Bard, Me, and a Book: An Editor’s Unfiltered Journey Through AI-assisted Fiction

Part 3

Tweaking the pitch

This week I used Bard to tweak the previously discussed pitch for a novel idea. I know that AI scrapes the internet for responses, so I thought it best to alter the Bard pitch slightly in hopes of creating something more original.

I asked: Using 2 as the basis for the concept pitch, change Maya from a weaver of dreams to a weaver of textiles. I go the following response.

“Pitch: Aspiring textile artist, Maya, inherits a loom imbued with ancient magic. Each thread she weaves into her tapestries manifests in the real world, bringing her vibrant creations to life. When she accidentally weaves a captivating stranger from moonlight and silk, their connection is undeniable. But can Maya control the power of her loom and navigate the blurry line between fantasy and love, without unraveling the very fabric of reality?

Intriguing Twists:

• Maya’s creations come with unintended consequences, forcing her to confront the ethical implications of her magic.
• The woven stranger, Kael, possesses memories and emotions from a forgotten world, creating a mystery to unravel.
• Rival weavers seek to exploit the loom’s power, leading to thrilling chases and magical duels.

Gripping Emotional Stakes:

• Maya’s yearning for artistic recognition conflicts with the risks of her newfound power.
• Kael’s yearning for home clashes with his burgeoning love for Maya, creating a heartbreaking dilemma.
• The fate of their world hangs in the balance, as the line between dreams and reality thins.

Unique Selling Points:

• The sensory experience of weaving magic through textiles adds a fresh perspective to the romance genre.
• The exploration of artistic creation and its consequences delves into deeper themes of identity and purpose.
• The “what if” scenarios of weaving objects into existence offer endless possibilities for creative world-building and plot twists.

This revised pitch retains the core charm of the original concept while offering a unique and intriguing twist on the idea of weaving dreams. It promises a story rich in sensory detail, emotional depth, and captivating world-building, making it perfect for a potential NYT bestseller.”

Honestly, I am not wowed by the above, but in the spirit of experimentation, let’s proceed with this iteration of the story.

My first impression is that Bard knows what the story is about, however, it’s not overly clear for me as a reader, and I am not exactly sure how to edit the prompt to make it more so. The character of Kael is clearly left over from the initial iteration of the story where Maya wove dreams, not tapestries, so my previous input to change that element of the story was not corrected by Bard. Is the character of Kael a love interest? It sort of leans that Kael is the villain. Maybe?

My editor red flag for authors is if you are going to use AI to help you brainstorm a story idea, you will most likely still need to go through each element with a fine-toothed comb to ensure the story has consistency. And you are going to have to figure out how to write the prompts to get some kind of consistent outcome.

Another editor red flag for authors is that you will need to know the genre and trope that you are working on to ensure that you create something saleable. So far, Bard hasn’t created any love interest for Maya—and this is supposed to be a romance so there does have to be a love interest.

I am sure AI will help some authors brainstorm, and initially, there were fairly interesting options presented, however I don’t recommend that authors take AI work at face value. Authors still need to know the elements of their genre and tropes, as well as the elements of writing craft.

Next time: Maya needs a love interest!

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