Writing Fiction With AI. Sudowrite With Amit Gupta

Introduction

Welcome to The Creative Pen Podcast! I'm Joanna Penn, a thriller author and creative entrepreneur. This podcast is all about bringing you interviews, inspiration, and information on writing, publishing options, and marketing ideas for your book. You can find episode show notes, your free author blueprint, and lots more information at thecreativepen.com.

Hello, creatives! I'm Joanna Penn, and this is episode 559 of the podcast, recorded on Tuesday, June 22, 2021.

Introduction

In today's show, I'm talking to Amit Gupta about Sudowrite.com, a writing tool built on top of GPT-3, a natural language generation engine. I've talked about GPT-3 in several episodes, and you can find more about that at thecreativepen.com/future. Additionally, a list of AI writing tools can be found at thecreativepen.com/aiwriting.

I've had access to the GPT-3 beta for a while, but initially, I found it wasn't as useful or fun as I hoped. However, after reading about Sudowrite in a New Yorker article, I became intrigued with its user-friendly front-end on GPT-3. In this interview, Amit talks about the Sudowrite features such as the "Describe" function, twists, character generation, the "Wormhole" text generator, and more.

This is the first AI writing tool I've truly enjoyed using. For example, the "Describe" function has been excellent for adding sensory details to my scenes. It's like using another brain as a writing prompt. My current writing setup includes Scrivener, thesaurus.com, and sudowrite.com.

The Alliance of Independent Authors also posted an article today about practical and ethical guidelines around AI for authors. This article addresses common concerns about AI, like whether it will make writers obsolete or result in a flood of AI-generated books. It's also worth noting that the AI industry is evolving, and tools like GPT-3 are just the beginning. Recent developments like Wu Dao and Luther AI's open-source model are paving the way for future innovations.

The Interview: Amit Gupta on Sudowrite

Background

Amit Gupta is a science fiction writer and entrepreneur who, along with co-founder James, created Sudowrite. Both were involved in tech but transitioned to writing science fiction. The COVID-19 pandemic spurred them to explore using AI to enhance writing, leading to the development of Sudowrite.

Features

• Character Generator: Input a few character details and Sudowrite will generate numerous other characters, complete with interrelationships.
• Twist: Provide a summary of your story, and Sudowrite will suggest plot twists. This feature is particularly useful for brainstorming.
• Describe: Highlight a word or phrase and get sensory details categorized by sight, sound, smell, etc. It acts like an enhanced thesaurus.
• Expand: Summarize your scene, and Sudowrite will generate a rough first draft to help you get started.
• Wormhole: Called "wormhole" because it’s like diving into a multiverse, this feature continues your writing based on your existing text, providing various options.

Ethical and Practical Considerations

Amit emphasizes that Sudowrite does not claim any copyright over the text it generates; it's meant for inspiration rather than final content. So far, there have been no issues with plagiarism, and Sudowrite plans to include a plagiarism checker in the future. Authors are using Sudowrite in various creative ways and submitting their work to publishers without issues.

Keywords

• AI Writing Tools
• GPT-3
• Sudowrite
• Character Generation
• Describe Function
• Plot Twists
• Wormhole Text Generator
• Ethical Guidelines
• Technical Background
• Creative Writing

FAQ

What is Sudowrite? Sudowrite is an AI writing tool built on top of GPT-3, designed to assist authors with tasks like character generation, descriptive details, and plot twists.

How does Sudowrite handle copyright? Sudowrite does not claim any copyright over the text it generates. Authors should treat AI-generated content as a rough draft and ensure it complies with legal standards.

What features does Sudowrite offer? Key features include a character generator, a "Describe" function for sensory details, a "Twist" tool for plot suggestions, an "Expand" function to help draft scenes, and the "Wormhole" text generator that continues your writing.

How can authors use Sudowrite ethically? Authors should edit and curate AI-generated content, ensuring it is legally compliant and not directly copying any existing works.

When will Sudowrite be out of beta? While there is no specific timeline for Sudowrite to exit beta, the team is continually refining the tool based on user feedback.

Returning to my usual show on Monday, where I'll be discussing writing humor with Scott Dikers, co-founder of The Onion. Whether or not you plan to write humor, adding levity can enrich any writing project. Happy writing, and I'll see you next time!

Thanks for listening today; I hope you found it helpful. You can find backlist episodes and show notes at thecreativepen.com/podcast. Get your free author blueprint at thecreativepen.com/blueprint. Connect with me on Twitter @thecreativepen or Facebook at The Creative Pen. See you next time!