# Script&Shift: A Layered Interface Paradigm for Integrating Content Development and Rhetorical Strategy with LLM Writing Assistants

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2502.10638 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2502.10638/

## Key facts

- Cited by 12 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 15 Feb 2025.

## Built on by (most cited first, 12 of 12)

- [AI for Auto-Research: Roadmap & User Guide](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2605.18661/) (2026)
- [Optimizing Diversity and Quality through Base-Aligned Model Collaboration](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2511.05650/) (2025)
- [Collaborative Document Editing with Multiple Users and AI Agents](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2509.11826/) (2025)
- [Vidmento: Creating Video Stories Through Context-Aware Expansion With Generative Video](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2601.22013/) (2026)
- [Texterial: A Text-as-Material Interaction Paradigm for LLM-Mediated Writing](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2603.00452/) (2026)
- [AI in the Writing Process: How Purposeful AI Support Fosters Student Writing](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2506.20595/) (2025)
- [Designing Proactive Thought Partners for Writing](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2609.01588/) (2026)
- [TreeWriter: AI-Assisted Hierarchical Planning and Writing for Long-Form Documents](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2601.12740/) (2026)
- [The Crutch or the Ceiling? How Different Generations of LLMs Shape EFL Student Writings](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2604.15460/) (2026)
- [Semantic Prompting: Agentic Incremental Narrative Refinement through Spatial Semantic Interaction](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2604.19971/) (2026)
- [Towards Cognitive Process-Aware Proactive Writing Support](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2608.30424/) (2026)
- [PeerPen: AI-Assisted Writing for Online Mental Health Peer Support](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2609.14886/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Good writing is a dynamic process of knowledge transformation, where writers refine and evolve ideas through planning, translating, and reviewing. Generative AI-powered writing tools can enhance this process but may also disrupt the natural flow of writing, such as when using LLMs for complex tasks like restructuring content across different sections or creating smooth transitions. We introduce Script&Shift, a layered interface paradigm designed to minimize these disruptions by aligning writing intents with LLM capabilities to support diverse content development and rhetorical strategies. By bridging envisioning, semantic, and articulatory distances, Script&Shift's interactions allow writers to leverage LLMs for various content development tasks (scripting) and experiment with diverse organization strategies while tailoring their writing for different audiences (shifting). This approach preserves creative control while encouraging divergent and iterative writing. Our evaluation shows that Script&Shift enables writers to creatively and efficiently incorporate LLMs while preserving a natural flow of composition.