The Artisanal Author

As I sit here, formulating characters for my next book, I am hounded by the tiniest of subconscious voices: “Can’t you go faster? Can’t you be more productive?”

It’s like having one of those invisible mosquitoes that whine around your head; you can’t see them, but you definitely know they’re there!

Part of my angst comes from the new behemoth on the horizon: AI. While so many flock to use it in a multitude of ways, the writing industry has also fallen prey to its temptations. Its assistance can make productivity skyrocket; on a day when writing feels like wading through sludge, it beckons with a simple swipe of the computer keys, promising a pathway out of the creative morass.

How does one compete with such speed, such proficiency? The answer came to me one day as I waited at a coffeehouse for a latte to brew. The coffeehouse advertised itself as artisanal; small, unique, everything made in small batches to assure the highest quality.

And there I landed on my new label: the artisanal author. We, who fight the temptation to influence or abet our writing with the latest go-to technical remedies have chosen to be artisanal. We create in small batches, going slowly and sometimes painfully over our work, thinking and rethinking our scenes, our characters, our prose. Is it as smooth as a prompt from AI? No. Does it work the first, second, or even third time? Definitely not. But when it all comes together and you see the product of your creativity, your imagination, your care, it is so very, very worth it.

Just like an artisanal latte.