Creative Writing with an AI-Powered Writing Assistant: Perspectives from Professional Writers

Creative Writing with an AI-Powered Writing Assistant: Perspectives from Professional Writers


Publication Title
ArXiv
Publication/Creation Date
November 9 2022
Creators/Contributors
Google Inc. (creator)
Daphne Ippolito (creator)
Ann Yuan (creator)
Andy Coenen (creator)
Sehmon Burnam (creator)
Media Type
Corporate Paper
Persuasive Intent
Academic
Discursive Type
Inventions
Description
Abstract: 

Recent developments in natural language generation (NLG) using neural language models have brought us closer than ever to the goal of building AI-powered creative writing tools. However, most prior work on human-AI collaboration in the creative writing domain has evaluated new systems with amateur writers, typically in contrived user studies of limited scope. In this work, we commissioned 13 professional, published writers from a diverse set of creative writing backgrounds to craft stories using Wordcraft, a text editor with built-in AI-powered writing assistance tools. Using interviews and participant journals, we discuss the potential of NLG to have significant impact in the creative writing domain--especially with respect to brainstorming, generation of story details, world-building, and research assistance. Experienced writers, more so than amateurs, typically have well-developed systems and methodologies for writing, as well as distinctive voices and target audiences. Our work highlights the challenges in building for these writers; NLG technologies struggle to preserve style and authorial voice, and they lack deep understanding of story contents. In order for AI-powered writing assistants to realize their full potential, it is essential that they take into account the diverse goals and expertise of human writers.
HCI Platform
Other
Source
https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2211.05030

Date archived
February 7 2023
Last edited
February 7 2023
How to cite this entry
Google Inc., Daphne Ippolito, Ann Yuan, Andy Coenen, Sehmon Burnam. (November 9 2022). "Creative Writing with an AI-Powered Writing Assistant: Perspectives from Professional Writers". ArXiv. Fabric of Digital Life. https://fabricofdigitallife.com/Detail/objects/5952