Generative AI and writing first drafts

Generative AI is a great way to get started writing your first drafts.

I like to think that I’m a decent writer and that I do a reasonable job of putting one word after the other. But that doesn’t mean I find it easy to put words on the page. Far from it. Writing is hard for everyone and it doesn’t seem to get any easier with time. Getting the first draft out is hard, especially when you’re working with half-formed ideas.

What I have found though, is that I’ve come to know what my voice sounds like. I know when a sentence feels good to me and when I’m happy to let it out in public. It also means I know when something isn’t in my voice and at this stage, generative AI doesn’t yet know enough about me to write in my style.

Writing is hard but rewriting is much easier.

Often, I know kind-of what I want to say but I haven’t yet figured out the details. Generative AI does an incredible job of taking my unstructured, early-stage thoughts and producing a first draft of reasonable quality. Try uploading a piece of text you’re struggling with to Claude, ChatGPT, or Gemini, and specify the improvements you’re looking for. Note that not all free tiers of service allow you to upload documents. Claude is one of the few models where you can attach documents to engage with.

For example:

• Reduce the number of technical terms.
• Enhance the logical progression.
• Clarify the argument.
• Point out all the instances of passive voice.

Read: Precise AI prompts lead to better outputs.

Generative AI still doesn’t write the text in my voice but it helps me to get over the barrier that comes from staring at an early draft. It can quickly put words around your idea, and while they may not be the right words, they’re something to get you started.