How do I stay motivated as a writer in a post-AI world?
“I’m starting to write more to become a freelance author, but every time I get excited about publishing my works or people finding the stories I’m writing, I remember that AI exists and most people are using that for writing, art, and everything in between. It’s getting hard for me to keep up the faith that people will want to read my non-AI writing by the time I get it done. Do you have any advice?”
This is such a great question, and one that so many writers are wrestling with. It’s something that I saw as quite a worrying trend myself, but over the last year or two, I will say, a lot of my initial fears have been allayed.
The best quote I heard about generative AI in writing (I can’t remember the source directly, so please bear with my paraphrasing) is that GenAI can make a bad writer a mediocre one. But it will also make a good writer a mediocre one.
As human writers, we can grow and develop constantly. Everything we write improves our abilities. When we love what we do, and the projects we’re working on, our writing will improve with each new iteration. GenAI has a hard ceiling. There are limitations on its capabilities, and costs involved in its development, whereas the only things holding you back are your commitment and desire.
There is a public demand for human-authored works. The market is saturated with AI-written works, and that isn’t what readers are asking for. While just being a human author who doesn’t use GenAI won’t guarantee you an audience (an audience of readers is something you still need to cultivate and speak to), it does mean that you won’t be hobbled by the label of guaranteed mediocrity automatically pinned on writers who rely on GenAI to produce their work.
Let’s define what we mean by AI
There’s a lot of misleading information out there when it comes to AI, so I think from the outset it’s important to make sure we understand what we mean. The broad use of the term “AI” to colloquially mean generative AI causes non-generative AI systems to be wrongly criticised.
GenAI refers to systems that create new content like text, images, and audio based on patterns learned from existing data. LLMs (large language models) that are used for GenAI work by predicting what comes next in a sequence, essentially producing statistically likely combinations learned from an enormous data set. LLMs do not understand meaning or show creativity, instead, they mimic the data they are fed to create a most likely scenario.
When it comes to writing, there are lots of other AI tools we have used for a long time that are not generative. An example of this is spelling and grammar checking tools. These tools help refine existing work but do not generate new content. They use internal checks to identify errors and suggest corrections based on pre-defined rules (i.e. checking the spelling of words against a preset dictionary) in a way that is assisted, and not generative.
While both are AI, only one is generative. But when we talk about AI-generated content, we are talking almost exclusively about writing produced using GenAI.
The reality of AI-generated content
Can AI generate text quickly and serviceably? Yes. It can create absolutely fine copy, passable blog posts, and even produce very short stories that hit familiar beats. For this reason, mass-produced web copy, low-effort listicles, or content produced purely for SEO are the biggest markets for AI-generated content.
AI-generated writing is competent but hollow. It can mimic patterns, but it can’t draw from lived experience, genuine emotion, or the kind of creative risk-taking that makes literature memorable. Readers notice this, even if they can’t always articulate why one piece of writing resonates with them while another feels flat.
Why human writing still matters
AI-generated content saturates the market with sameness. It means there’s a lot of content out there, but it also provides an opportunity to distinguish yourself.
Readers look for human-authored stories, especially in the content they consume for pleasure. While AI-generated content may be readily available, it is not what readers prefer.
So what do you offer that AI can’t?
- Your unique perspective. No algorithm has lived your life, observed the world through your eyes, or processed experiences the way you have.
- Emotional authenticity. Readers connect with writing that comes from somewhere real. They can feel the difference between simulated emotion and the genuine thing.
- Creative risk. AI optimises for the expected. Human writers can surprise, subvert, and challenge.
- Evolution and growth. Your writing will change and deepen over time in ways that reflect your development as a person and artist.
- Real imagination. AI recombines existing ideas; you can dream up something genuinely new, drawing connections and creating worlds that have never existed before.
But how do you stay motivated?
Focus on the work itself
The writing you’re doing now isn’t just a product waiting to be consumed; it’s practice, exploration, and self-discovery. Every story you finish makes you a better writer, regardless of how saturated the market is. That growth is yours to keep.
Build connections, not just an audience
Readers value human creativity, and they’re actively seeking it out. And it’s never too soon to start building your audience and finding your people. Join writing groups. Participate in online book discourse. When you build a genuine connection with future readers, your work will speak to them personally, not just as a marketing exercise.
Limit your exposure to doomscrolling
Dire predictions about AI replacing all creative work are all over the internet. A lot of this fear-mongering comes directly from people pushing generative AI technology, because they have a vested interest in their products looking as good as possible.
The reality is, however, that people still buy books, they share stories in online communities, and readers still actively seek writers whose voices they trust. Don’t let those with a vested interest in promoting GenAI control the narrative and focus instead on what’s observable around you. The shelves of bookstores are stocked. Agents are still taking on writers. And the “AI tells” are still easy to spot. You won’t be replaced any time soon.
Remember why you started
Before you worried about publishing or audiences, something drew you to writing. Reconnect with that.
The love of language, the thrill of building worlds, the satisfaction of getting a sentence exactly right aren’t diminished by the existence of GenAI tools. Those moments of creative satisfaction belong to you, and no machine can replicate the joy of genuine artistic expression.
A longer view
Every generation of writers has faced predictions about the death of their craft. Television was supposed to kill novels. The internet was supposed to kill long-form reading. Video killed the radio star (I couldn’t resist). But while all of these forms of creative expression have changed, they haven’t gone away.
Will GenAI change the landscape? Of course. It already has. But it won’t eliminate the need for human-authorship. If anything, as AI-generated content becomes more pervasive, the demand for authentic human voices may grow stronger.
Your doubt is understandable, but don’t let it stop you from writing. Your stories are worth finishing, not because the market guarantees success, but because they’re yours, and therefore irreplaceable. The more you write, the more you’ll learn and develop.
There has never been a quick and easy shortcut to being a great writer or finding success. Don’t let a fear of generative AI be the excuse you use to stop putting in the hard work.
