Bloomsbury's chief says AI can help writers beat writer's block - here's how to use it without losing your voice
AI won't replace great authors, but it will get more people writing. That's the view of Nigel Newton, founder and chief executive of Bloomsbury, the publisher behind Harry Potter. His take: let AI help you start, then let your craft take over.
He sees AI as a kickstart for creativity across writing, painting, and music - useful for first paragraphs and first chapters, less so for entire books. Readers still prefer trusted names, and they'll keep gravitating to authors with a clear voice and a strong brand.
What's driving this stance
Bloomsbury reported a 20% revenue jump in its academic and professional division in the first half of its financial year, largely due to an AI licensing deal. The market noticed: shares rose as much as 10% in a day after the update. The consumer side fell about 20%, mostly because there wasn't a new Sarah J Maas release.
Context matters: Maas's "romantasy" series has moved more than 70m English-language copies worldwide, with momentum fueled by TikTok. Bloomsbury, headquartered in London with about 1,000 staff, has benefited from a roster of big-name authors while leaning into AI-driven opportunities.
The line: assist, don't outsource
Newton cautions against using AI to write entire books. Readers are wired to trust established names, and the flood of low-quality content will push people toward familiar voices and publishers they trust.
For working writers, the signal is clear: use AI to move faster through friction, but keep the ideas, structure, and final language yours. That's how you protect your reputation while shipping more work.
Practical ways to beat writer's block with AI (without losing your edge)
- Idea warm-up: Ask for 10 story premises or angles based on your theme, genre, and audience. Keep two, merge one, throw out the rest.
- Start lines, not whole chapters: Have AI draft three opening paragraphs in your tone. Pick the best one, then rewrite it line by line.
- Outline partner: Feed your synopsis and ask for a chapter-by-chapter outline with stakes, reveals, and cliffhangers. Edit ruthlessly.
- Scene scaffolding: Request beats: setting, goal, conflict, turn, consequence. You write the prose.
- Voice guardrails: Paste a page of your work. Ask AI to list your voice markers (syntax, pacing, vocab). Use that list to QC every draft.
- Speed research: Generate a reading list and key terms to verify. Summaries are fine; facts still need primary sources.
- Daily sprint: 25-minute block: prompt for a 150-word kickoff, then write 500 words without stopping. No edits until you hit word count.
Prompts you can copy
- "Suggest 12 fresh angles for a [genre/topic] chapter aimed at [audience], each with a clear conflict and promise."
- "Write three 120-word openings in a [tone: wry, lyrical, minimalist] voice featuring [protagonist], [goal], and [inciting incident]."
- "Given this synopsis: [paste], draft a 12-beat outline with escalating stakes. Keep beats one sentence each."
- "List my voice traits from this page: [paste]. Turn them into a 6-point checklist I can use while editing."
Quality, ethics, and the legal weather
AI can help you move, but you own the finish. Edit for truth, tone, and specificity. Cite sources and verify anything that could mislead readers.
The legal side is still hot. In the US, Anthropic agreed to pay $1.5bn to settle a class action brought by authors who said their works were used to train a chatbot without permission. Expect more licensing deals and tighter data practices ahead.
Brand matters more than ever
Newton's point about trust is a cue for every writer: build your name. Newsletter, consistent output, a clear promise to readers - these matter. AI can help you ship. Your voice is what keeps people coming back.
If you're getting started with AI
- Pick a model and stick with it long enough to learn its quirks. Create reusable prompt templates for openings, outlines, and scene beats.
- Protect your data: avoid pasting unpublished work into tools that don't offer private modes or clear data policies.
- Measure with a simple cadence: words written per day, drafts per month, acceptance rate with your editor or audience.
Useful next steps
- Bloomsbury Publishing - for context on the company's strategy and author roster.
- AI tools for copywriting - a fast way to test options that fit your workflow.
- Prompt engineering basics - build repeatable prompts that actually get useful drafts.
Bottom line: let AI break the silence, not write the book. Use it to remove friction, protect your voice, and publish with confidence.
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