In this essay, we will explore how to select the best AI writing tools to enhance our writing with more creativity and avoid the generic 🤢"GPT speak"🤮 that we are all experiencing currently.
Cherry-picking the best features from the best apps 🍒
Each app has its own strengths, so you can use them together to improve and transform your text into its best possible version. As AI advances rapidly you can also replace or mix in new tools as they become available. What a time to be alive 🥰
1.
https://perplexity.com is great for researching a subject, it's like googling but with "AI smarts". You can also use it to quickly rephrase text. It usually presents information in simpler terms compared to ChatGPT. This can be helpful when ChatGPT becomes too elaborate and lengthy.
2.
https://textfx.withgoogle.com/ is an excellent tool for brainstorming abstract word ideas and combining related words. With this tool, you can diverge your ideas quite far in order to come up with an out-of-the-box idea that could go viral 🚀. (Conceptualized by Lupe Fiasco + Google's AI team)
3.
https://hemingwayapp.com/ is great for outlining structural issues and highlighting unclear sentences. I use this to identify areas for improvement. Having this in a separate app means that it has its own opinionated models, which are not directly influenced by other apps. As a result, you get different opinions from your "AI feedback circle". The app also provides a plethora of different statistics regarding flow, language, and readability.
4. Once Hemingway Editor has identified the paragraphs and sentences that could be improved, you can input them into
https://ChatGPT.com for further enhancement. You can ask ChatGPT to adjust the text to your desired tone or style, or request variations of the paragraph depending on your preferences.
5.
https://grammarly.com has two really great components. Firstly, it's a great "AI writing mentor" providing you with live scores, stats, and grading that can serve as your benchmark goal as you write your article. If you want to write a great article, aim for a score above 90%. The second component that I find very useful is that it has one of the best "swing" algorithms out there for adding more flavor, personality, or tonality to a piece of text. You can make the text more formal, more inspirational, simpler, or more empathic or diplomatic.
6.
https://stash.new is where I store the "master document". People use this app to provide feedback. Stash is a frictionless online markdown writing app that doesn't require signup. It provides secure URLs that are easy to share with people in your feedback loop. I typically ask a few people on LinkedIn for feedback. They can leave comments in the app or respond on LinkedIn. I try to ask different people each time, as everyone has a different feedback style. Randomizing it a bit helps to keep it fresh and unpredictable. The real value often emerges when you challenge yourself to be inquisitive and daring by asking people a little above your "weight class" / "pay grade" for feedback. #get-out-of-your-comfort-zone 😅
Grand conclusion 🤯
It's unlikely that there will ever be a single super-writing app as it would be too complex and bulky. Different writing tasks require different tools, just like how a toolbox contains a wrench, hammer, drill, and measurer. Embracing the use of multiple tools instead of relying on one app is more practical.
The true magic of AI writing is when you add "swing" to the text. Swing is where humans shine, usually, humans are better than AI's at conveying depth in a concise and expressive manner. The word "swing," comes from how beatmakers use the "swing button" on old MPC drum machines to add a more human and eclectic sound to their music.
While AI excels in navigating familiar territory, it struggles when there's no existing data to guide it. It relies on past work to synthesize variations, but true creative craft often involves venturing into uncharted territory, where human intuition and risk-taking are crucial. This highlights the need for a human navigator at the helm, at least for now. 😅
Do you use AI to write online today? How do you feel when you see someone answer with "GPT speak" in a comment to something you wrote? 😅 Share your thoughts on writing with AI down below 🙏👇
Kroto