# From Pen to Prompt: How Creative Writers Integrate AI into their Writing Practice

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2411.03137 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2411.03137/

## Key facts

- Cited by 14 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 5 Nov 2024.

## Built on by (most cited first, 14 of 14)

- [Help Me Write a Story: Evaluating LLMs' Ability to Generate Writing Feedback](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2507.16007/) (2025)
- [Can Good Writing Be Generative? Expert-Level AI Writing Emerges through Fine-Tuning on High-Quality Books](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2601.18353/) (2026)
- [Writing as a testbed for open ended agents](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2503.19711/) (2025)
- [Constella: Supporting Storywriters' Interconnected Character Creation through LLM-based Multi-Agents](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2507.05820/) (2025)
- [The AI Memory Gap: Users Misremember What They Created With AI or Without](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2509.11851/) (2025)
- [Investigating Writing Professionals' Relationships with Generative AI: How Combined Perceptions of Rivalry and Collaboration Shape Work Practices and Outcomes](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2602.08227/) (2026)
- [Accepted with Minor Revisions: Value of AI-Assisted Scientific Writing](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2511.12529/) (2025)
- [Beyond the Desk: Barriers and Future Opportunities for AI to Assist Scientists in Embodied Physical Tasks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2603.19504/) (2026)
- [From Use to Oversight: How Mental Models Influence User Behavior and Output in AI Writing Assistants](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2604.05166/) (2026)
- [Deconstructing Jazz Piano Style Using Machine Learning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2504.05009/) (2025)
- [Creative Convergence or Imitation? Genre-Specific Homogeneity in LLM-Generated Chinese Literature](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2603.14430/) (2026)
- [Co-Writing with AI: An Empirical Study of Diverse Academic Writing Workflows](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2604.25389/) (2026)
- [Beyond Compliance: How AI Could Help Creative Writers by Refusing Them](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2605.16272/) (2026)
- [Ownership in AI-Assisted Everyday Tasks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2609.20658/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Creative writing is a deeply human craft, yet AI systems using large language models (LLMs) offer the automation of significant parts of the writing process. So why do some creative writers choose to use AI? Through interviews and observed writing sessions with 18 creative writers who already use AI regularly in their writing practice, we find that creative writers are intentional about how they incorporate AI, making many deliberate decisions about when and how to engage AI based on their core values, such as authenticity and craftsmanship. We characterize the interplay between writers' values, their fluid relationships with AI, and specific integration strategies -- ultimately enabling writers to create new AI workflows without compromising their creative values. We provide insight for writing communities, AI developers and future researchers on the importance of supporting transparency of these emerging writing processes and rethinking what AI features can best serve writers.