"AI can't write emotion": Sudha Murty's blunt advice to writers
At the Bengaluru Literature Festival, Sudha Murty pulled no punches. Perfect grammar is easy, she said. Emotion is not. And that's why AI won't write your best work for you.
Her new book, The Circle of Life, became the anchor for a wider look at craft: how people change, how characters surprise you, and how to keep a multi-threaded story coherent without losing its heart.
If you write for a living, here are the takeaways that matter.
Rewrite when your worldview changes
Murty revisited a story she first wrote in Kannada nearly two decades ago and rewrote it in English. Why? Her perspective had changed. What she believed then wasn't what she believes now.
- Old drafts are raw material, not relics. Reopen them when your life changes.
- Ask: What would present-me disagree with in this piece? Rewrite from there.
- Let time do its work. Distance clarifies theme, not just prose.
Write people, not pieces
She treats every character as an independent person. That's how you earn empathy on the page. Protagonists tend to align with her values; "villains" come from experience and observation.
- Give each main character a private logic: what they fear, want, and justify.
- For antagonists, list three memories that would make their behavior feel inevitable to them.
- Audit each scene: Who changes, even slightly? If no one does, the scene is filler.
When a character flips, make it earned
She called out Arvind-a character who takes a "360-degree turn" late in the story-as one of the hardest to write. Sudden change breaks trust unless it's quietly set up.
- Seed at least three small tells earlier: contradictions, hesitations, or values in conflict.
- Let the trigger be specific and personal, not generic drama.
- After the turn, show cost. Change without consequence feels fake.
Five lives, one narrative: use a system
Weaving multiple arcs was "difficult," so Murty built a systematic character map and even used technology to track behaviors and journeys. The craft note: emotion leads, systems keep you honest.
- Create a character grid: goal, wound, lie they believe, pivot scene, ending state.
- Track continuity in a simple tool (spreadsheet, notes app, or database). Color-code scenes by character.
- Add a timeline row for every character so time, location, and motivation never conflict.
AI can fix grammar. You supply the soul.
Murty was clear: "AI may bring perfect English, but it cannot bring in the emotions." A novel written by a chatbot won't carry lived experience. Sometimes, "the characters write themselves"-a dynamic she says AI can't replicate.
- Use AI for outlines, summaries, and timeline checks-never for voice or decisions that define a character's heart.
- Write the scene first. Then let tools point out gaps or continuity slips.
- If a paragraph reads smooth but feels empty, cut it. Fluency without feeling is noise.
Plot with the 20/80 rule of life
"Only 20% of life goes according to plan; 80% is unexpected," Murty said. That's a plotting principle hiding in plain sight.
- Give every major arc an unforeseen turn that tests values, not just circumstances.
- Surprise plus inevitability: the twist no one predicts but everyone accepts in hindsight.
- Ask: What event would force my character to reveal who they are-beneath the performance?
Field notes for your next draft
- Revisit one old piece with your current beliefs. Rewrite one scene.
- Build a one-page character map for each lead. Update it after every revision.
- Add a continuity tracker for time and motivation across chapters.
- Keep AI in the utility belt: structure, grammar, and logistics-never the heartbeat.
- Plant three quiet setups for any big turn you plan later.
If you want to study how authors talk craft and process live, explore the Bengaluru Literature Festival.
Prefer to use AI as a smart assistant without losing your voice? Start here: practical ChatGPT workflows for writers.
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