How to Use AI and Technology to Improve Your Writing (Without Letting It Take Over)
Let’s be real: writing is magical… but it’s also messy. Blank pages, stubborn paragraphs, plot holes the size of Jupiter. We’ve all been there. The good news? You don’t have to wrestle with your writing alone anymore. These days, writers have a toolbox full of gadgets and gizmos (hello, AI!) that can help smooth the process without stealing your voice. It’s a very touchy topic though. Many writers insist that if you use any AI, you’re not a real writer. I disagree with that assessment, I feel it is far to broad. I think you can use AI and technology to improve your writing, but you have to learn how.
The key is knowing how to use AI and technology to improve your writing in ways that make you sharper, not lazier. Because spoiler alert: the AI isn’t supposed to write your book for you. That’s your job.
1) Use AI and Technology as brainstorming partners, not a ghostwriters
We all have that moment where the idea fountain just… runs dry. Instead of staring at your blinking cursor, let AI jog your brain. Try asking for writing prompts around your theme, generating synonym lists when you’re tired of “said” and “l
ooked,” or tossing a scene description into a prompt and asking, “What are 5 unexpected things that could happen here?”
What you don’t want to do: copy-paste a prompt and accept whatever AI spits back as your “chapter.” That’s how youlose your unique spark. Think of AI as your chatty writing buddy tossing ideas over your shoulder—not the co-author taking over your draft.
2) Try dictation and voice-to-text tools
Sometimes your best ideas come when your hands aren’t on the keyboard—like in the car, on a walk, or while folding 
laundry. Tech can help here: use voice typing (e.g., Google Docs Voice Typing) or dedicated dictation apps like Dragon to talk your story out and capture a messy first pass. Later, revise and polish with your writer’s brain switched on. Bonus: speaking your ideas out loud helps you hear your natural rhythm and voice. This is a resource we use a lot at school when the students can’t seem to get their ideas down on paper. I’ll open the speech to text in google docs, and start asking the student questions and before you know it, they have written a good portion of their paper, story or whatever. Sometimes just the thought of trying to collect their thoughts and write it down makes them freeze, but they can handle having a conversation that gets converted into a writing assignment.
3) Organize your brain with writing software
Technology isn’t just about the words—it’s about keeping your world in order. Scrivener gives novelists a virtual corkboard for scenes. Evernote or Notion shine for clippings, quotes, and research. Even a clean Google Drive folder 
system can stop you from losing Draft #37 under “finalfinal2.docx.” Personally I use Scrivener. Not only is it user friendly, the name tickles my fancy because of Melville’s short story Bartleby, the Scrivener.
If you’re juggling big projects, my step-by-step guide to self-publishing your book shows exactly how to keep drafts, edits, and marketing material under control with simple, repeatable systems.
4) Use editing tools as your safety net
No one loves proofreading (except maybe your English teacher). AI-powered editors like Grammarly or ProWritingAid can help you spot grammar slips, typos, and overused words. Here’s the trick: use them as a safety net, not a dictator. If you let the red squiggles boss you around, you’ll strip out your voice. But if you use them to catch sneaky errors? Game-changer.
Want to go deeper on responsible AI editing? Grammarly’s blog has helpful walk-throughs and examples you can borrow from without losing your style.
5) Use AI to test reader reactions
This one is sneaky fun. Copy a chunk of dialogue or description into an AI tool and ask, “What kind of character does this sound like?” or “What emotion does this scene give off?” It’s not about accuracy—it’s about getting a fast gut check. If AI says, “This sounds angry,” but you were going for “tender,” you know where to tweak.
Curious about other AI-powered writing hacks? Jane Friedman’s guide to AI tools for writers balances optimism with realism and is a great overview for thoughtful, ethical use.
6) Protect your voice (a big one!)
Here’s the hill I’ll die on: never, ever let AI write your book for you. Use AI and technology to improve your writing, not DO your writing.
- Your voice matters. Your quirks, humor, and turns of phrase are the magic.
- Readers connect with you, not a robot.
- If you outsource the heart of your story, you’re just publishing content, not art.
If you need encouragement to trust your own words, you might like this pep talk: what to do when your writing feels like it isn’t good enough. You’re not alone—and you’re more capable than you think.
7) Keep experimenting with balance
Technology is moving fast, and tools will keep evolving. Some will help you outline. Others will help you track character 
arcs or generate name ideas. Your job is to experiment, figure out what lightens your load, and ditch what distracts you. There’s no one “right” formula. The sweet spot is where tech supports your creativity instead of replacing it.
Final Thoughts
AI and tech aren’t the enemy of creativity—they’re like that over-eager intern in the corner: great at research, quick with ideas, sometimes a little off, but never the star of the show. If you learn how to use AI and technology to improve your writing with boundaries, you’ll spend less time fighting the blank page and more time writing words you actually love.
Grab the tools that make sense, leave the rest, and remember: your story deserves your voice. As I said earlier, this is the hill I will die on. The readers want to hear your voice, not the voice of a chatbot. It’s your story, your plot, your world that deserves to be heard. By all means, use AI and technology to improve your writing, but don’t let it be your writing.
