AI Writing- Helpful or not?

I decided to try Chapter.Pub.

I know. I know.  I can hear the comments now.

None of my books were created with an AI writing program and I don’t intend to change that, anytime soon but I was curious.

And let me tell you, it’s different.  Not better.  Not worse.  Just different.  Definitely not the style of writing I do. 

I realized, immediately, I don’t write that way and I can’t pawn it off as mine when those are not my words. I wonder how many authors actually create books using AI and do they make any money off them?  It’s not right but I still wonder. 

An AI writing program touts that it can write a book in hours while a true author takes 6-8 months to write an entire book.  I am in the latter category and it is so true and sometimes a grueling process when the muse is muted, as I have been experiencing lately.  That’s why I decided to look at AI to see what in the heck it could do and if it was any good to give me some ideas so that I could write my own story. Well, let me tell you, I won’t be moving forward with it because the words are just note me.

Here is an excerpt as to what it did for my next work in progress:

“The coffee shop smelled of burnt beans and the kind of forced optimism that only exists in Rock Cliff. I sat at a corner table, my fingers tracing the jagged edge of a cardboard coffee sleeve. The barista had written 'Geremy' on it. Close enough, I suppose.

I checked the dating app again. Lyra. Her profile picture showed a woman with ocean-blue eyes that seemed to be apologizing for taking up space. It was a look I recognized in the mirror every morning.

The bell above the door chimed, a bright, metallic sound that made the hair on my arms stand up. I wasn't a wolf or a bear; I didn't have the predatory grace of my friend Daniel. When I was nervous, my skin just felt tight, like it was a size too small for the secrets I kept.”

Yeah.  Skin feeling tight and forced optimism?  Those are words I would never use in a manuscript but thanks for trying. 

So, let me show you an excerpt of what I actually wrote as the first page of my manuscript:

“Do you ever want to scream?

            Like really loud and in the middle of a dense forest or on top of the highest cliff, overlooking a bright, blue ocean. Somewhere where people can’t hear you.          

            That is what I wanted to do when I found out what my boyfriend truly was.

            I found Jeremy on a dating app exclusively for humans wanting to date shifters. Yeah, I know.  It sounds bizarre but it exists.  And shape shifters?  Between you and me, they do exist but only in small towns, away from the vast of civilization.  People are not supposed to know about them because human beings can be vicious, evil and violent.  Shape shifters, for the most part, do not want to hurt humans.  They just want to live, in peace, among us.”

Totally different vibe and totally different layout for the story.  I started with the main female character’s point of view while Chapter. Pub starting with the main male character. 

At least it’s interesting to see what the differences are.  I know, for me, AI writing my books does not work for me.  I have a specific voice in my books that readers love and taking that away from them would be horrible.

I also think that there is a reason authors write in the first place. It's because all of this creativity is knocking around in our brains waiting for an outlet. If we use AI to write books, how will we get the stories screaming inside of us to come out? I think there is a reason for writing and that using AI is robbing us of that reason. But then, again, that is my take. You judge for yourself. I was curious and now I know.