A robot for a reader?

Earlier this month, a critique partner sent me her feedback on the initial draft of my novel-in-progress. Honestly, I’d forgotten what a wonderful gift it is the first time an attentive reader ploughs through to the end. Especially so if, as in this case, she gets what you’re trying to do, likes it and is able to identify where it could be stronger. Not all of those weaknesses are easy to fix but I’ve (mostly) enjoyed trying.

Let’s contrast that with AI. I’ve managed to silence the annoying co-pilot nudge on my laptop, but it popped up when I opened the document containing the draft of my manuscript on my phone. Would I like a summary? I almost said no, but thought it might be amusing to give it a go.

As you’d expect, the answer came back much quicker than it did from my human reader, although the bot seemed to have managed to assess no more than the first few chapters. At first glance, the overview was impressive:

The story intricately explores themes of love, sacrifice, and the struggle against societal norms, highlighting Jane’s journey of self-discovery and resilience.

But isn’t this rather bland and riddled with cliché? A whole range of novels could be summed up this way. And it doesn’t come anywhere near the USP of mine.

Scrolling down to see the specifics, it turned out that AI has got my character’s motivations back to front. My first page explicitly spells out what my character wants — and what she wants is somewhat less noble than either of the goals the bot identifies. I’m pretty sure this isn’t a limitation of my writing: Jane’s ambition has been perfectly clear to the dozen or so humans who have read the opening.

So professional critics have nothing to fear from AI at the moment? But what about authors who want to know how their work is received?

As creative writing becomes more popular, the habit of reading is in decline. Since writers are generally also readers (although, amazingly, some aren’t), there will always be more readers than authors, but there might not always be more readers willing to provide reviews.

Reader reviews can sometimes be bitchy but they can also be a joy. Having run a book blog myself, I know how much effort can go into them. I always feel honoured when someone reads my work in depth and shares their considered opinions. (Incidentally, I’m also grateful for the one-liners. It’s good to know I’m not writing into a void.)

I’ve read that schoolkids are becoming reluctant to write essays unaided because beginners can’t write as fluently, or as quickly, as AI. It started me wondering about a not-too-distant future where readers similarly outsource their reviews to the bots. What a time saver! No worries about grammar, spelling or missing the point if a machine assembles our opinions for us. But what a vacuous experience that would be.

So a special thank you if you’ve read this far and if you’ve read any of my books. Authors are humans who write for pleasure and for the entertainment of other human beings. How long can we keep it that way?