What happens when you let AI touch your novel?

In today’s Wordslinger 10-Shot, I talk honestly about experimenting with AI during a major novel rewrite — what completely failed, what surprisingly worked, and why I believe the future of writing still belongs to humans… just humans using better tools.

I tested Claude as a rewrite partner on a full manuscript, and the results were eye-opening. The AI rewrite itself? A mess. But the outlining, continuity tracking, scene planning, and editorial assistance? That changed the game.

This episode is for writers, creatives, and creative entrepreneurs trying to figure out where AI fits into the creative process without sacrificing originality, voice, or soul.

We talk about:

* Why AI-generated fiction often feels flat

* The difference between “writing with AI” and “letting AI write”

* How I’m using AI during rewrites and outlining

* Why storytelling still depends on human intuition

* The publishing industry’s changing relationship with AI

* How writers can adapt without losing themselves in the process

If you’re trying to navigate the future of publishing, storytelling, and creativity, this channel is built for you.

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⏱️ TIMECODES

00:00 – Welcome & what’s been happening this week

02:30 – Testing AI on a full novel rewrite

03:40 – Why the AI rewrite completely failed

04:30 – The surprising way AI actually helped

06:30 – AI as an outlining partner

08:20 – Why AI-generated stories feel formulaic

10:30 – Concerns about AI training & publishing

12:10 – Why writers must adapt

13:30 – The reality of major rewrites

15:15 – Rebuilding a novel from existing parts

16:40 – Why setting books aside can help

18:40 – A new writing strategy going forward

21:10 – Using story structures with AI assistance

23:20 – The “writer’s room” approach

24:20 – AI as a prosthetic, not a replacement

25:40 – Why human beta readers still matter

28:10 – Publishers already using AI internally

29:00 – Final thoughts on the future of writing

LINKS & RESOURCES

🌐 Wordslinger Podcast

[https://wordslingerpodcast.com](https://wordslingerpodcast.com)

✍️ ProWritingAid

[https://tidd.ly/3NCdlk5](https://tidd.ly/3NCdlk5)

📚 Draft2Digital

[https://draft2digital.com/wordslinger](https://draft2digital.com/wordslinger)

⚓ Author Anchor

[https://authoranchor.com](https://authoranchor.com)

📖 Find Kevin and his books

[https://kevintumlinson.com](https://kevintumlinson.com)

📰 Join Kevin on Substack

[https://kevintumlinson.substack.com](https://kevintumlinson.substack.com)

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