The Written Word Is Not Your Work Product
There has been a lot of discussion about the impact of AI slop on writing and other creative works. I can’t speak to AI music or AI-created actors, but I can talk a bit about writing. To me, the biggest single issue is output over process. Any output – from a full-length book… Read More The post The Written Word Is Not Your Work Product appeared first on The Big Picture .
The discussion surrounding AI's impact on writing and other creative forms has been extensive. However, the author believes that the most critical aspect of writing is the process, not just the final output. This output, whether it's a full-length book or a short piece, is merely a part of what the writer accomplishes. Readers see this output, professional writers get paid for it, and the author leaves a lasting written legacy.
The author argues that the true value of writing lies in the process used to create it. Writing forces coherence and clarity that are often not present until the writing is completed. Former Librarian of Congress Daniel Boorstin once said, "I write to figure out what I think," which aligns with the author's perspective. Boorstin viewed writing as an exploratory process, not just a regurgitation of existing knowledge, but a mechanism for thinking about ideas, context, framing, secondary effects, unintended consequences, inversions, and what-ifs.
Boorstin's view of writing as an exploratory process that strengthens and clarifies arguments and formulates complex ideas is highlighted in his quote, "I write to discover what I think." With over 30 years of writing numerous blog posts, the author believes that they have already figured out what they think about the impact of AI on writing.
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