Writing by Committee: How AI Became My Creative Partner Without Taking the Wheel

Writing By Committee – Testing The Limits of AI

They say in great novels, the plot takes control from the writer, and characters make their own decisions. This idea is becoming reality as technology now shows signs of this capability. We decided to test this concept in a 21st-century setting by letting AI drive the story to explore its limits—and ours.

While it sounds simple to just let AI handle the writing, our goal was to find out how much human input is needed, when it’s needed, and how we cope with the idea of machines challenging or replacing us. The prompt above could inspire a dystopian romantic story itself, but we chose a different path.

Our story is set in 1970s London but follows a musician from the 22nd century—a time when AI had taken over all creative work—who travels back in time to become a true rockstar, like those legendary figures in history books.

Why Personal Taste Still Matters

First, AI lacks personal taste. Second, it was fascinating to see AI mix real-life names and locations with fiction and how well it made this blend seamless and enjoyable.

It's What You Ask, Not How You Ask

Getting good results from AI depends on thoughtful prompting. We started by asking ChatGPT, “What are the basics of writing a story?” It responded with six components: Character, Setting, Conflict, Plot, Theme, and Resolution. We had a decent grasp on character and setting, a vague theme, no real plot, and the resolution was distant.

After more questions and feeding the AI a brief inspired by this article’s introduction, we got Vian Echo, an edgy 22nd-century rebel musician, and his band, “Vian Echo & The Reverbs.” The story became about a time traveler who aims to become a music legend, falls in love, and ultimately chooses a humble life over fame.

Deus Ex Machina & Self-Criticism

Right away, AI demonstrated it can set an intriguing theme and atmosphere. Lines like “The air smelled of vinyl, sweat, and revolution. Guitars screamed from Camden basements, and poets shouted lyrics through broken amps. But one voice didn’t belong—not really.” show its strength in crafting setting.

However, the plot felt too idealistic and sometimes forced. Love conquering all is a classic trope but lacked depth here. Attempts to fix this with more prompts occasionally led to random, unearned twists—classic deus ex machina moments.

What helped was taking control. Instead of random prompts, we asked AI to critique its own work as both a reader and critic. It identified familiar AI shortcomings: good tone and ideas but shallow characters and missed opportunities for meaningful stakes.

This approach applies beyond writing. For example, we tested AI character scripting in adult storytelling. We created Riley, a college student balancing performative confidence and self-discovery, built entirely from prompts in a specialized AI tool. It wasn’t about erotica but exploring nuance, tension, and humor without clichés. Riley became a believable character we could develop dialogue around and fold into a screenplay draft.

This experience showed AI character design isn’t just a tool for adult content; it can explore identity and emotional conflict in a controlled way. When AI works best, it doesn’t replace imagination—it invites it to push further than we might alone.

Who’s Really Steering?

AI can be assistant, lead writer, editor, or all three. We used it in all these roles, essentially switching places. The final story, titled “The Last Riff”, credits both AI and human. This hints at a possible future where most creative work carries a shared byline.

During creation, AI never felt fully in charge. It was more like a partner with perfect grammar and a vast well of ideas. The human controlled the process and decisions.

Finding the Right Balance

There’s a learning curve with AI. It can speed up processes, generate ideas, and make up for some skill gaps, but it’s no shortcut. AI can’t replicate taste or experience. Like in our story of Vian Echo, the future lost human elements of art—taste, imperfection, happy accidents that make music real.

Another key point: quick solutions still need craft knowledge to recognize quality. AI can judge its own writing and improve on weaknesses, but fixes aren’t always more original or inspiring than what experienced writers create on their own.

AI won’t make you a writer; only time and practice will. Still, investing time learning to collaborate with AI can take you places you might not reach alone or without a lot of effort.

For writers interested in exploring AI tools and how to use them effectively, resources like Complete AI Training’s ChatGPT courses offer practical guidance.