by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner
With the help of AI, I’ve managed to zoom through the first draft of the outline I’ve come up with for this scifi dramedy novel. I’m having some problems with the third act, even with the help of AI.
But, in general, things are going ok with this novel.
I still worry about someone stealing a creative march on me — the premise, all things considered, it’s kind of obvious — but I can’t get too wrapped up in what might happen.
I need to just put my head down and write, write, write.
I don’t know when the first draft will be done. Hopefully by the end of the year, maybe? And then, of course, I have to allot a lot — A LOT — of time for brooding over how to rewrite things for the second draft.
I am considering this first draft my “vomit” draft and just getting things down so I can pick up the pieces for a really good, solid second draft that I’m proud enough that I feel comfortable showing beta readers.
Then I take in beta reader’s advice and turn around and query the damn thing.
I will note that AI has helped a lot with this novel because it’s not nearly as expensive — or judgmental — as a human literary consultant. It is willing to humor me in all my colorful, loudmouth drunk crank glory and that means a lot.
But I also know that for the second draft, I really have to limit my use of AI. I can’t wallow in AI to the point that people can tell that an AI helped write the beta draft. I may use it to write the brief scene summaries I use to write the full scene summaries, but that’s it.
