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AI for Today’s Writer

Today’s post is by Nina Schuyler.

With ChatGPT creating stories and essays in seconds, many writers, including me, are undergoing a profound existential crisis, wondering if we’re in the process of being vanished. At the PEN America Literary Awards, David Sedaris said, “I don’t think anybody’s job is safe.”

We’re at an inflection point, and there is a sense that everything is different now. ChatGPT reached 100 million active users two months after launch and has more than 13 million daily visitors as of 2023. With the genie out and running madly, hair on fire, the question is not how to stuff it back in the bottle but what do you want from AI?

Claiming some dominion over this powerful technology might alleviate anxiety. A kaleidoscope of options—rapidly growing—is available: translating, editing, researching, copyediting, and the biggie, creating content.

Each AI possibility brings with it an ethical decision: to use or not to use. At what point does the finished product no longer feel like your own? Every writer will have to grapple with this, and it’s likely dependent on what you’re writing: fiction, blog posts, newsletters, articles, and on and on. Continue Reading…

Why Fear Is a Terrible Friend … and How to Crush It

Today’s guest post is by Nicki Howell.

“I’m scared.”

That’s what my four-year-old said, squeezing my hand tight as we cranked our heads upward at the towering waterslide. People screamed. Water slushed over the side. He wasn’t wrong … it was a little terrifying.

Fear was speaking to him.

“Don’t do it—it’s too dangerous,” it whispered.

Of course, that’s fear’s job. It wants to keep you safely tucked inside your comfort zone, far away from any risks or (gasp!) danger.

The problem is that fear is overambitious in its quest to keep you safe. And, at times, a little toxic too. Continue Reading…

The Ancient Science That Can Help You Get It Written

Today’s guest post is by Deborah-Zenha Adams. 

Have you ever struggled with focus, concentration, or procrastination? It’s a common problem for writers, who often have to fight to stay put in the chair and get the writing done. In the end, of course, it’s all about making the choice to write no matter what, but you might also want to try a strategy that’s been keeping people grounded, balanced, and feeling fine for millennia.

Ayurveda is a 3,000-year-old approach to wellness that stresses health through balance. It’s a holistic practice, which means it deals with every aspect of life (not just a body part here or a stray symptom there), and it can guide you to a healthier, happier, more productive lifestyle.

Let’s be very clear, though: a true understanding of Ayurveda philosophy and practices requires decades of study and experience. No online quiz or glib aphorism can assess your level of health or the remedies necessary to heal your condition.

That said, the basic Ayurveda principles can be applied to adjust almost every area of your life, and that includes your writing life. Continue Reading…

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