedule and resources?

• Strengths: What do you write well naturally?

• Weaknesses: What areas need improvement?

AI has helped me develop my weaknesses while leveraging my strengths. Each of the five roles I’ll share below maps directly into one or more of these workflow stages. That’s what makes AI such a practical partner for writers at every level.

Tips for Success:

***By understanding The Writing Cycle, and answering each of the questions above, you can decide which plan you have. If you can’t decide on one plan or the other, ask a ChatBot like ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini to get brainstorming or researching.

WHY I USE AI

While AI is a controversial topic for writers, there are several reasons why I choose to use AI to assist me in my writing.

1. Experimenting with new tools is fun, especially when the capabilities are endless.

2. It provides me with motivation and creativity.

3. It’s convenient and easy to access information more quickly.

4. Organizing content is more seamless.

5. It saves on costs.

THE FIVE ROLES

The roles of AI in my writing process include, but are not limited to the following:

1. Creative Assistant – Helping expand ideas and explore new possibilities

2. Research Assistant – Finding information quickly and efficiently

3. Content Coordinator – Organizing content and creating structures and outlines

4. Tutor – Teaching writing techniques and concepts

5. Editorial Assistant – Offering feedback on first drafts

Let me explore each of these roles in depth, showing you how AI has helped me with the challenges I’ve faced in my own writing process.

Role 1: Creative Assistant

I tend to get carried away and overwhelmed with my box of ideas. AI doesn’t create my ideas—it helps me explore them more fully. My work remains raw and original because the emotional core, the experiences, and the unique perspectives are all mine. AI simply helps me express those ideas more clearly by the following:

• Suggesting different angles on a concept

• Helping me explore “what if” scenarios

• Providing alternative perspectives on characters or themes

• Offering examples when stuck

My Favorite Creative Assistant:

ChatGPT

Tips for Success:

When needing ideas for creativity, inform AI what you are working on, and ask for only 5–10 ideas at a time. Then you can use the suggestions that work best for your mood and content. I like to narrow it down to two options, like how an optometrist asks you which view is better: Option A or Option B.

Role 2: Research Assistant

AI helped me find sites quicker than if I had to type into Google to search for something. Instead of typing searches into Google and clicking through multiple sites, AI can:

• Find relevant information quickly

• Synthesize information from multiple sources

• Help me understand complex topics

• Point to credible resources for deeper research

The time saved has been invaluable, especially when balancing writing with a full-time job, family responsibilities, and personal challenges.

My Favorite Research Assistant:

Perplexity

Tips for Success:

***Check each source that has been provided and read through the content. Make sure that it’s relevant to what you were searching for, and don’t forget to cite!

Role 3: Content Coordinator

When I write a first draft, I tend to ramble on, oftentimes ending up with thousands of words that don’t perfectly fit together and are out of order. First drafts are usually messy. Unorganized.

I use AI as my Content Coordinator with these tasks:

• Categorizing themes or topics

• Sorting content by concept or chronologically

• Grouping related ideas together

• Identifying overlaps or redundancies

AI is my go-to when I feel overwhelmed with a messy draft. AI tools can turn scattered notes and outlines into a more organized outline that makes the most sense. I’ve found this to be the greatest benefit while using AI to help me during my outlining process.

My Favorite Content Coordinator:

Claude

Tips for Success:

***Utilize AI tools to help with creating project timelines, build chapter sequences, or formatting frameworks. Review and make your own judgment before fully accepting and implementing the suggestions.

Role 4: Tutor

Even while in my forties, and having a bachelor’s degree, I have had questions about the writing process and needed assistance in relearning certain aspects. Instead of going back to school to get an education in writing, I’ve relied on AI to assist me in the learning process.

AI has helped me learn more about:

• Grammar and syntax rules forgotten from school

• Story structure and narrative techniques

• Genre conventions and reader expectations

• How to improve specific aspects of writing

Sometimes, the wording is more complicated than I can understand. AI has been able to help break down complex writing concepts into understandable lessons for me.

My Favorite Tutor:

ChatGPT

Tips for Success:

***The key is treating AI like a tutor, not a ghostwriter. Ask it to explain concepts, not to write for you.

Role 5: Editorial Assistant

Editing my own writing has been one of my biggest challenges. I struggle with knowing what to keep, what to relocate, and what to delete. As someone who has an odd daytime and nighttime schedule, it can be challenging to reach out to an editor during “normal business hours.” Waiting for feedback is just as difficult.

AI has been helpful to me because it:

• Is available 24/7 to read and review chapters and full-length manuscripts

• Provides instant feedback

• Asks questions on topics or ideas that don’t make sense

What’s great about AI is that at 3:00 a.m., when I have questions, I can send my content, ask questions, and prompt it to generate an analysis of my writing. I prompt it to check for continuity errors (which still sometimes get missed), flow, grammar, etc. And like magic, within a very short period of time, a response is provided.

My Favorite Editorial Assistant:

Claude

Tips for Success:

***Take your time to review the feedback from AI. Don’t immediately post what AI gives you. Wait a day or two and allow it to sink in before making adjustments.

***Always have another set of human eyes read your manuscript, and when you’re ready, have at least one “human editor” take a look and provide their feedback.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Let’s face it: Writing is hard work, whether you write it completely yourself or have tools that help you with it, like AI.

Everything is evolving toward a future that is easier, more efficient. Writers have always used available tools—from typewriters to word processors to grammar checkers. AI is the next evolution in that toolkit.

If you’re skeptical about using AI to assist you, that’s normal and healthy. Question it, test it, learn its limitations. But also recognize that when used thoughtfully, AI can:

• Save time on research and initial editing

• Provide learning opportunities

• Offer 24/7 availability for feedback

• Help you develop your skills

• Make writing more accessible to people with various constraints

The key is understanding that AI is an assistant, not an author. Your creativity, your experiences, and your voice are irreplaceable. AI simply helps you express them more effectively.

Ready to explore how AI can help your writing process? Start small. Try one of the roles I’ve outlined. See what works for you. And remember: The words may be refined with AI’s help, but the story is always yours.

“The measure of intelligence is the ability to change.”

—Albert Einstein